This is my life!

Getting back into it!

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:38:32 -0500

Writing that is....now that Dahlia is sleeping longer I have a bit more time to do things that don’t come easy to me such as writing on my blog. Soon I will give you an update on my life and fitness progress.

Running again

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 21:13:07 -0500

Five weeks after giving birth I raced a 5K on trails.....slow but raced. Today I ran my favorite 8 mile loop pushing the jog stroller. Boy did /i miss that loop!
i am getting a lot of walking and hiking in. Sometimes carrying both my kids.

The Ultimate Endurance Event

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:25:51 -0400

My second child, a daughter named Dahlia Brook, was born on her due date, September 19th at 1:33am. She weighed 5 lbs 12 oz and measured 18.5 inches long. She looks a lot like her brother. This birth experience was very different from my first. I was much more empowered and decisive this time around. My first pregnancy was in induction a week before my due date due to a doctors belief that the baby was not getting fed properly. I believe I just saw the wrong doctor. this time I saw a great doctor for a Level 2 ultrasound at about 34 weeks and he found the baby to be thriving. He said that I just make small babies. Well, ya. That is what I have been trying to tell the doctors for years! So, I finally got to experience the entire birth from beginning to end this time.
I woke up to regular labor pains Friday morning around 5am. The contractions were 8-10 minutes apart. Scott left for work on bicycle and my mom came over for the day. We hung out, went for a walk and even built a wooden locker from LLBean. I also spent some time in the bath tub and Shep joined me for it. I was amazed at how the labor pains disappeared in the tub and reappeared as soon as I got out. At about 2pm I felt the contraction begin to get closer together and a little more intense. I called Scott to let him know it was time to come home but that he could ride his bike home. There was no rush. My mom left to go home and pack a bag for herself and take care of my dad for the evening. Shep helped me pack my bag and we packed his. He was ready to go over his cousins house, even telling me at one point,”Mommy, you go to the hospital now.” My plan was not to go until the contractions were regularly 3-4 minutes apart. I still had no regularity. Scott made it home on his bike. Aunt Stacie picked Shep up. My mom made it back to our house. At 8pm, with still no consistent contraction close enough together I decided to go to be. I slept really well not feeling the contractions and awoke at 11:50pm to my water breaking. I said, “It’s time to call the doctor.” The contractions were now regular and only 2 minutes apart. We packed the car and decided on what shoes to wear. I put on my Vasque Aether Tech’s and recommended Scott do the same. The contraction got more intense and continually closer together and here we were deciding what shoes to wear! We made it to the Hospital, parked in the lot and made our way to the emergency entrance because the maternity entrance was locked due to the time of night. We walked the halls to he maternity ward and checked in, receiving the very last room. We promptly told the nurse we wanted a water birth. She got the tub started and hooked up the heart rate and contraction monitor to my belly. This was the absolute worst part. Contraction kill laying on your back! I was 7-8 cm dilated when I got there and 20 minutes later when the doc arrived I was 8-9 cm and feeling the need to push. My mom asked again if the tub was ready. I had to cross my legs to hold the baby in. The nurse helped me into a wheel chair and ran me across the ward to the tub room. I crawled into the tub and started pushing. It was so great to be in a squatting position and be able to see the baby’s head emerge. I think i only had to push through 3 or 4 contractions before the baby popped out. I scooped her up and brought her to my chest, so happy to meet my new baby. I separated the legs to find we were now proud parents to a baby girl. What joy! I had the cord clamping delayed and all other tests put off. I held onto Dahlia for about an hour, helping her nurse and getting much needed skin to skin contact. We were all overjoyed and exhilarated by such an awesome birth. No intervention, 100% natural. I ended up with one little tear. My blood work the next day showed my blood-oxygen level higher that the doctor had ever seem before in a postpartum woman.

In the 39 week of pregnancy

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:36:20 -0400

There are only 5 days remaining to my due date of September 19th. I have not been running much in the last few weeks, instead biking, hiking, walking, doing yoga and Pilates. I stopped working last week and we are all ready for baby to emerge! The last few weeks are mentally and physically challenging. Even though I have only gained 19 lbs so far there is still quite a mass of baby protruding from my middle. It pulls on the back and misaligns the spine. Massage is essential! I am also feeling a lot of practice contractions lately and am excited for the real thing! Three years ago I was robbed of going into labor on my own by a biased doc at UCONN Medical Center. I was pushed by my docs to get a Level 2 ultrasound because of concern that the baby was not growing well due to possibly not get fed properly. At almost 39 weeks I got an appointment on a Monday at UCONN. The nurse technician seemed positive about what she was seeing on the monitor, but as soon as the doc walked in, without even looking at any information, he said to me, “You may not leave here today.” He was ready to get me under the knife. Fortunately, after a superb NST (non-stress test), where a heart rate monitor is strapped to my middle and the baby’s HR and movement is measured over a period of time, I was let go to meet with my own doctors. Later, at the next appointment, I was told they had scheduled me for inducement the next morning at Manchester Memorial Hospital. I was mad and sad, but felt helpless. I knew that my baby was fine inside. Mothers just know! Pitosin is an awful way of starting labor but just about all the rest of the delivery went great. I was surrounded by wonderful people. My husband by my side, my nurse was a good friend of mine, I had a doula and my mom as well and my grandmother were there. No one asked me for pain medication, because they knew I was completely against it and I delivered a very health boy at 5 lbs 5 oz.
This time around I have a lot more confidence and have already stood up for myself. I am a petite woman who married a not so tall man. My mom had small babies. I make small babies! The doctors cannot wrap their heads around that. Luckily I saw a great doctor at Hartford Hospital this time for a Level 2 ultrasound at about 36 weeks and he really looked at all the data. What he found was a healthy baby with a strong heart rate and placenta that is feeding well. According to his calculations the baby weighed about 5 lbs. This measurement can be off by 1 lb. either way. He did not just look at my external factors; belly measurement that are about 3-4 cm smaller than “ normal” and a weight gain of only 17 lbs (at that point).
So, I am now 39 weeks and 3 days pregnant. I have gained 19 lbs and my belly measurement (top of uterus to pubic bone) is at 36. I am waiting for this body and baby to make the decision. It is an interesting and exciting waiting game. I am ready for the challenge of giving birth and looking forward to it.

Bolton XC Series

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:57:44 -0400

This race series was every Thursday evening for 7 weeks at Bolton High School. Scott would meet Shep and me there so I could run the race. It is a fun course that loops through the woods and around the soccer and baseball fields. Series points were awarded based on showing up and finishing time. I missed two races because Scott either had a business trip or appointment but Shep and I still came out those nights and hiked the loop. There was also a little kids race of 100 meters that Shep refused to run every night except the last. Of course he said he needed “race food” to run with an that is why he is holding up his Clif Shot Blocks. There was a good number of kids (ages 3-7) who came out to run it the last night. I am happy to see that.
The awards were held right after the last race and I placed first in my age group. We’ll be back next year!

Wickham Park XC Series

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:48:59 -0400

The Wickham Park XC Series ended last week. Scott pushed Shep most weeks while I ran carrying baby to be. The race is held at Wickham Park in East Hartford, CT on Monday nights through the summer. There a 5 races and one needs to compete in at least 4 to qualify for placing. I decided to stop racing when I hit my 8th month in pregnancy and that allowed Scott to run hard the past event. He ran very well with a time one second slower that his best (over the years) on a very humid evening.
The awards were handed out that night. I placed second in my age group (while pregnant) and what is really cool was that the first place woman in my age group was Linda Yamamoto who I just found out is 13 weeks pregnant. So there you have it; two pregnant girls leading the age group. Go figure!

People’s Forest

Fri, 7 Aug 2009 21:33:41 -0400

Scott and I enjoy going up to Barkhamstead, CT for the People Forest 7 mile Trail Race every August. This year I ran while Scott hiked around with Shep. I knew it would be my slowest race yet at 33 weeks pregnant but I needed to be out in the woods sweating. It sure was tough on the uphills but downhills were a lot of fun. Normally the baby falls asleep while I run, for some reason baby was awake and moving. At about mile five he/she took a turn and was pushing on my pelvis. I had to shorten my stride and tighten my abs to keep running. Luckily baby moved again after about 10 minutes and I could finish with a bit of a push.

I have had a few woman tell me they are impressed with me being able to run at this stag in the pregnancy. My hope is that I inspire other woman to be active, very active during their pregnancy. It is not a time to sit back and each whatever you want. Quite the contrary!

Lake Placid Ironman

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:44:23 -0400

Scott competed in his first Ironman this weekend. He finished in ten hours and 45 minutes. He is happy with the outcome and recovering very well. Shep and I spend the day trying to get a glimpse of Scott and in between playing on the playground and in the lake with all the other kids and mommies. I did get a little run in with the jog stroller and got a few cheers myself with my belly hanging out.
There were over 2,000 competitors and thousands of volunteers. I could also not believe the number of spectators. Most of the time I could not get close to the course barriers. It was like nothing I have ever seen before. It was an exhausting day for me too.
We made a vacation out of the trip and took Shep on the Adirondack RR and also to see the ski jumps.
Maybe someday I will give an Ironman a try. Right now and for the next couple of years my focus is on ultra-distance trail racing. I like being out in the woods!

Soapstone Assault at 7 months pregnant

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:07:00 -0400

My trail running club, the Shenipsit Striders, held our low-key, inexpensive, no prize race today at Soapstone Mountain in Somers, CT. It is always a ton of fun and a great workout. The race is 5.5 miles long with 3,000+ feet of elevation consisting of assaulting Soapstone Mountain six times. The start is handicapped based on age and gender (taken from the famed Dipsea Trail Race). I had a blast this year being slower and less aggressive. It gave me time to converse with more runners and even mentor a bit. I finished 20 minutes slower than my best time on the course. My legs are feeling heavier now and my lung capacity is much lower, so uphills feel like I am dragging an anchor. Everything else feels decent for now. Shirts are driving me nuts though, so I have to wear only sports bra and expose my belly. No problem for me but I think some people are quite surprised. I got an interesting look from an older woman at the end of the race who probably believes pregnant woman should be sitting at home having their husband do everything for them. No way!
My husband, Scott took lots of photos and hiked to the top with our son, Shepard. Shep was in a great mood today. He was cheering for me, when lately he had been crying for me during races.

4 on the 4th

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 15:43:41 -0400

It felt so good to run on Saturday. It has become increasingly hard to run pushing the jog stroller and walking just doesn’t do it for me. So it was a wonderful indulgence to run 4 miles on my own (well, with about 800 other people and sweat a little). My goal was to run under 40 minutes. It is a very hilly course through beautiful, scenic Chester, CT. There are many old houses and waterfalls to run by and lots of people with hoses and water available. At 6 1/2 months pregnant now, the body is very different now. I am carrying 16 more pounds, my lung capacity is compromised, my pelvis is tipping forward, blood flow is being diverted and fuel ( and water) is used up quickly. So, of course, running times are slower. I finished in 33 minutes sweaty and very happy.
There are more races to come as Scott and I are attending 2 running series this summer; Bolton XC Series on Thursday evenings and Wickham Park Series on Mondays. Shep even has his own race on Thursday night. It is a 100 yard dash at the Bolton Series.