I chose not to run a single step this pregnancy. I also avoided walking whenever possible. Whether as a result or not, I did not suffer the debilitating groin pain I experienced with pregnancy number one. I did have pain, but it was not nearly as severe as with L. I did swim 2000 yards once a week and do water aerobics once a week, so I while I wouldn’t say I was in good shape, I maintained some level of fitness. However, the complete lack of weight-bearing exercise could not have been healthy.
I started with just walking, usually with at least one of the babies in the stroller. B was crying a lot in the stroller, so it was rather harrowing to say the least. Given the weather we’ve been having, it also isn’t all that easy to get the girls sufficiently warmly dressed. I went on my first run on November 22, just a half mile. Since then, I’ve been adding a half mile to my run distance every one to two weeks, and running three or more times per week. There was one exception to this, the second and third week of December, when the entire family got sick. I backtracked a little after that, and started with one mile again and began building.
Yesterday, for the first time in about thirteen months, I ran three miles. My last run had been the day before I found out I was pregnant. I wrote the following in my log, “Felt really awful and turned back early.” The following day, I got a positive pregnancy test. I remember that run. I had planned to go our for four miles or so, but began feeling really awful. I turned around after one mile, but I still felt like I might not make it back to the house and might have to ask a stranger for assistance. I did make it back and spent the rest of the day in bed. And so began pregnancy. I consider being able to run three miles sort of an indication that I have my body back. I’m still very, very slow. I’m still dealing with a variety of pregnancy / baby-related health issues. But overall, I feel pretty good. And I felt great when I got home after chugging slowly but steadily up that last hill. The fact that it was breezy and rainy only helped.
I have my first 5K this Sunday. I signed up for it to motivate myself. Hopefully, I’ll be able to run it faster than 30 minutes. If not, that’s OK. The point will mainly be to finish it without walking, and then to try and get faster.
I also got new running shoes
