I get to do what?!

This past Monday I had my monthly OB checkup.  We were able to hear the heartbeat on the doppler, which was a big surprise to me since I didn't think it would have been possible for another week.  We also discuss my insomnia issues.  My doctor agreed that exercise could help to help wear me out (as if I'm not worn out already).  But he decided to prescribe Ambien so I could have a better guarantee of sleep.  So far I've only used it 3 different nights & it's definitely helped.  I still wake up once each night for a bathroom visit but that's to be expected.  At least now it's not taking me up to 2 hours to fall asleep.

While discussing my exercise routine, which has hardly been "routine", he suggested that I pick up the pace on walking just a bit.  I had been doing a slow 20 min. pace, mostly because I wasn't sure what I could handle.  I mentioned that in reality I don't enjoy walking since it just makes me want to run.  His response:  "Then run."

What?!  Me?  You remember who you're talking to, right?

He suggested that I just slow my pace down a bit so it's not too much impact but said I'd be just fine since I've already been a runner.  There just won't be any marathon-type runs.

So on Wednesday I decided to give it a try.  I even put on the singlet I used to wear for a lot of my long runs.  It just to hang really big on me.  I prefer my singlets loose.  Well, it's not loose anymore.  I couldn't believe how much I had filled it out already!

Since it had been over a month since my last run (a final pre-pregnancy run that I was very happy with) I decided to run as if I was just starting out.  I would walk for 2 min. & then run (well, really it was a jog) for 2 min. & continued this for 30 min.  The running times were weirdly tiring considering it was so much slower than I used to be, but it didn't completely exhaust me.  And each time I ran I loved it.  I wasn't starring at the clock waiting for the 2 min. to be up.  Really, I probably could have gone longer but I want to be careful.  The only difficulty I had was with my knees.  They felt as if I had been running for 15 miles.  And that night the rest of my joints from the waist down ached so bad.

Being given permission to run is huge for me.  Even though I had a complication-free pregnancy with Shaylin & she was completely healthy, I will always be considered high-risk.  But now to be allowed to still do something like running makes me feel almost "normal".  I don't have to just live in a bubble & be afraid to do anything.

So far I've only run that one time.  My joints just hurt that bad.  I would have run today but was just too full from lunch so I simply walked.  Hopefully I can get into a better routine & keep this up.  Then I'll have to find out just how far into the pregnancy I can continue running.  It would just be hilarious to run while 8 months pregnant!  I'll just have to find some way to hold my giant belly!