Ever feel like you are running in circles? Not just in every day life, but in your running/training. I mean, granted, I run around in circles most of the day while chasing around my precious toddler and trying to accomplish simple things like finding my toothbrush under the bed so that I can brush my teeth or mail a few bills after peeling the sticker stamps off the refrigerator door.
Now, back to the actual running in circles. This whole childbearing age thing creates quite a viscious circle. You are running like a champ...your pace is faster than ever...you're running more races than ever...then BAM - you're pregnant. So you temporarily slow down or need to stop running for a while. You concentrate on creating a nice, safe, healthy environment for the baby who is sucking the life out of you. You give birth. Your life is turned upside down (or for some, right side up). You enjoy every moment, except the part when you're ready to start really pushing your body to the limits again. You start building the miles all over again. Speed work really sucks, but you are determined to get back to your pre-baby pace (ha!). A few months later you're almost there. You are running 5 days a week. You are racing every couple of months. You feel great -- even though you are pushing 35+ pounds while racking up the miles. Then you decide you might as well have another baby before you need dentures. So...BAM - you're pregnant. There goes all that hard work AGAIN. You chill. You try not to beat yourself up. You live through yet another preganancy and birth. Guess what?!? Its time to start all over again.
But it IS worth it. And guess what -- supposedly after giving birth your heart can pump more blood faster and your oxygen in take is greater. Meaning -- you will be FASTER and more EFFICIENT than ever before!!! So keep on running girls.
seeMOMMYrun.com is a free service that help moms find other walking or running moms in their areas. The site helps the 'everyday athlete' in all of us stay motivated, set goals, and reach them.
5 comments:
My plan was to get back into shape before having #2. Yeah, I ran a marathon, but I am in the worst shape of my life. No exaggeration. But after reading this, maybe I should just give up on it altogether? Just wait until after I'm done expanding my middle?
No, I will work out...because it is good for us and better for the baby for us to be in shape, better to recover after...it wasn't really a circle...it was preparation! (or so I keep telling myself during my 14 minute miles).
Hi Kimberly. Thanks for your postive reinforcement. Actually, I had failed to 'copy' and 'paste' the last paragraph of that blog - so its there now. Much more upbeat!
That last paragraph changes everything! And by the way...your last marathon time was AMAZING!!! You have nothing to worry about!
Oh an apparently you get smarter and more efficent when your a mom (thats what Parents magazine said) I am still waiting for it to happen. But girl not only do you make me want to run in cricles you make 1000s of other women want to as well...look at all of us out there doin it for our kids, for you and for ourseleves - your amazing and maybe I will finally be able to keep up with you ... NOT!
kiss
A year after Iz was born, I was as fast as I was way back in the day (supposedly this can happen -- go figure) -- including my fastest 10 miler (1:17 and some change). Now I think I'm slowing a bit again. Time for number two? Maybe... Though I was thinking about trying a marathon again in the fall. I've never done the Marine Corps...
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