Week 27.5: Welcome to T2

Something our (unbelieveably awesome) doctor said at yesterday's check-up kind of made me think a little about (suprisingly) triathlon--specifically how this whole pregnancy is very similar to my first race.

A common misconception is that the human gestational period is 9 months. It's not, and if you ask any woman who is either currently or has ever been pregnant, she'll very quickly correct you and tell you that 40 weeks is 10 months, not 9 months. Yet, pregnancy is divided into trimesters. All of you triathletes out there understand that "tri-" means three. After a little quick arithmetic, we find that:

40 weeks/3 trimesters = 13.3 weeks/trimester

Depending on your source of information, the third trimester starts at either week 27 or 28. We're currently sitting on week 27.5, or for the sake of this blog, pregnancy's version of T2. I said earlier that this little revelation reminded me of my first race, and I'm getting there...right about...

The Swim (First Trimester)

My first tri was a little race down in Cincinnati called Tri for Joe. It is a nice little sprint distance event which features a swim in an outdoor pool. Since all of my winter swim training was done in an indoor pool, I thought this would be a great race to ease me into the sport. Well, it made sense at the time anyway.

The outdoor pool had just been filled a few weeks prior to race day. Oh, and did I mention the race was in mid-May and it was pretty cold that spring in OHIO. A quick recap of the conditions at the race start:

Air temp: 48 degrees (Fahrenheit)
Water temp: 62 degrees (Fahrenheit)
Wetsuit: Not yet purchased. You can see where this is going.

I was as ready as I was going to be. The starter counted us down, sounded the horn, and we charged into the icy depths--err--shallows. This particular pool is really shallow for the first 25 meters or so. Between running in and the adrenaline pumping, I was feeling alright. Then, the water started getting deeper and it was time to swim. I plunged my face into the water and...

This is where the swim from my first tri starts to resemble the first trimester of pregnancy. (The rest of the swim was pretty ugly, so I'll just leave that to your imagination.) This is moment when you and your significant other look at that little peed-on stick and you see that your life is going to be a little different from here on out. Your heart rate hits the red line, you can't breathe, and you run a mental diagnostic to try to figure out what the hell just happened. Much like the post-swim delirium, nothing really made any sense until the 8th week when we got to see our little "peanut" for the first time.

T1

Transition from the swim to the bike in my first tri was really not as smooth as I hoped. Of course, I hadn't really practiced or anything, so I shouldn't have been too surprised. I was weary, wobbly, out of breath, and very, very cold. The good thing is that I was about to hop on my bike and do what I do best.

At this point during pregnancy, things start to level out a bit. The initial freak outs from the first trimester have pretty much settled down and you both start to get a little more comfortable with what's going on.

Bike (Second Trimester)

Once I hit the bike course, I tried to put that horrible swim (if you can call it that) behind me. There was still a lot of work to do, but cycling is my strength, so even though I was pushing hard to make up some time, I was in my element. Although I was on my trusty mountain bike (that sure has changed!), I passed a bunch of fellow racers which felt amazing. I thought to myself: "Hey...maybe I belong out here after all!"

The second trimester was pretty amazing. There was a laundry list of household projects that we'd talked about for YEARS, but now that we have a baby on the way, we suddenly had the motivation to start crossing things off of that list. Add to that the endless list of decisions to make about baby gear, names, nursery colors and decorations, furniture, daycare/school, yadda yadda...it's amazing that we managed to plow through as much as we did in just a few short months. We aren't done yet, but we're getting there.

On top of all that logistical stuff, we started to feel like we might actually enjoy being parents. Sure it's still scary as all get-out, but going through the entire process of registering for all things baby, and making those decisions together, we started to think that maybe we belong here too.

T2

Coming off the bike was a little weird. After "flying" down the road for the better part of an hour (hey--it was a longish bike course for a sprint!), it was time to hit the brakes, slow down and get ready for the run--the hardest part.

This is where we find ourselves now. Many of the decisions we needed to make are out of the way, although many still remain. House projects that have been started need to be finished up, and so on. But for the most part, it's time to slow things down a bit and get ourselves ready for what's going to be the toughest part of the race--err--pregnancy.

Run (Third Trimester)

Once I hit the run course, my legs felt like cement and if felt like everything on Earth came to a grinding halt. It was kind of like the scene in the movie Spaceballs where they suddenly go from "ludicrous speed" to whatever normal space-cruising-speed is called. (Since I was breathing so hard on the bike, I didn't really drink any fluids to speak of either, so just like in the movie, the world may have briefly gone "plaid.") I literally trudged my way around the pancake flat 3.1 mile run course. Nevertheless, I kept moving forward and didn't stop or walk, no matter how much I may have wanted to. After all of the hard work I put into training for that race, I was determined to cross that finish line.

Since we are currently in T2 for this pregnancy, I can really only speculate on how I think our third trimester might go. For as busy, hectic, and fast (at times) that the second trimester was, I think the third might be completely the opposite. Amy has been nothing short of amazing throughout this whole pregnancy. She's been active, pretty upbeat, and other than a few wardrobe adjustments, it's pretty much been business as usual. We know that's probably going to change before long, but hopefully she sails through the last few months as gracefully as she has the previous seven or so.

The Finish Line (Labor & Delivery)

Once I could see the finish line at my first race, adrenaline took over and I ran as fast as I could to cross that line. Of course, doing so comes at a price, but it's (kinda) worth it. After months of training and a race that was harder that I ever thought it would be, I did it...I was a triathlete! (Note: This concept took a long time to sink in.)

Amy and my family found me recovering with a banana and some chocolate milk in the finishing area and quickly fired off the question: "So are you going to do another race?!?" While I tried to catch my breath and bask in the glow of my first triathlon finisher's medal (and keep myself from launching the aforementioned banana and chocolate milk all over the place), I calmly said: "Please don't ask me that right now."

The general public seems to make labor and delivery out to be some big, scary monster. I'm sure it will be one of the toughest things (if not the toughest) Amy will ever go through. But, her view of the whole thing is pretty astounding to me. I really admire her and the transformation she's gone through over the past several months. But, just like in the race, once she (and dare I say we) can see the finish line, adrenaline will take over, conscious thought will all but stop, and her body will do what it's built to do (in the physiological sense of course). And after ten long months of anticipation and planning, we'll officially be parents.

And please, when we're adoring our living, breathing, finisher's medal for the first time (and likely on the verge of passing out and/or puking), don't ask us if we're going to do it again.

Week 25: Don’t mind me….I’m just a little crazy right now.

I guess I’m not having a very good week. But it feels more like I’m not having a very good life. If you know me well at all, you know that my head isn’t always screwed on very straight. Although I’m perfectly capable of taking care of the routine things that need to be done in life (planning meals, keeping the house clean, making a reasonable living, etc.), whenever something new or different comes along to push me off the tracks, it takes me a while to react and re-prioritize.

Some say that the reason a woman is pregnant for 9 (or make that 10) months is so she has time to adjust and adapt to the idea of becoming a parent. The problem is that I’m an “I’ll believe it when I see it” kind of person, so it’s really hard for me to adapt to something that I have absolutely no concept of. When I think about most things, my mind goes straight to the negative. Last year, for example, someone invited me to go on what they were calling the “stupid early Sunday bike ride.” I’m guessing the ride was in July, when we can take advantage of early sunrises and get a decent bike ride in before the temperatures become unbearable. When I learned that “stupid early” meant “be there by 6:30” my first thought was “no way!” Sleep is precious to me! I can’t get up and get moving that early! But I let myself be convinced. And you know what? I survived. And I enjoyed it. And I went back for more “stupid early Sunday” rides. So when I think about having a newborn in the house, instead of thinking about tiny fingers and toes and first smiles and all of that good stuff, I think of 4 a.m. feedings and poopy diapers and no sleep for months (this sleep thing is sure to become an issue, no?). I know a large part of the problem is that I haven’t been around an infant in a really long time. Hardly any of my friends have kids, and the ones who do I barely ever see. I know all of this is going to change, and that we’ll probably end up with a new batch of friends, but that’s part of that unknown future that I can’t get a good handle on right now.

Along those lines, Philip and I are struggling with the kinds of things I’m sure tons of parents-to-be struggle with, which all boils down to “what in the world have we gotten ourselves into?” The biggest part of that for us, I think, is trying to reconcile who we are now with who we are going to be once the baby gets here. Today, we are an active, fun-seeking couple with an appreciation for the fact that we can change our plans on the fly and do whatever we want with our time. We like having the freedom to go to the gym or not go to the gym after work during the week. We like being able to meet for dinner on short notice, or to pack up the car and go away for the weekend. We like long weekend bike rides and lingering in the parking lot for hours afterwards with our friends. But are we going to be able to do any of that with a baby?

We’ve made a lot of great friends over the past few years, and had tons of adventures. Our friends are the kind of people who plan their lives months--if not years--in advance so they know what their goals are for the foreseeable future. The upside is they’ve gotten us to try new things that we’d probably never have the courage to try on our own. The downside is that none of them have infants. So while it’s business as usual for them as they plan new adventure and make sure the calendar is full, we’re left wondering how our priorities will have shifted by then and whether we’ll be able to participate at all. I have to imagine it gets really old for them to hear us saying that we just don’t know what we’re going to be able to do. It’s certainly getting old for us. We don’t want them to stop inviting us because that would just give us an excuse not to even try, but it’s really hard to know what our balance is going to be in the future..

I know a lot of it will be up to us. One thing that we have going for us is that we’ve already overhauled our lives once. We went from couch potatoes who watched other people doing their hobbies on TV to people who get out there and experience life as much as we can. It’s improved our physical and mental health, and it’s improved our relationship, so I think it’s important for us to at least try to hang onto some of that. At the same time, I struggle with whether or not that’s a selfish or unrealistic goal. I know that some people let babies take over their lives, and others manage to fit babies into their lifestyles instead. I don’t know which camp we will fall into. I don’t know how we could know that right now. If I’m honest with myself, part of me is trying desperately to hang on to the life I know now, and another part of me is ready for a new adventure. I have a feeling “compromise” is going to be my favorite word in 2012.

So with all of that constantly rolling around in my brain, with detours now and then to examine furniture and paint colors and the endless search for the “right” name (and the added bonus of crazy pregnancy hormones), I just don’t know which way is up right now. The result is that I make it through most days okay, but I’m also apt to have a mental breakdown at any moment. My mouth ends up saying things my brain doesn’t mean. I fail to think before I speak, and the things that come out are apt to annoy, anger, confuse, or hurt the people who care about me. And when I realize what I’ve done, I’m suddenly in a tailspin of self-doubt and regret that I don’t know how to stop. Just when I need all the support and love I can get, I’m finding myself pushing away from the people who can give it to me. Including myself—I’m kind of tired of being around myself these days, too. I want the old me back. But she’s never coming back. And I don’t know what to do with that.

Babies vs. Triathletes--Part 1

After spending an entire day registering for baby stuff with the “person-formerly-referred-to-(inaccurately)-as-TriMama” and our good and baby stuff-obsessed friend, I’ve come to few conclusions that might revolutionize the triathlon scene forever.

Bikes

 Let’s be honest—most of us aren’t pros and don’t average 25mph on the bike. I’ve crunched the data (because triathletes love data) and made a startling discovery: A triathlete’s average bike speed is inversely proportional to the coolness factor of their bike. In other words, the slower you are on the bike, the cooler it needs to be. There’s a simple reason for this too. If you’re superfast on the bike, the spectators can’t really catch a good glimpse of you (or more importantly, your bike) as you ride by on the course. But, if you’re one of the mid-to-back-of-the-packers like me, you need to have a cool bike because you’ll be passing the spectators slow enough that bike style and coolness matter.

There are a few problems with this, however. As I learned from my half-Ironman this year, being slower also means you’re out there in the elements longer. Sure, some might say that I should just train more so I’m faster. While this would be the obvious answer, it takes a LOT of work to go a little faster. Instead, I’ll take a quick look at some of the latest in baby wheels for the answers.

Notice how this cool baby ride has a huge, aerodynamic canopy, and how my “cool” tri bike doesn’t. Would that have helped prevent a wicked sunburn? You betcha! Also note the relaxed seating position and complete lack of pedals, gears, and shifters. I mean, I certainly would have had a MUCH faster run split if I could just have chilled out with a juice box and goldfish crackers while someone else did all of the work. GENIUS!

Snot

Triathletes (and cyclists and runners) spend a lot of time outdoors. We’re a reasonably tough lot, so minor things like allergies and colds don’t often keep us from training and racing. However, those things do create something that we need to deal with while we’re out there being awesome—snot. The solution (apparently) is the snot rocket. Now, while I’ve never really attempted this little maneuver myself, those of you that have know that this technique has its shortcomings. I mean, what about this screams “good idea?”

There’s really a lot that can go wrong. Sure, you might pull it off. But if you don’t, the collateral damage caused by such an act is far worse. At best, you end up wearing it for the rest of your ride or run. At worst, you don’t look before firing and manage to land one in the face of the person behind you. Come on—isn’t there a better solution? Actually there is, and we can find it in the aisles of the baby store.

Exit snot rocket, and enter snot sucker! Once you get past the stomach-turning concept of the whole thing, it actually makes a lot of sense. Clearly this isn’t something you could do for yourself. Come to think of it, I can’t think of too many friends that would help with this one either. Maybe further development needs to be done before it hits your local tri shop, so for now we’ll give babies an “A” for effort, but the win goes to the athletes. WOOT!

Apparel

Diapers are a staple of babyhood. Favorite brands and materials aside, they all serve the same function. Yesterday, I saw an innovation in diaper technology that blew my mind. Sure, it’s great for parents and baby alike, but I couldn’t help but think about this as a triathlete as well. Check it out!

There’s a little stripe on the front of the diaper that turns blue when baby had a wee. That is brilliant! I can hear some of you asking: “How on earth does that make you think of triathlon?”

Some triathlons (especially the half and full Ironman variety) take several hours to complete. Before and during the race, we need to drink a lot of fluids to stay hydrated and perform at our best. The problem is that sometimes the tank gets full, and you need to take action. The vast majority of us (myself included) use one of the on-course port-a-johns while others might stop at the closest shrub. There are, however, some triathletes that throw caution (and their pee) to the wind. Yep—they just pee while riding. And oddly enough, cycling/tri shorts aren’t really that different from diapers. (If you’ve ever been caught in a downpour while on a training ride, you’ll know what I mean.)

So I was thinking, what if tri/cycling shorts came with a wetness indicator like those diapers have? Competing in a triathlon is pretty fun (in a twisted sort of way I suppose), but what about the spectators? As much as we depends on their support, standing around for hours while waiting to see their athlete for a few seconds as they pass by can be boring. Adding a wetness indicator to the front of tri/bike shorts could be a way to give the spectators some insight into race and add a new level of comedic value to the sport. Babies get the win in this category hands down.

Conclusion

Babies: 2

Triathletes: 1