So today is the first day of the rest of my (fitness) life. I now have everything I need to successfully get going on my Couch to 5k plan. I know how to watch my form to avoid heel strikes. I've got a weather sheild for Gage's worn, crappy jogger so that I can run with him in all kinds of weather, even wind. I've got my shiny new Brooks running shoes, chosen with assistance from a runner at Boulder Running Company. I've got my music playlist built, and the Couch to 5k app loaded and ready to go. AND, most importantly, I've got my motivation to really do this. Not for the numbers on the scale, but for fitness, for health, and for Gage. I want him to be able to do fun things with us, healthy thing, like hiking and biking. I want him to grow up enjoying all the beautiful things that colorful Colorado has to offer. I don't want him glued to the couch and TV, waiting for the next show to come on!
I have goals. I'm working toward running the Promise for Preeclampsia 5K in Denver City Park on June 26. It will be my first ever for this kind of event; I've never even been to a race like that. I have a few other 5ks I want to run after that one, but that will be my first. Preeclampsia is a cause near and dear to my heart. I was overweight going into my pregnany, and I didn't watch what I ate, using pregnancy as an excuse to gain 35 MORE pounds. As I progressed in my pregnancy, my blood pressure was through the roof, and each visit to the doctor's office made me fear that they would find my blood pressure high enough they'd need to induce early, or worse, get Gage out via emergency c-section. I was monitoring my own blood pressure every few hours as well.
At my last appointment before my due date, I had trace amounts of protein in my urine, and extraordinarily high blood pressure. They told me to go straight to the hospital, that there was a 60-75% chance that the hospital would want to induce that night. Brian left work, came home, and we headed to the hospital, saddened that we had been robbed of a, "Honey. It's TIME!!!" moment. At the hospital, my vitals were normal, the blood pressure was down, Gage's heartbeat was strong and true, and there was no more protein in my urine. We dodged the bullet that night, but when I went one day OVER my due date, and my blood pressure was REALLY high, the doctors quit messing around. They told me I needed to proceed to the hospital as soon as Brian could get me there, and I would definitely be induced that day. As many know (and Gage's birth would be another post on its own) my labor lasted 27.5 hours after the induction. I will always wonder if I'd been in better physical shape if things would've gone more smoothly. I am committed to getting into better shape before we decide to have another baby, God willing.
Preeclampsia is a scary, scary thing. So far the only cure is to remove the baby, whether you're early in your pregnancy or late. Some women can combat preeclampsia with bed rest, but that's not an optimal solition, nor does it "cure" the preeclampsia. Rather, it buys the mom more time with baby inside. I will proudly run for preeclampsia awareness. Knowing the warning signs could save your life! While I was fortunate to dodge ever having a full on diagnosis of preeclampsia, it was a very real fear through MOST of my pregnancy. And don't get me wrong-I am DEFINITELY not saying that normal weight women don't face preeclampsia because that would just not be true. But being overweight makes the risk that much greater that you'll face preeclampsia.
In the slightly shorter term, I will reward us with a new jogger if I keep up C25k for two straight months. So I have my short term goal, and my more long term goals. I'm training toward a goal, a few goals, when you consider that there are a couple more 5ks this year I'd love to run after the one June 26. My really long term goal is to run the BolderBoulder 10k next year. Now THAT is something to look forward to!
I've got everything I need to succeed. There are no more excuses, no more reasons to plant my butt on the couch and just wait 'til tomorrow. Tomorrow is here, today, and it is time to get started. While "today is the first day of the rest of my life" is a tired, overworn cliche, there has never been a time that it is truer for me than right now. Except for maybe the day Gage was actually born, because, ya know, having a baby changes everything. (Intentional cliche usage there.)
No comments:
Post a Comment