I can't help but feel very nervous starting this blog. I plan on really putting this all out there because I think otherwise it will be too easy to quit, like so many other things that are left undone in my life. I want followers! I need help and encouragement! It's not easy staying at home and feeling quite isolated from other adults when you used to work full time and talk everyone's ears off over lab experiments (Ph.D. in biology- hopefully someday I will get to use it!) and depended on their encouragement to keep you motivated.
My baby son just turned 6 months and is eating solids pretty well so I think it is fine to up the exercise. Who am I kidding right? I could have upped the exercise well before now but it's so easy to hide behind breastfeeding and supply issues when you really just want to catch a nap or go to bed early instead of hitting the treadmill or popping in a Jillian Michaels DVD. So you should know that I plan on bfing my son until he is 1. My plan is to start the training now and then run a marathon next summer/fall. I don't think it would be a good idea to think I can run one this fall and breast feed when I have never ran one before.
I should also say that I would be happy with a half marathon if in my training it becomes very obvious that a full marathon is just not going to be in the cards.
The farthest I have ever run in one stint is 4 miles without stopping. I actually "ran" and walked a 5 mile race last fathers day when I was pregnant and I was just fine. For some reason when I am pregnant I have super duper energy in the second trimester. The year before that I "ran" most of the 5 mile fathers day race pushing my oldest son in a jog stroller.
My husband and I like to run and stay fit but we're in a fitness funk right now. Last May I lost my job. We were living in Cleveland, OH, far from our family, and we just decided to move back to our family in NY. I was 36 weeks pregnant at the time. Fast forward to now. We're pretty out of shape. We haven't fully gotten back into our groove since my pregnancy and our new baby came. (I get pretty relaxed on what we eat when I'm pregnant) Also, our house hasn't sold and it is a huge stress and even though I try to pretend it doesn't bother me it feels like a huge elephant is sitting on me all the time.
I have also been battling a light case of postpartum anxiety and depression. The thing that has helped has been telling anyone who will listen that I'm crazy and need time to myself. My amazing Niece/Sista, Jacki, takes me to Zumba on Saturdays and I love it and it gives me something that is all mine. I LOVE Zumba. Who would have thought? I plan on continuing Zumba as my cross train.
I'm really hoping to keep up with this. Sometimes the blogs will probably be short! I have two small children that demand my attention from the moment they wake, to the moment they fall exhausted into their beds!
Good luck Kristine! I am more than willing to help in any way that I can. I know how it feels to have your life uprooted by the premature loss of a postdoc position, so I can lend a sympathetic shoulder. Sometimes I am so stressed, I think training is just adding to it, but once I've forced myself to run/bike/swim, I always feel better afterwards.
ReplyDeleteI know you can meet this goal. If you ever start to doubt yourself, remember that I went from barely running 3 miles last spring to running a 50miler 7 months later (I don't recommend that though).
I'd love to run with you, so if you ever need a buddy.....
J. Mc.T.
Kristine,
ReplyDeleteWith your ambition you will be just fine for this marathon. I will be there in any way I can on my free time to assist with the kids or even run WITH you, just like we did at dads when you were pregnant and we ran 3 miles! You are a talented woman with attributes every female wishes she had. So keep up your positive attitude about fitness and life, despite the curveballs life has thrown you and keep smiling and believing! You got this sista :) Also the baby boom biologists will be retiring soon... I attend SUNY Potsdam - 90% of them are ancient! You will be able to do what you want before you know it! Good luck XO
Nicole