Chasing My Joy

My journey to becoming an Ultra Runner and Ironman

My Not So Fit Pregnancy

When I first imagined my pregnancy I thought things would go very differently than they did. I assumed that after years of Ironman training that I would enjoy lots of running and strength training especially during the first trimester. I even told Cory that I wanted to run a couple half marathons while pregnant. That is not how things went for me.

I don’t want this to sound like a list of excuses on why it’s ok to sit around and be lazy for nine months. It’s not excuses, just my story. The biggest thing I learned is that everyone has a different experience with pregnancy so you shouldn’t judge, compare or assume that you are in control.

As someone who lives on routine giving up control and loaning my body to someone else’s well being was difficult. And while it was overwhelmingly worth it, that doesn’t mean it was easy.

Enjoying some early fall scenery in the high country #Leadville #TrailRun

Missing fall trails

The story of my not so fit pregnancy started just coming off Ironman training. When I first found out I was pregnant I was happy to take a break from training, I needed it mentally and physically. I was 35 and pregnant for the first time so I was very nervous about miscarriage. I took it easy in the early weeks and just wished for this little life to stick.

I assumed that after a little break that I would get back into running. Unfortunately I had some scary symptoms early on and was diagnosed with placenta previa and put on modified rest. This was not bed rest (thank goodness) but my doctor wanted me to rest and do as little as possible physically. I could go to work but I was to be “chained to my desk”. So no running, biking, swimming, fall hikes, etc. for me. Going from so much training to none was really hard mentally but I was glad that for the most part placenta previa does not harm the baby and in most cases clears up before delivery. My only option to keep my baby safe was to listen to my doctor, slow down and wait to see if things improved at my 20 week ultrasounds.

Saturday snuggles #Frenchie #pug #besties

Less running more snuggles

Lucky for me the placenta had moved by my 20 week appointment and I was cleared to resume light activity. I blissfully went back out roads for a few runs.

The pug took the me and the bump for a run this morning #winstonthepug #happyplace #29weekspregnant #run #runish

The pug took the me and the bump for a run

Fairly quickly I developed a bad case of plantar fasciitis. I couldn’t walk without limping and running was off the table again. It’s not too surprising that I ended up with PF. I gained a total of 36 pounds while pregnant, just above the 25-35 pound recommendation. Honestly I am a little surprised it wasn’t more. Six of this pounds were gained in the last couple weeks and were mostly water, I was so swollen. 

I saw my physical therapist and left with exercises and instructions not to run (and wear more supportive shoes, boo).
After all the setbacks I got a bit discouraged. I did a bit of strength training, elliptical and walking. 

So after recovery this leaves me really starting completely over. There were a few more things I wish I had done, like swimming and more strength training. But in the end I gave birth to a healthy baby boy so I wouldn’t change anything. 

Now the fun part begins while trying to get back in shape now that Cannon is here!

Cannon’s Birth Story

Cannon’s birth was nothing what I expected the birth of my child to be. I want to record all the details here to help myself remember. But first here is the the short version for those who don’t want all the details.

Happy first Fathers Day Cory. This will be the first of many celebrated but you are already such an amazing Dad. I couldn't do this without you. #happyfathersday #love

On June 16th I went in for my 39 week appointment and my midwife was concerned about how high my blood pressure was. I was instructed to go to Labor and Delivery that afternoon. I started the process of being induced that evening. The next day I had progressed enough to start pitocin then had my water broken to move things along. After 7 hours of labor and about an hour of pushing we met our little man at 8:54pm. It was amazing to meet and snuggle our little boy. Unfortunately I struggled with a severe hemorrhage for four and a half hours after giving birth. Those hours were the scariest, most painful in my life but I am thankful that all turned out ok and I was able to go home with a health baby boy.

Here is the long version:

On June 16th I thought it would be fun to go to Boulder Reservoir with my Mom and Cory it was their first open water swim of the season and it sounded nice to be outside before it got too hot. Being a million weeks pregnant I did not tolerate heat well.IMG_4355

After watching Cory and Mom have great swims, I headed to my 39 week appointment. My blood pressure was very high and there was concern about preeclampsia which can be dangerous and even fatal for mom and baby. Given the risk and the fact that I was full term we decided it was time to meet our baby. Our midwife agreed to let us go home to get our hospital bags, take the dogs to my parents house and be back to the hospital around 1pm. I was in shock that I would have to be induced but also excited that I would meet my baby soon. After getting as ready as we could we headed back to the hospital.

I was pretty nervous, Cory was super excited about having our boy soon. IMG_4359

Normally the start of the process of being induced would be an outpatient procedure to help my cervix be prepared for birth since I was only 1cm dilated. We stayed in the hospital overnight so they could monitor my blood pressure and Cannon. I had no idea what to expect that night but settled in to see what would happen. We were in the process of that is called “ripening the cervix” which can sometimes throw you into labor but not always. We moved around, watched The League on Cory’s tablet and just tried to pass the time.

We did get some sleep that night I had some very painful contractions that had me hopeful that we would get the show on the road more quickly but they only lasted a couple hours and went away without really progressing. In the morning we were still just a couple cm dilated but things were moving along.

Around mid day on Friday the 17th I had progressed enough to start Pitocin. Pitocin is a drug that mimics the hormones that would naturally start labor. It was now time to wait and see how my body reacted and start to manage the contractions. I was doing well and dealing with the contractions well enough. Even though I had to be hooked up to the IV I could walk the halls and move all around my room.

IMG_4362A few hours into labor I had dilated to 5cm my midwife checked on me and was unhappy with how high my blood pressure was. She told me that I could take a medicine that could help control my blood pressure but what she really wanted me to do was to get an epidural. According to my midwife, epidurals often lower peoples blood pressure and she thought this would be the best choice for me. I didn’t want to get an epidural at least not that early into labor but it seemed like the best option and it would lower the risks for Cannon and me. I talked it over with Cory and agreed to the epidural. Getting the epidural was not very painful, it was just uncomfortable to sit still for so long while having contractions. The worst part for me was that I was stuck in bed and could no longer walk or move around the room. At first the epidural was really nice I could still feel and move my legs but the contractions in my belly were dulled. My midwife also decided to break my water to help move labor along.

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As the epidural progressed I could move and use my legs much less and I really didn’t like this feeling. I also developed what my nurse called a “hot spot” this was a spot in my belly where I could feel everything. The nurses helped me move back and forth in the bed as much as possible to help relieve the hotspot and endure the contractions that felt like they were coming strong and fast. This time seemed to go by very quickly and soon my midwife checked me again and told me that we had made it to 10cm dilated. It was time to start pushing and doing the real work to get Cannon out into the world. My midwife was also working with another woman who was giving birth so I worked with a nurse to start the process and do some practice pushes, this lasted longer than I would have liked and it seemed like we were stalling a bit so my midwife could make it back. After about 45 minutes she was back and it was my turn to really get to work. I can’t recall exactly but I think I really pushed for 40 minutes. I was glad that my epidural was light and that I could still feel the contractions and knew when to push and when to stop and work with my body.

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With each push I really believed that it could be the final one and each time it wasn’t I was shocked. Finally Cannon came into the world, he did have the umbilical cord wrapped around him twice and needed to be unwound. He was grayish blue but started crying immediately. The nurses assured us the Cannon was just fine and only needed some skin to skin cuddles and breastfeeding.

Welcome to the world Cannon Michael Curtis-Nardin. Born 6/17 weighing 7lbs 13oz and 20.5 in long. We are sooooo in love with you!!!! ❤️

We got our magic hour of cuddling and just staring at our little boy. We were both in shock and I was exhausted. It was such a weird feeling of disbelief that he was finally here and he was OURS. After our cuddle time the nurse came in to take his vitals, he was healthy, 7lbs 13oz and 20.5 inches long (88% for length, tall boy).

Unfortunately I had a severe hemorrhage after Cannon was born and lost a lot of blood. It took over four hours to get the blood loss to stop. The procedures they had to take to get the bleeding to stop were the most traumatic and painful that I have ever experienced. Even though this was a very scary experience for both Cory and me, we are very grateful that more extreme measures were not needed including emergency surgery and/or transfusion.

In the end we had to spend four nights in the hospital instead of the typical one or two nights so that I could be monitored. It was so nice when we finally were cleared to go home on Monday afternoon with a healthy baby in tow.

Cannon has now been in our lives for over a month and I love him more than I could imagine. I look forward to sharing so many things with him but also try to hold these quiet moments while he is so small in new close to my heart .

cannon final 1355 copy

9 Months

I finally made it to 9 months pregnant. If you are like me and don’t know much about pregnancy weeks/months etc. This chart has helped me a lot:

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I didn’t know before I got pregnant that you spend the entire 9th month pregnant as well, I guess this is balanced by the fact that most people don’t even know they are pregnant until they are already 1 month in.

I figured now that we are closing in I should give an update on how the third trimester is going.

Baby is now the size of: 36 weeks, baby is the size of a papaya. Baby’s still in the 17.2- to 18.7-inch and 4.2- to 5.8-pound range. To me he feels like a pokey watermelon that can jab my ribs and bladder at the same time. It is fun to notice how much stronger he has gotten in the last couple of weeks.

Sleep: Sleep is definitely getting more and more difficult. It’s hard to get comfortable and turning over in bed is a real effort. I don’t sleep well or for long periods of time. I guess they say this is preparing you for baby….

Maternity clothes / preferred attire: Almost everything I wear at this is maternity clothing. Mostly I prefer easy dresses and PJs. But really it’s anything that still fits and is comfortable. My feet are also very swollen so shoe choices are limited.

Symptoms: My main complaints are acid reflux, achy back and swelling (face, feet, hands, etc). But these are common pregnancy complaints and I haven’t had anything too bad. I know that these last weeks will be uncomfortable, I am just waiting them out until I can meet my little guy!

I have also been suffering from plantar fasciitis in my left foot. I am really hoping I can get this under control so I can get back to running after the baby is here.

Cravings and favorite foods: Fruity things! I am loving smoothies, watermelon and fruity ice cream….mmmm. Also craving wine but that one will have to wait.

Food aversions: Nothing really, I am happy to be back to eating spinach and kale without wanting to throw up.

Exercise: Heh! I wish there was more happening here but with the reflux, plantar and swelling things are limited. There has been some strength training and walking. Our neighborhood pool open this week so I plan to jump in there too.

Mood: My mood has been all over the place. I am excited to meet our little boy but also nervous. It is a lot of responsibility to take care of an infant. I just can’t wait until he’s here and we can experience the world as a little family.

Missing: The use of my body, energy, running, biking, adventures, breathing normal (baby hasn’t dropped yet), most of my clothing. The list could go on.

Best moments: Getting the glider set up in the nursery. The space is getting close and I love it. We are not completely done yet but when we are I will post a tour.

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Worst moments: worrying that having itchy feet might mean that I have a more serious medical condition. Luckily blood tests came back all clear.

Buying: Lots of last minute things to be ready for baby. He really could come any day, although everything in me says he will be late.

Working on: Getting the house and yard ready for baby. Also hanging out with these two handsome devils. I can’t believe how big Humphry is getting!2016-05-22

First Half of My Pregnancy Recap

Fair warning that this post will not be about swim/bike/running but about some real things that are happening in my life. If you are interested in hearing the nitty-gritty of pregnancy (I don’t blame you) then feel free to skip this one we will be back to endurance sports soon!

I am going to share what has really gone on with my pregnancy, I want to keep it real for how this experience has gone for me. Overall my pregnancy has been harder than I thought it would be but in the end not that bad.

I am going to take this moment to document how the first half of my pregnancy has gone now that I am squarely in my 21st week.

Baby is now the size of: We went from a poppy seed to now a 10.5 in carrot, a lot of growth in the last 20 weeks! Now the baby is growing very quickly and I fear so will I!

Sleep: While there has been a lot more sleep than usual it isn’t be best sleep. I toss and turn a lot trying to get comfortable and making runs to the bathroom. My first trimester I slept a ton and I was still always tired. I came very close to napping under my desk at work many times.

Maternity clothes / preferred attire: I have definitely graduated to maternity clothing in most things. I have a few lose tops, baggy pants or generous dresses that I can still wear but each week my available wardrobe is shrinking. Most of my athletic clothing still works but I am stretching their limit so I am not sure how much longer that will last. The thing about ladies clothing is that it is cut to go in at the waist and I currently go out!

A little Sunday night strength training #IMLakeTahoe #IMLT #triathlon #teamsoas

Symptoms: The first trimester was hard, I started out ok but a little tired. By week 6 I was exhausted ALL THE TIME and then the morning sickness started. I also had strong food aversions, all the “healthy” food I was used to eating was not going to get anywhere near me for a time. I think there was about 5 days that I lived on plain bagels and swiss cheese. I cringe at what that must have done to me nutrition wise but anything more flavorful had me running away. Luckily that passed and by my second trimester I am back to being able to eat most foods and feel ok. I do still suffer from a lot of acid reflux and basically need to have tums with me 24/7 but I feel much better and can eat vegetables without wanting to cringe.

Cravings and favorite foods: I haven’t had too many crazy pregnant lady cravings. I have to be careful to not wait too long between meals/snacks or I will get nauseas but I also have to watch eating too much at one time.

I'm not usually a Jamba Juice person but the baby made me do it! #20weekspregnant #ithasbeetsI’m not usually a Jamba Juice person but the baby made me do it! #20weekspregnant #ithasbeets

Food aversions: Nothing much right now but from weeks 6-12 I hated almost everything. My husband was a real champ trying to figure out what I could eat every evening.

Exercise: This is where things got difficult for me. At first my pregnancy was moving along and I was enjoying the break from high pressure training. Then I was diagnosed with Placenta Previa. Placenta Previa is a condition where the placenta attached very low in the uterus and covers the cervix. This can cause some complications but it is very common and in most cases the placenta moves up as the uterus and baby grow and there are no long term issues. Many women have this condition and don’t even realize it as it corrects itself before there are any symptoms.

For me I found out that I had it because I was attempting to continue to be active and that could have been an issue. Once my doctor diagnosed my condition I was put on modified rest. This is nothing as bad as bed rest but I wasn’t allowed to exercise above a casual walk and was even restricted to how much normal activity I was supposed to do in a day. This was mentally very hard for me. Being an endurance athlete is part of my personal identity, so losing all of that even for a short time was really hard. Even though my doctor told me it was the best thing to do, I felt like a slug and I worried about how healthy it was for me and my baby.  Also I worried about the placenta not moving up. In some cases it doesn’t and women have to stay on modified rest, go on bed rest and sometimes have to have C-sections.

Luckily at my 20 week appointment the ultrasound showed that the placenta had moved up just as it should and I was taken off all restrictions (well all but the general preggo lady ones). It was an awesome moment knowing that I could go back to running and we wouldn’t have to have a C-section for this issue at least.

Dr finally cleared me to run after 14 weeks of not being able to do anything active above casual walks ( more details to come on the blog soon). It was a little hard on the ego but so good to back out there #20weekspregnant #run #happyplaceDr finally cleared me to run after 14 weeks of not being able to do anything active above casual walks ( more details to come on the blog soon). It was a little hard on the ego but so good to back out there #20weekspregnant #run #happyplace

Mood: All over the place! At first we were nothing but ecstatic, things were going well and getting pregnant was easier than we expected. Then I started feeling really sick and was put on rest, to be honest I was pretty down in the dumps. I was still really grateful to be having this baby but I had to let go of the plans I had to run a half marathon in the first trimester and share thoughts on a “fit pregnancy”. I feel much happier now that I am feeling better and able to move my body again.

The biggest thing that I learned is to not make plans on how your pregnancy is going to go. You are not in control, you have to do the best you can and accept what comes.

Missing: Training for events, this one is hard as I am wishing I could join in all the training and racing fun….next year!

My normal clothes, my favorite running jacket won’t zip and my go to running capris are getting tight.

Lastly alcohol….just a bit. I am normally not a drinker but there are times that a glass of wine, champagne or a cold beer sound mighty good.

Best moments: There have been a lot but seeing the faintest double line on the pregnancy test was pretty great. I didn’t really believe it until I took a few more test over the next couple of days. Telling my parents was pretty fun too. This will be their first grandchild and they are one of the last of their friends to become grandparents so they are THRILLED.

Finding out the baby is a BOY! Honestly we would have been thrilled with either sex but the longer that we know he’s a boy the longer that seems perfect =)

It's a boy!!!!! ❤️It’s a boy!!!!! ❤️

And getting to see the baby during ultrasounds, he is constantly kicking and moving his legs, I am convinced he is going to be a runner.

Worst moments: This was easily the couple times I had bleeding before being diagnosed with placenta previa, it was very scary not knowing what was wrong and if the baby was ok. While I may complain about the modified rest I am so grateful it wasn’t something much worse.

Buying: A few things here and there as we find them, the most exciting purchase was a BOB jogging stroller! We do need to get serious about getting the essentials now that we are getting closer.

I am starting a #HappyStreak in honor of my intention to chase the light this year. Day 1 is finding a used B.O.B for a great deal. Winston and Humphry approve.I am starting a #HappyStreak in honor of my intention to chase the light this year. Day 1 is finding a used B.O.B for a great deal. Winston and Humphry approve.

Dreaming About: Meeting our little boy and getting to introduce him to the world…I really can’t wait!