This April I ran a marathon. Next April, all going well, I’m going to have a baby. While that last hilly stretch of Connemara was murder, I can imagine that childbirth (good old natural style Dutch childbirth at that) will pip it at the pain post. But yeah, April is going a be a big big month for me next year.

So, being pregnant is pretty predictable and unpredictable at the same time. I kept running the first few weeks in and then that tidal wave of tiredness took hold and that was that. 10 weeks later, I emerged at the other side of trimester with a little more energy and a expanding waistline. Sport now counts as stairs and swimming. The steps at my local train stations are what 10km used to feel like, I’m out of breath at the top and a little proud every time I choose the steps over the escalator. I feel like proclaiming to those escalator users – “hah!!! see I’m pregnant and I took the stairs now hand me my medal and feel ashamed of yourselves” (p.s I take the escalator in the morning so this is my  Jekyll and Hyde behavior at it’s best)

I had the idea in my head that I could keep my activity levels up to pre-preg. levels,  but over the last few weeks I learned that being pregnant really does mean listening to your body, and I’ve done what I’ve felt I’m able to. I’d like to get to twice a week swimming but the frosty evenings are making the warmth of home harder to leave after a long day’s work. So the perennial battle between being active and lazy continues.

I also try to remind myself though that while I don’t feel like I’m “doing” much, my body is doing all sorts of amazing things to accommodate the little person growing inside. I’ve begun to understand that it takes 9 months to make a little person, it also takes 9 months to really comprehend that it is all REALLY happening.

With pregnancy putting running on hold for now, I hoped that wouldn’t mean that my blog wouldn’t suffer a similar fate. Almost every mother I’ve spoken to has advised me to enjoy this time, to enjoy this totally insane thing that is happening to me and thought such things can also be put down here for my own record and the pleasure of those interested enough to read. I’ll also be sharing my general ramblings on all things running as usual.

Standby for the next post.

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Pregnancy

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November 17, 2011

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