I've always tried to exercise consistently to keep myself in shape but to be honest the first few years of married life made me lazy. Then when we moved to Charleston summer's were spent on the boat eating and drinking. I didn't like the way I looked at all. So I started to wake up at the wee hours of 4 a.m. and head to the gym to work out. Finally I started losing some weight.
I'll just tell it like it is. I'm short. When short people gain a few pounds, it looks like a lot more than what it really is. Then you throw in my family genetics where it's easy to put on weight and difficult to loose. Short and stubby is what I like to call it...with big butts.
When I found out I was pregnant I had started losing some weight and was terrified to gain it back. I made a decision to continue working out as long as my doctor was good with it. I walked a lot, lifted weights (light weights with lots of reps) and did the elliptical. I worked out my entire pregnancy and even though I gained 45 pounds (mostly water weight....my feet swelled to the size of watermelons) I had an awesome pregnancy, labor and delivery, even though my little one was 9 days late and had to be induced.
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| Me one week after Sophie was born. I probably weighed about 150 pounds or so at that point. I look chunky. |
I started hitting the gym 2 weeks postpartum, determined to fit back into my pre pregnancy clothes before I had to go back to work. Working out along with breastfeeding helped me reach my weight loss goals in those first 6 weeks and even though my pants were a little snug I was happy with my progress.
I made the difficult decision to stop breastfeeding when my daughter was 4 months old. I was pumping at work but my supply was dwindling and it was starting to get very frustrating. When that part was done, I began running in an attempt to shed the additional pounds that lingered.
At first I was slow, painfully slow. I worked up my mileage and completed my first 5k October 2009. I ran and walked that race somewhere around 32 minutes. It was awful. But I was more than ever determined to get back into shape. The more races I signed up for the more I was determined to beat my previous times. Over the course of many 5 and 10k's I became a little bit faster and a more confident runner.
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| My first 5K 4 months postpartum. I had to stop and walk a few times. Time was something like 32 minutes. |
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| October 2010. My good friend Pam and I before a 5K race (Fight for Air on Folly Beach). I ran this in 25:13 and all the baby weight is GONE!! |
I ran my first half marathon in December of 2010 knowing nothing about training for running a distance of that nature. Weather conditions were least than favorable (cold and rainy). I ran it in 2:09:45 feeling pretty darn good about myself although I didn't drink ANY water or Gatorade, no fuel, nothing. I was also recovering from a cold that hit me that week. The fact that I finished this race and stayed at my desired pace made me proud, considering the weather was so awful. I felt such an accomplishment that I ran the entire race without stopping, even though I wanted to.
I guess you could say from that moment on I was hooked and running was doing something more for me than helping me loose weight. It's my "me time." It's my one to two hours where I can just get out there, throw on my music, and have nothing to worry about. I ran another half marathon, the Charlotte Racefest, in April of 2011 and beat my previous time by 2 minutes. This was more challenging because, yet again, it rained. Actually there were severe thunderstorms but hey no guts no glory right? It was also very hilly and I was not used to all those hills. But I loved the challenge and it made me realize I need to be smarter with my training.
October 23, 2011 I ran the Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon in 1:58:06, a PR!! And it didn't rain!!
Sure there are days where I don't want to even look at my running shoes. I have to battle sleepless nights, sickness not just with me but with my daughter (and everything she catches I'm bound to get it too - I caught two stomach bugs in one month). It's tough to stay motivated sometimes, but I think about all I've accomplished and I just do it.
My goal is to take my running to the next step and complete a full marathon so I will begin training in a few weeks for the Charleston Marathon in January 2012. I know I can physically run this race. It will be more of a mental issue but it's something I feel I need to accomplish before I have another baby. Otherwise I might not get the chance for a long time!
So that's my story! Oh and I'm happy to report that I lost all my pregnancy weight plus an additional 7 pounds and have maintained a consistent weight for the past 2 years! I think I'll stick with running.
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| Kiawah Island Half Marathon, December 2010. So cold and wet but so happy we finished! |
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| At the finish, my husband took the picture with his phone. |
Sure there are days where I don't want to even look at my running shoes. I have to battle sleepless nights, sickness not just with me but with my daughter (and everything she catches I'm bound to get it too - I caught two stomach bugs in one month). It's tough to stay motivated sometimes, but I think about all I've accomplished and I just do it.
My goal is to take my running to the next step and complete a full marathon so I will begin training in a few weeks for the Charleston Marathon in January 2012. I know I can physically run this race. It will be more of a mental issue but it's something I feel I need to accomplish before I have another baby. Otherwise I might not get the chance for a long time!
So that's my story! Oh and I'm happy to report that I lost all my pregnancy weight plus an additional 7 pounds and have maintained a consistent weight for the past 2 years! I think I'll stick with running.
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| Me and my crazy girl - Summer 2011 |
