What I Miss Most.

Being pregnant has its perks.

Everyone is always willing to share their dessert with the pregnant lady (it's a shame I'm not a huge dessert fan).
Even the rudest of people will hold the door open for a pregnant lady.
You can always convince your husband to drop you off at the door while he goes to find a parking space during Christmas shopping...regardless of weather.
You get to wear your Thanksgiving pants all the time!
Napping is encouraged.
Oh, and you get a baby at the end. Hooray!

But the perks don't quite overshadow the joys of pregnancy (once the baby arrives, all the bad stuff is forgotten...which is the only way people would actually go through this again. The first time, it's ignorance, the second time, you are too busy with the first one and their cute little smiles have made you forget.)

I found this list last night of the 12 Things Women Miss Most During Pregnancy.

Their list looks like this:
Sense of Smell
Booze
Off-Limits Foods
Peaceful Sleep
Cute Shoes
Feeling Sexy
A Rockin' Sex Life
Feeling Strong and Independent
Being Included
Pre-pregnancy Body
Emotional Control
Caffinating Like You Used To

My list looks like this:
Sleeping on my Stomach
Running Comfortably
Booze
A Rockin' Sex Life
Being Included
Pre-pregnancy Body
Caffinating Like You Used To
Emotional Control
Racing Triathlon
Feeling Sexy
Sense of Smell


What I determined over the Christmas holiday is that I would rather be able to sleep on my stomach rather than drink. Yes, everyone, you heard it here first. I would give up booze if it meant that I could sleep on my stomach. I have sex dreams about sleeping on my stomach...except that there is no sex, just sleeping. On my stomach. And it's amazing. And then I wake up. On my side. And I lay there fantasizing about how amazing it would be if I were on my stomach. And then, of course, I can't go back to sleep. This equates to about 3 hours of sleep per night.

I would even rather sleep on my stomach than be able to run.

Yeah, that's how much I miss laying on my stomach. I'm tearing up just thinking about it.

That said, I think I realized this weekend that my running days are over...or at least close to it. On Christmas I went for a 6 mile run. It was a gorgeous day - cold and sunny, no wind and I was feeling GREAT! I only had to pee twice (WHOA!)...I ended up going a third time because I was passing City Hall and it was open and heated and why would you pass up an opportunity like that?!?, but I could have skipped it. Regardless, my run was great. I hit the 6 mile mark about 2 blocks from my parents house, so I stopped to walk the rest of the way to cool down. And the minute I stopped, I had the most excruciating pain in my groin-ish area. It hadn't been hurting while I was running but now I could barely walk. I finally made it home where I put on a happy face so as not to alarm anyone and promptly got in the shower and took a long hot bath. I felt marginally better after that and some Tylenol, but the pain was still probably around a 7 on the Pain Scale of Terror. I laid around for the next two days and finally felt a little better on the third day...so instead of running I broke into the local YMCA and hit up the elliptical machine (riveting). I felt okay after that.

When we got back to Houston, I hit up the gym for the elliptical two days in a row because I was afraid of running. But on New Years Day, the Y didn't open till noon and I had plans during the day, so I decided that would be the day I would try running again. I headed to the park with plans of running 2 loops (3 miles each) but knowing that I would have to make adjustments as needed.

Once again, I felt amazing while I was running. The day was gorgeous! Shorts and a thin long-sleeve shirt and gloves and I was a happy fat runner. I was slow, but my legs felt great and I felt great and the day felt great and I just loved being out there. And it may or may not give me a sick sense of satisfaction to pass people and then them realize I am pregnant and then try to pass me back but they can't. Muuuuhahaha. Alas, after 3 miles, I stopped to use the indoor restrooms and while I was waiting in line the groin pain started again. Not quite as bad as the last time, but still very painful. I peed and headed back out, my dreams of running 2 loops dashed. But I thought maybe I could at least walk another mile or so...it was too gorgeous to go inside! I made it about 50 ft when I realized that walking more wasn't going to do anyone any good. I called it quits and went home. :(

The pain was pretty bad, but I wasn't laid up like the first time. We went to BabiesRUs and I got a maternity support band, which surprisinly, took my pain from about a 6 or 7 to a 3 or 4 just by putting it on. I couldn't really sit in it though, so wearing around the house is kind of tough. I'll try it though! I also ordered Gabrialla from FitMaternity...we will see what that one is about. I will stick with spinning/swimming/elliticalling for the next week or so and then try out running with the band to see if that solves it. Otherwise, I think we can safely say that I am done running. 26 weeks of glory, but the pain is too much.

What they don't tell you is that, yes, you CAN keep running through your pregnancy, but you might not WANT to. I know not everyone experiences this pain, but I think it is a lot more common than anyone lets you believe. Runner don't quit running because they feel like it...they quit because they just can't do it anymore. I'm gonna give it one last Hail Mary effort, but I think I'm done.

I've got a half marathon on the schedule for end of January, which I was planning on run/walking anyway, but I think it's safe to say that I will be doing one of 4 options at this point:
1: Walking it, very quickly, and hoping to finish within the alloted 3 hours (13:45 pace)
2: Run/walking it, with the emPHAsis on the walking and hoping the pain doesn't get to be so much that I have to call for a ride home.
3: Walking it, at whatever pace I feel like and cuting the course short (making it about 10 miles)
4: Sleeping in. (Although, really, I would still go spectate, so at best, not racing buys me like 20 more minutes of sleep)

We will see what the next month brings. My original plans were to run the first 3 miles to let the crowd thin out and then run/walk as needed and wanted...but that's a pipe dream at this point I think.

I know I'll get it back...that's not really my fear anymore. I just miss it. Running keeps me sane. It helps me sleep. It helps me eat better. It let's me play outside. It lets me people watch. It's my outlet. I just miss it.

But I'd give it all up if I could just sleep on my stomach.