A Pregnancy Running Rant

I wrote this [obviously!] before I had the baby... but we can't let a written post go to waste can we?

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Let's talk running again, just one last time while I'm still pregnant.  The baby is coming soon, right?!?!  RIGHT?!?!?!  But that's a rant for another post.  [Yes he came VERY soon!]

Pregnant running has definitely NOT been what I dreamed it would be.  I imagined myself as one of those fabulous people who run the entire time they're pregnant.  You know, kind of like that lady who ran a marathon on the day she gave birth, except just a little less crazy.  

But running wasn't like that for me.  AT ALL.  First we had MAJOR pressure on my bladder that made running very uncomfortable.  I had to stop to go to the bathroom about every 15 minutes.  Then that went away for a bit, but my calves were constantly SO tight and calf tightness and shin splints plagued me.  Then that started away and then the horrible rib and ab pain started.  Now that has lessened (but not gone away entirely) but the incredibly pressure on my bladder is back.

So yeah.  There's that.  But I did run a few races while pregnant!

There was the Mustache Dache - at approximately 5 weeks pregnant (and only 1 day of knowing it!):

There was the Seattle Half Marathon (at 6ish weeks pregnant) and the Christmas Rush 10k (at 8ish weeks pregnant):

There was the Seahawks 12k (at 27 weeks pregnant):

And finally, the Keizer Iris 10k (at 31 weeks pregnant):

So yes, I did run some.

Before we proceed with the "rant" portion of this post, let's be clear, I am absolutely ecstatic about Rudiger's arrival.  [Um, that's the understatement of the YEAR.  I am totally and completely IN LOVE.]  But let's also be clear.  I am NOT ecstatic about missing every single fun (mostly running-based) event of the summer.

While still absolutely a blast, I was not excited to miss the annual Leavenworth Wine Tasting birthday weekend, I'm not excited to miss Ragnar Northwest Passage, I'm not excited to miss the Spokane to Sandpoint ultra relay I was previously captaining, and I'm definitely not excited to miss Hood to Coast.  It was certainly difficult to watch all my pals train for the Eugene Marathon and continues to try my jealousy watching my other pals all train for a Half Ironman while I "walk" and watch my weight climb and climb.

  

 Two amazing events that I definitely DON'T like missing. Have I mentioned I love relays?!

Does that make me a bad person?  Don't answer that?!

While having a summer baby is awesome because a) everyone who's awesome has a summer birthday, and b) hello, free maternity leave for us teachers, it's NOT awesome when you live in Seattle and we only get 3 months of nice weather the whole year, and I'm either going to be 9-10 months pregnant (and just waiting for the baby to make its arrival as I am now!), screaming in agony during the birth, or nursing an infant during those same 3 months.

Let's reiterate that I am excited about the baby again before you all start hating me, shall we??? 

The wallowing comes and goes.  My husband loves to put it in perspective: "There WILL be other summers you know.  There WILL be other races.  This is NOT your very last one and only chance to train for a marathon / Half Ironman / ultra relay".  And those things ARE true.  But that's easy for him to say!

What has he had to give up?  He's running more now than ever!  He's watching the scale fall, not climb!  He fits into all his clothes!  He gets to eat deli meat / drink beer / drink Coke Zero / not be worried about gestational diabetes.  He doesn't struggle to put on socks and tie his shoes (well, maybe just a little!).  He doesn't get winded just walking.

He's not going to BIRTH the baby or NURSE it.  There is not one single event he's going to miss because of this baby.  The worst thing that's happened to him was painting those freaking stripes (and yes, in his defense, that wasn't a very fun ordeal).

And this is what gaining 30 pounds looks like: 

So yeah, running is not going that well.  

End rant.  Please tell me I'm not the only person to ever feel this way.  I really really really do TRY to keep the jealousy in check, but sometimes it's just so difficult!

**Update - totally worth it.  :-)