Since I am no longer a nursing (took me 2 1/2 years, but I finally weaned him YAY!!!!!, now on to the next big thing, potty training, sigh!), but still a stroller pushing marathoner, I have moved my blog to Mommy Needs a Run.
You can also check out my new blog that I just started here: Every Day is a Holiday
Showing posts with label running mom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running mom. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Monday, November 17, 2008
I Ran the NYC Marathon and Lived to Tell About It
It has been two weeks and I am finally ready to post my experience running the NYC marathon as a nursing mom. I started with a mile-by-mile account which I still haven't completed, so here's a snap-shot of before and after.
First of all, I'm a very slow runner. I got up at 4am, nursed my baby, then left my house at 5am. Between taking the train from Queens to the Staten Island Ferry, taking the ferry to Staten Island and then you know the whole pre-race thing w/ breakfast and all...well if you don't know...wow that is a site they don't show on TV...but it is an unforgettable experience you've just got to see at least once in your lifetime.
It's really cold and everyone, and by everyone I mean about 40,000 people, is laying around wrapped up in sleeping bags, blankets and trash bags wearing our most bummed-out-looking outfits because they will end up shedding them and throwing them on the side of the road as the race begins and our bodies finally start heating up. It looks like a scene from Armigeden or something.
So it was five hours from the time I left my house until I actually started running. Bag check was due at 9am, so at 8:30 I pulled out a brand new Avent hand pump that my BD bought for me the night before and my two girlfriends who were also running held jackets up around me while I tried to figure out how to work the thing, and onlookers pretended not to be staring out of the corners of their eyes.
Actually, it is slower than my $300 electric Medela double pump, but my boobs were more responsive to this one and it seemed the milk flow would never stop. I pumped out two five-ounce bottles and it was still flowing.
The race started at 10:20 am and I didn't finish 'till after 5pm. Then I was way too exhausted by the time I made it across the finish line, picked up my bag and found the nearest train station because it was dark out and I was exhausted and totally disoriented.
Once I sat on the train I was so tired and my legs were hurting so bad I couldn't move. I got on the train going down-town and I needed the up-town train so I got out off the next stop and started walking up the steps, but I was using my arms to pull myself up the stairs. Two people stopped and asked me if I needed help...lol. I gave up after about 4 steps, got back on the train and took it all the way to the end of the line and then waited for it to go back uptown.
All I could think about going home was whether I would be able to walk up the four flights of stairs to the ground level and then walk the half a mile home. I was freaking out that my legs were just going to give out under me when I went to stand up and I was going to fall flat on my face and later wake up lying on the subway platform, or worse, they were going to take me on a stretcher to the hospital and then I would be stuck with trying to find my way home all over again.
So the last thing on my mind was pumping my bloating breasts. Besides I just found out I'm going to have to have all 4 wisdom's teeth removed and they were killing me for the 2nd half of the marathon, each step like taking a hammer and nail to them.
But the good news? With my aching legs trembling beneath me and my mouth feeling like it was giving birth to a big-headed-tooth, my bulging boobs went unnoticed.
I made it home and I was even able to lay on the bed for 30 minutes and let the Motrin kick in before I nursed my baby.
Now I am here more than two weeks later, I am still alive, my body has completely recovered minus the 4 aching wisdom's teeth that are still awaiting removal, but the pain is mostly subdued with Motrin, nothing horrible happened to my boobs, didn't get mastitis or anything, still pumping plenty of satisfying milk as always so all is well that ends well.
And the craziest part of this whole story? I would do it all again in an instant!
Stay tuned for mile-by-mile account of this crazy experience, my running plans for the future and my recovery story from getting my wisdom's teeth pulled.
Oh and while you're waiting check out my website that I've been busy building: http://www.running-mom.com. Peace out.
First of all, I'm a very slow runner. I got up at 4am, nursed my baby, then left my house at 5am. Between taking the train from Queens to the Staten Island Ferry, taking the ferry to Staten Island and then you know the whole pre-race thing w/ breakfast and all...well if you don't know...wow that is a site they don't show on TV...but it is an unforgettable experience you've just got to see at least once in your lifetime.
It's really cold and everyone, and by everyone I mean about 40,000 people, is laying around wrapped up in sleeping bags, blankets and trash bags wearing our most bummed-out-looking outfits because they will end up shedding them and throwing them on the side of the road as the race begins and our bodies finally start heating up. It looks like a scene from Armigeden or something.
So it was five hours from the time I left my house until I actually started running. Bag check was due at 9am, so at 8:30 I pulled out a brand new Avent hand pump that my BD bought for me the night before and my two girlfriends who were also running held jackets up around me while I tried to figure out how to work the thing, and onlookers pretended not to be staring out of the corners of their eyes.
Actually, it is slower than my $300 electric Medela double pump, but my boobs were more responsive to this one and it seemed the milk flow would never stop. I pumped out two five-ounce bottles and it was still flowing.
The race started at 10:20 am and I didn't finish 'till after 5pm. Then I was way too exhausted by the time I made it across the finish line, picked up my bag and found the nearest train station because it was dark out and I was exhausted and totally disoriented.
Once I sat on the train I was so tired and my legs were hurting so bad I couldn't move. I got on the train going down-town and I needed the up-town train so I got out off the next stop and started walking up the steps, but I was using my arms to pull myself up the stairs. Two people stopped and asked me if I needed help...lol. I gave up after about 4 steps, got back on the train and took it all the way to the end of the line and then waited for it to go back uptown.
All I could think about going home was whether I would be able to walk up the four flights of stairs to the ground level and then walk the half a mile home. I was freaking out that my legs were just going to give out under me when I went to stand up and I was going to fall flat on my face and later wake up lying on the subway platform, or worse, they were going to take me on a stretcher to the hospital and then I would be stuck with trying to find my way home all over again.
So the last thing on my mind was pumping my bloating breasts. Besides I just found out I'm going to have to have all 4 wisdom's teeth removed and they were killing me for the 2nd half of the marathon, each step like taking a hammer and nail to them.
But the good news? With my aching legs trembling beneath me and my mouth feeling like it was giving birth to a big-headed-tooth, my bulging boobs went unnoticed.
I made it home and I was even able to lay on the bed for 30 minutes and let the Motrin kick in before I nursed my baby.
Now I am here more than two weeks later, I am still alive, my body has completely recovered minus the 4 aching wisdom's teeth that are still awaiting removal, but the pain is mostly subdued with Motrin, nothing horrible happened to my boobs, didn't get mastitis or anything, still pumping plenty of satisfying milk as always so all is well that ends well.
And the craziest part of this whole story? I would do it all again in an instant!
Stay tuned for mile-by-mile account of this crazy experience, my running plans for the future and my recovery story from getting my wisdom's teeth pulled.
Oh and while you're waiting check out my website that I've been busy building: http://www.running-mom.com. Peace out.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Protect our Democracy!
It’s been 9 days now since my last run. Monday, 10/13, my buddy Michelle and I decided to spend Columbus Day in Central Park doing our longest run before the marathon…a whopping 20 miles!
We set the entire day aside to run…well at least I did I think Michelle had grand plans of studying afterwards (she’s in graduate school earning a Ph.D. – bless her courageous heart!).
W arrived in CP around 10:30 and finished our run around 4:30…an entire 6 hours of running…but all those hills and the jogging stroller slowed us down and then there’s no water stands and stinky outhouses along the course so we had to take detours, so that’s more extra time. Then counting the walk from the train station to the park and from the park to the diner afterwards was about another 2 miles so in all we ran at least 22 miles and then some. So we’re in tip top shape for the marathon now.
I came home that night and E-man sneezed non-stop for one whole hour. I was so impressed with him he didn’t fuss one time while we were running except to eat and then he was fine again…he just hung out in the jogging stroller all day. Good thing I’m getting this in now…’cause I doubt he will be this patient for long. He’s becoming more and more energetic every day. He now stands up in his crib…and less than a week after he figured that out, he’s now trying to climb out. Poor baby just got stuck between the rods trying to climb out.
Oh and he does the cutest thing now. His daddy picked out this little entertainment center for him and it has a little walker thing attached to it that’s supposed to swivel around the entertainment center (I was ready to get him a jumper). But he loves it. I was worried because it’s not made of the highest quality. The two sides of the plastic stand had to be screwed together and the seam is too big so the walker part can’t move around the entertainment center w/out getting stuck on the seam. I was like no way he’s going to be able to move this, but his daddy had faith in him. “Look at the way he grabs onto you,” he’d say, “My son is strong!”
So the other day he’s in the little walker part, and he starts walking across the room, dragging the table behind him. Now my boy thinks outside the box, and yeah he’s strong!
But anyway he was sneezing and sneezing and has had the sniffles and a little cough all week so I’ve been keeping him inside and only taking him out for short walks to get some fresh air because he and I both go stir crazy if we’re cooped up in here for too long…speaking of stir crazy…he’s kind of loosing it right now so I’m off to put him to bed.
The big run is almost year. Yay! I can’t wait for it to be here and can’t wait for it to be over.
Oh you know what before I go, I’ve got to mention one more thing. I read this story today http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/21/BAUC13L3GQ.DTL&tsp=1. It’s about Arien O'Connell, who ran the San Francisco Nike marathon this month and even though she had the fastest time, they didn’t acknowledge her as the winner because she wasn’t running with the elite runners…such a crock of dung. So let’s give a shout out to Arien. You are the true winner and you are our hero! Please fight those stuck up bureaucrats and get what’s yours for all our sakes.
Whoever they gave the stolen first prize too, come on you know better. Arien O’Connell, you and Al Gore should get together and fight this, not just for your sakes…but for everyone…for the right of every individual in this great democracy! Stand up and protect our rights!
We set the entire day aside to run…well at least I did I think Michelle had grand plans of studying afterwards (she’s in graduate school earning a Ph.D. – bless her courageous heart!).
W arrived in CP around 10:30 and finished our run around 4:30…an entire 6 hours of running…but all those hills and the jogging stroller slowed us down and then there’s no water stands and stinky outhouses along the course so we had to take detours, so that’s more extra time. Then counting the walk from the train station to the park and from the park to the diner afterwards was about another 2 miles so in all we ran at least 22 miles and then some. So we’re in tip top shape for the marathon now.
I came home that night and E-man sneezed non-stop for one whole hour. I was so impressed with him he didn’t fuss one time while we were running except to eat and then he was fine again…he just hung out in the jogging stroller all day. Good thing I’m getting this in now…’cause I doubt he will be this patient for long. He’s becoming more and more energetic every day. He now stands up in his crib…and less than a week after he figured that out, he’s now trying to climb out. Poor baby just got stuck between the rods trying to climb out.
Oh and he does the cutest thing now. His daddy picked out this little entertainment center for him and it has a little walker thing attached to it that’s supposed to swivel around the entertainment center (I was ready to get him a jumper). But he loves it. I was worried because it’s not made of the highest quality. The two sides of the plastic stand had to be screwed together and the seam is too big so the walker part can’t move around the entertainment center w/out getting stuck on the seam. I was like no way he’s going to be able to move this, but his daddy had faith in him. “Look at the way he grabs onto you,” he’d say, “My son is strong!”
So the other day he’s in the little walker part, and he starts walking across the room, dragging the table behind him. Now my boy thinks outside the box, and yeah he’s strong!
But anyway he was sneezing and sneezing and has had the sniffles and a little cough all week so I’ve been keeping him inside and only taking him out for short walks to get some fresh air because he and I both go stir crazy if we’re cooped up in here for too long…speaking of stir crazy…he’s kind of loosing it right now so I’m off to put him to bed.
The big run is almost year. Yay! I can’t wait for it to be here and can’t wait for it to be over.
Oh you know what before I go, I’ve got to mention one more thing. I read this story today http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/21/BAUC13L3GQ.DTL&tsp=1. It’s about Arien O'Connell, who ran the San Francisco Nike marathon this month and even though she had the fastest time, they didn’t acknowledge her as the winner because she wasn’t running with the elite runners…such a crock of dung. So let’s give a shout out to Arien. You are the true winner and you are our hero! Please fight those stuck up bureaucrats and get what’s yours for all our sakes.
Whoever they gave the stolen first prize too, come on you know better. Arien O’Connell, you and Al Gore should get together and fight this, not just for your sakes…but for everyone…for the right of every individual in this great democracy! Stand up and protect our rights!
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