Running & Pregnancy: 18 weeks, changes and adjustments
18 weeks and 5 days. Headed out for a rainy (thankfully not icy) run this morning.
Saturday marked the beginning of my 18th week and for the most part I feel great. It seems as though my body turned the corner in more ways than one:
-I'm much more comfortable in maternity pants now or anything with a waist that has a little give, which means I'm wearing leggings most days.
-I feel like I need some support when I'm running. I reached for the support belt for the first time this week while running and found that it made my run far more comfortable.
-My pace has slowed. A week ago most of my runs were comfortably in the 8:30-8:40's but it seems that this week that comfortable pace has risen to a 9:00 min pace. I feel like it's the same effort, but my body's just not moving as fast.
-Cross training seems more appealing than running. This may have something to do with the weather lately (freezing rain, ice, cold) I just don't feel like I have the motivation to get out the door at 6am to get my run in. The thought of a 20-20 min workout DVD sounds a whole lot easier than gearing up for a wintery weather run.
With all these changes have come adjustments in my expectations for each run. I'm OK with slower and shorter and doing what feels comfortable. I'm taking my runs out side when the weather is right (as in not icy) and hitting the treadmill when it's not. I have to say I feel like the treadmill is a joy-suck. I really dislike it. And it seems to ruin any kind of motivation I have to run. Outside I don't need to muster up any kind of motivation because I just like being out there, the treadmill is another matter. I am trying to stay motivated with the Runner's World Run Streak, the goal is to run at least one mile every day between Thanksgiving and New Years. So far I've kept it up (with the exception of the Monday after Thanksgiving where I totally forgot until 10pm at night) and even just a mile on the treadmill is a good way to get moving.
When I compare where I am now to where I was at the same time with Jack I'm far less ambitious with my running, at this time with Jack I was gearing up to run the Big Lake Half Marathon. I'm nowhere near that and I'm glad. I've been focusing more on cross training and feel like I'm in just as good shape if not better (read stronger) than I was running more miles in my second pregnancy.
As I get closer to the third trimester I've been mulling over when I might stop running and focus solely on cross training: core and pelvic floor strength. I'm not exactly sure when that will be, but I do know I don't want to run to far into my third trimester if I want to bounce back more quickly postpartum.
How do you stay motivated in the winter to train pregnant or not? Do you ever feel like you're losing your motivation to run?
--Sarah
I love connecting with readers! You can find me here:
Email: RunFarGirl [at] gmail [dot] com
Twitter:@RunFarGirl
Instagram: instagram.com/runfargirl
Facebook:Facebook.com/runfargirl262
Pinterest: pinterest.com/runfargirl
Daily Mile:dailymile.com/people/scanney