I'm not shy anymore and more truths...

So let me tell you it already took a lot to embarrass me because I grew up with a mom that speaks her mind at any moment and doesn't apologize for it, she taught me to be unique, individual, and proud of who I am.  This is the same person who also told me not to point out what I think are my faults because people only notice them when you point them out!  But after giving birth to a room full of 10 people and having people around telling you how to breast feed and what feels like the whole world seeing your privates you lose ALL inhibitions.  My first clue of this was when someone would asked me how it went and I noticed I might have made a few of them squirm and realized it was TMI either that or birth control for some of my friends. :-)

Truth #1 I gained 40 lbs during my pregnancy not the 25 - 35 that they recommend.  But to be honest I'm not as freaked out about it as I thought I'd be.  I lost 10 lbs of that the day I gave birth and another 10 lbs in the week after that.  Now 6 weeks after I have about 16 lbs left to lose to get to my pre pregnancy weight and I am up for the challenge now that I can exercise!

Truth #2 it's not the weight gain you have to be worried about it's the fact that you have no ab muscles and there's all that extra flab around your belly.  So that's the number one goal during my workouts... Yup you heard it right I'm not concentrating on getting a PR any time soon or on speed work at the track or placing at my next triathlon, just on getting those ab muscles back and tight.  That's what will prevent me from getting into my pre pregnancy clothes even when I lose those last 16 lbs. 

Truth #3 I cheated a little and the week before I got the ok to work out I ran 1.5 miles almost every day just to start testing myself.  Now this week I'm doing some running and weight lifting and plan to start incorporating some spinning and swimming ASAP.

Sat. I went straight from my Dr. apt to the gym did 30 minutes on the elliptical and 45 minutes of lifting and ab work.  Sunday got to busy and I had to skip my 1st workout!!!  Today I got a 2 mile run in before hubs had to head to campus so hopefully when he gets home at 7 tonight I can run to the gym to do some weights.  Yes, having a baby makes some of the simple things in life seem a lot more difficult to do, like sleep but it's true what they say it is so worth it.  Just watching him smile or stretch as he's waking up makes me forget about everything I just mentioned above!!  Yes, I've now become one of those moms.

Things I never thought I'd have to worry about when I worked out:

• Leaking, yes if you are breastfeeding you do have to worry about this when you work out
• Feeling like your insides might fall out at some point during your work out!
• Deciding to wear your maternity bathing suit when getting in the hot tub and realizing now that it's lose on you the jets will blow air into the most awkward places so you just hope the jets don't turn off until after you get out
• Having to wear 2-3 sports bras when you work out so it doesn't hurt
• Getting home in time to feed your baby

My dog is happy we are training for the 5k doggie dash and doesn't feel quite as neglected anymore.  Ok she is pretty jealous that she doesn't get to come jump on our bed in the mornings anymore or sit on the couch between us if the little guy has her spot, but she's doing ok considering.

Happy Training Everyone!!!

Countdown to comeback and training plan

Four more days and counting!  Now that my foot is feeling better and the midwife is about to give me the ok to start regular exercise I am excited and nervous!!!  But first a farewell to walking...

Dear Walking,

I hope these two become best friends and I'll have 2 running partners!

You have been there for me the past few months and I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate that.  You helped me get through the worst of it and keep my anxiety at bay.  As much as I wanted to pick up that foot just a little bit quicker I knew that you were there to keep me safe and healthy.  I might have lost any semblance of sanity and muscle if it wasn't for you.  But alas, it is time to part ways.  Don't worry I won't forget about you completely I still need to walk my dog and my son every day and when I go back to work you are there for me on my breaks and lunch to help me relieve stress and get some vitamin D.  Thank you!

Now the question is what will my first workout be?!??  I know it will include a 1 mile jog for sure so I plan on that being my warm up!  Then do I want to work on endurance and maybe do some spin or do I want to try and get some of my muscle tone back and do some weight lifting and or plyos?  Or do I take advantage of not being back at work yet and try out one of the aerobics classes at the gym that I never get to do?  I'm so excited to plan out my upcoming workouts that I don't even know where to start!  What is your favorite workout?  If you have to take a break how do you ease yourself back into exercise?

I'm also a little bit nervous thinking what if I never get back into the shape I was in?  What if I can't run the 5k I signed up for just 3 weeks after getting back to exercise?  Yes, I signed up for the Doggie Dash that benefits Animal Humane as my first race and hope that my dog will pull me most of the way because I want to try and not have to walk any of it!  But coming from only walking for the last 2 1/2 months and only having 3 weeks to train for it might be too much to ask of my body?  What if the extra flab around the belly never fully goes away no matter how many sit-ups I do?  Ok in reality I will put all these nervous thoughts at the back of my head and run them all away!  I'm super excited to get that first endorphin rush that I haven't had in a while.  I can't wait until little A can hold his own head up and I can take him with me in the jogging stroller!  It will be a new world of working out for me and I can't wait to see what my future holds!

P.S. I might have gotten a sneak peek, I mean I can't help it if my dog wants to run on our walks....

Race Recap

No I didn't go do a triathlon the day after giving birth!  Sorry to burst your bubble but it does take some pregnant woman a little time to recover.... I mean you saw the pics even the Princess had a post pregnancy pooch :-)  So why did I title this race recap?  Because pregnancy, labor, delivery, and bringing baby home has felt like a grueling quadruple Ironman race.  It took dedication,
perseverance, nutrition periodization, pain management, and in the end I got the ultimate reward.  It has been a hard and trying time I'm not going to sugar coat it, it's not always rainbows and unicorns pooping glitter but when he smiles or makes a cute face it reminds me why I did all this!

Pregnancy - This was like the months leading up to an IM.  It's lots and lots of training with some peak periods and some recovery weeks and you have to behave the whole time.  Watching what you eat, no drinking, keep up the exercises, and wait in anticipation for the big day.  For me this pregnancy pretty much followed the norm I experienced the normal aches and pains most people do and didn't love it or hate it (ok maybe parts of it).  I was nauseous for all of the first 3 months ok maybe 2 months because I didn't realize I was pregnant until about a month into it.  I only actually threw up once but the rest of the time both in the morning and evenings I felt like I was going to puke!  Then the 2nd trimester truly was bliss!  I felt awesome a new surge of energy and was still teaching my boot camp and 5k class!  I thought I can handle this!  Then the 3rd trimester I started to feel really HUGE and thought this will never end!  I couldn't workout as much the last month before the due date and I was crawling in my own skin waiting for the big day.  Luckily for hubs I never got any cravings and didn't send him out for food runs like pickles and ice cream.  He was the one that seemed to get cravings for ice cream a lot yet he was losing weight the whole time I was gaining it.  I gained a whopping 40 lbs but I came to terms with that because I knew I was eating healthy and my baby was a big boy! :-)   The biggest advice I could give is to not read everything under the sun about pregnancy unless you want to constantly be freaking out about what might or might not happen.  Save the what to expect when you're expecting specifically for when you have a question and just look up that one topic.  Also don't try to clean the tile in your kitchen on your hands and knees with a scrub brush in your 9th month of pregnancy or your husband will come home to find you crying covered in sweat, tears and cleaning products!  Ask for help when you need it and know it's ok to feel scared.  Lucky for me hubs gave me hugs even when I told him I didn't want them and no matter how much I didn't believe him he still kept telling me I was beautiful.  Pregnancy was pretty much what I had expected with it's ups and downs.

Labor and Delivery -  WOW!!!!  This part was not anywhere close to what I expected!!  I know they tell you to be ready for pain but I didn't expect to be so scared!  I was so worried about the well being of my child and I know I must have looked at my husband with my eyes bulging out of my head pleading that everything will be ok.  I was at 41 weeks when my midwife recommended I induce so we scheduled it for a Friday.  I went in and they gave me my first dose of medication at 9 am and then hubs and I went for a long walk outside and up and down the stairs.  I really didn't feel anything.  So around noon they gave me the second dose and around 4 pm hard labor started.  He was born at 1:51 am after 1 1/2 hours of pushing.  I was in lots of pain of course and I tried breathing but definitely could not stay calm and relaxed like they recommend.  My muscles tensed up every time a contraction came.  The music wasn't helping and I didn't want anyone touching me or talking to me.  Poor hubs!!  I also had told him not to let me change my mind about not having drugs.  But when he took a bathroom break and the nurse came in to see me she said something that changed it all for me.  "It only gets worse from here! and then you may not have time to change your mind about drugs."  I thought there is no way I can survive if the pain gets worse than this.  So when hubs came back in I demanded drugs.  He didn't know where it came from and he kept telling me no and telling me how I'd be disappointed if I did it.  I kept saying I'm so sorry to disappoint you and don't be angry with me!  All the nurses etc kept looking at him like he was evil but he was just doing what I had asked him to.  So I got drugs but by then the

First bath, not too happy...

worst was really already over and I had made it through most of it!  I am a little disappointed in myself but life moves on.  The scariest part was when A's heartbeat was too fast and at one point there were like 10 people in the room waiting for him to come.  The plan was that hubs would stay by my head and not witness any of it but when it all started there were only 2 other people in the room so they made him hold one of my legs!!!  So much for that plan he had to witness it all!!  Including the stitches.  So in the end at least I didn't have to have a C-section but I did have to be induced, cut and took drugs! :-(  The good news is that even though little A had to spend a week in the hospital because of some fluids in his lungs that caused an infection he is now as healthy as can be and thriving!!  They took him off oxygen a week after we got to come home.  After this experience you lose all inhibitions and don't worry about being embarrassed by anything ever again!

Postpartum - The first couple of weeks were the hardest because I was trying to recover and was spending day and night at the hospital with my son in the NICU.  It was nerve racking and my heart goes out to all the parents that had to spend months on end there luckily A just had a week to finish getting his antibiotics for 1 week.  I was sleep deprived and hurting and a nervous wreck.  But now it's only a month later and it's already starting to get better!!!  A is 10lbs already and such a big and healthy boy!  He is fussy at times and I may only get 2-3 hours of sleep but then other nights we get some awesome sleep in 4 hour stretches!  I'm so happy I'm able to spend the first 3 months with him before having to go back to work it makes such a huge difference!  I do go stir crazy and get major cabin fever day after day in the house with only A but the few days I get to go out and talk to adults it's pretty nice so make sure you keep your lines of communication open!  I still get nervous and wake up just to check that he's still breathing but those smiles he gives me now are awesome!  It also seems like you never get anything done during the day but you know what the house will just have to wait to be cleaned!  Being a parent is such hard work and I'm so lucky to have such a supportive family and that my mom will be coming here to help once I go back to work!  I know once I'm able to work out again it will help with any of the stress and anxiety I have left.  I am thankful to having a healthy boy and can't wait to see what life has in store for him!

Aiden's Journey in Photos!

When we first found out I was about 1 month pregnant.  In December...Ultrasound in April about 4 months

March about 3 months pregnant

May about 6 months

9 months The cutie in person!

DOB: 8/31/13  Aiden Richard Arnold 8 lbs 2 oz 21 1/4 in long

Him and dad

When you have 2 grandparents as photographers and a mom with a camera the precious moments are constantly being caught on camera.  So I promise I will still be writing about my endurance adventures but expect to have them sprinkled with pics of this guy! 

 

In the next few weeks I will write a little bit more about Aiden but then I will be back on track to trying to get back into shape.  I have been told I can start exercising (more than just the walking I've been doing) in about 3 more weeks.  More on that later.

 

 

How is a pregnancy like an Ironman

Soooooo you probably knew this post was coming.  I mean come on I don't get to do race reviews or brag about how I rode x# of miles and puked up a new gel that I tried, or how that cool new race gear has made my life so much easier but I still need to distract myself, so why not write about this.  I'm only 8 WEEKS away from the finish line!!!!  I've been meeting with prospective pediatricians instead of running buddies and my brain is itching for some competition not baby talk but so instead I'll bide my time..

What does Ironman and Pregnancy have in common?

* Months in advance you have thought about the possibility of completing such a daunting and strenuous task but deep down you still aren't quite sure if you can truly do it. 

* You talk about should I do it shouldn't I for a while and drive people nuts.

* Out of no where it happens you are signed up and have to start training, you hope that last bout of going out happened before there was any chance of side effects...

* Should I use the Galloway/Bradley method?

* There is some nausea and dizziness as your body gets use to the new strains and types of fuels.  You have doubts if you can make it through many more months of this (Phase I) build phase.

* Then you hit Phase 2 you have a surge of confidence because you are all of a sudden feeling better, got your energy back, full of positive feelings, start letting yourself think this isn't so bad I can do this!!!

* Phase III Nerves start to kick in, what was I thinking!?!?  Am I ready for this?  My life is going to change forever!!  Did I do enough to prepare? 

*  Do I cheat or go drug free?  (Ok, Ok, I'm KIDDING) It's not cheating for pregnancy just for sports..... but you get what I meant, the decision has to be made...

*  Do I need a coach or can I do this solo?

* Gear check, pack my bag, what will I need for race day?  Who's going with me?


* Ready or not........  Ready, set, go!

* Finishing feels so good that you forget all the pain you just went through (I hope so one of these I've done twice and one of these I have yet to experience for the first time!)

* You get some pretty awesome bling at the finish line!!  And brag and brag and brag until people are sick and tired of hearing about it.  So do I get a t-shirt too? :-)

Any of these t-shirts would work:

Do you ever find yourself comparing things to your races?  Even if it may seem a little inappropriate?

Colombia Trip, Swollen Feet and 10 weeks and counting...

I survived my trip to Colombia and had lots of great food, great family outings, and my husband has a new appreciation for driving :-)   Where to start.....

I booked the trip before I knew I was pregnant so I went for the cheapest flights which meant we had an 18 trip each way, YUCK!!!  But once we actually were there we had a good time.  I think I'll tell most of this story in pictures.  But before I do this let me tell you a little story about being pregnant and exercising while visiting a country that thinks pregnant women should sit at home doing who knows what for the 10 months they are pregnant. 

Story 1: They tried to kick me out of the hotel gym.  They didn't realize I was pregnant when I first walked in so I had already been on the spin bike for 30 minutes, then while I was on the stepper for 10 I was arguing with the guy that said I couldn't be in there.  I said look at your own rules on the wall it says if you are pregnant or might have a heart condition to visit a Dr. first I calmly informed him I had visited my Dr. and she encourages me to continue working out.  He kept trying to say it was too great a liability but I told him I had signed in and that had a disclaimer on it!!!

Story 2:  They almost didn't let me kayak with my husband in a 2 person kayak with a life vest and calm waters.  I had to practically sign my life away.  And explained that I have safely still been swimming a mile at a time and was confident that if my kayak over turned I could swim the maybe 250 meters to land!

Story 3:  I was at a local park that measured about 437 meters each time around and I am getting to where I only run about 1 mile and the other 2 or 3 I walk fast.  Well I was doing the jog portion of this and a HOMELESS guy told me to slow down!!!

And that's just a few of my stories. :-)  I promise I am exercising at a lower intensity and for less amount of time and under the supervision of my midwife!  It is for the best of the baby and my own sanity that I continue some kind of exercise regimen, THE END!  Ok I'm done with my little rant.

I was so unprepared for the swelling of my feet and legs and I wake up at night with them aching and not to mention the Charlie Horse's that feel like my muscle is being ripped away from the bone by a mean gremlin! Ok so I'm being dramatic but I promise it hurts...  So I'm trying out my compression socks to see if that helps, I figure it helps with circulation so why not!  It's usually back to normal by morning but man by the end of the day I could leave my hand print on the top of my foot from all the water that is trapped under there....


10 Weeks until A- Day when Aiden Richard will be joining us!  That is unless they have the due date a little off.  Any bets on when he'll actually come?  They say I'm measuring about 2-3 weeks ahead of schedule but then they tell me not to get excited because that doesn't necessarily mean anything.    

We will be cutting it close cause the baby shower isn't until mid July and we have absolutely NOTHING ready but I am confident everything will fall into place!  I'm getting very excited and am very thankful that I have a such a supportive husband that has been so involved in this with me!  We are excited to meet A.  You might have the same birthday month as your doggie sister :-) 

So what have you guys been up to?  I need to catch up give me your favorite summer moments so far!

Ohhh triathlon how I miss you!

I am so grateful to still be able to swim, spin, lift weights and walk!  So don't get me wrong I am so very thankful that I still have a capable body that is just temporarily having to slow down to take care of this little business called creating a life! :-)  But it is ok to miss my triathlon life and it makes me appreciate it more and more each day.  With triathlon season kicking off I'm getting daily reminders of what I would normally be doing at this time of year and what I took for granted for so many years.  As I drive home and see cyclist heading up a hill that I use to train on regularly, as I get emails reminding me of fast approaching registration deadlines, as I see friends posting race pics and reports, I smile and relive some of my favorite triathlon moments.

I'm finally reaching that awkward stage where the belly is just starting to get in the way of things.  It's starting to get harder to bend over to pick something up or to stretch.  As I try to get up from the recliner I bob back and forth a few times before I can get the momentum to push the legs down.  When I run my shins feel the strain of my extra weight and I'm only running about 1 mile comfortably after that it's a constant battle balance of when I should give in and walk the rest.  I bemoaned to hubs the other day that he's gonna just have to start rolling me everywhere.  But then I think of the women who have had to be bed ridden due to complications, or those who could never do a triathlon.  It takes me back to what initially made me not only decide that I could accomplish an Ironman finish but made me feel like I had an obligation to do an Ironman.  Because I can!!!  Watching story after story of people who had obstacles in their way or were told they couldn't do an Ironman and still found a way to get there.  Some of those stories ended in heartbreak and were cut short at the swim or bike cutoff.  So I thought what is there to question, I can therefore I will!

While I sit here and yearn for my triathlon days to come back I also know there were days I didn't want to drag myself out of bed for that early morning run or there were races as I drug my equipment to transition with a ball of nerves in my stomach I thought why do I do this to myself.  But I want to capture these moments of want of desire to remind me when I am able again that not only will I go back and do a triathlon but I will choose to make the most of each workout, each rest day, and each race.  Now I will have someone new to pass along all the lessons that triathlon has taught me and even if the little guy doesn't choose to follow in the triathlon footsteps of his mom he will know what it is like to be part of a great community of strong people with a will and desire to overcome anything!

Swim because you can,

Ride because you can,

Run because you can,

TRI even when you think you can't!