Any IronWomen out there who may have gone through a pregnancy recently? Just wonerding what timeframe post-pregnancy could you conceivable give another long distance race a try. Mostly wondering about physical limitations; I understand there will also be time constraints and the very real possibility racing will be not nearly as important/exciting as it is now.
Also, any information on what types & duration of exersize you could accomplish during each trimester of pregnancy would be helpful.
Yeah I exercised thru my entire pregnancy: I ran until week 20 (that was damn hard too I was very fatigued in 1st trimester), rode until week 32ish (even did a 200k ride at 5 & 1/2 months), and swam with my swim club until week 40 ;-).
The one thing I should have kept doing was weights. My musclar strength post-partum was sooooo bad, I had great lungs and heart but no strength.
Post-partum: I started swimming at week 6 (I had a C-section), I started riding at the same time (I was riding daily by month 5 and doing crits by month 7), but I waited until I had weaned my girl (7 months) to really start running. Breastfeeding is the best for your baby, if you can do it. But it burns 1000-1500 cals per day, and makes yer tits huge. I was too tired to run and my breasts hurt too much. Plus I wasn’t in any hurry… once weaned I started back running and it was SLOOOWWWWW. But within about 3 months I clocked a 5k PR. I did a couple sprint tris between months 5 and 9, but the runs were very painful and slow. I also started up with the weights again about that time.
I signed up for IMWA when my girl was just shy of her 1st year, mostly because I knew that with my running back where it was before becoming pregnant, that I could do it - if I could find the time to train!!! Thsi is far harder than you think. Check some of my other postings
PM me if you want any more info or if you have any questions…
I did IMFL in 2004, 1 year and 8 months after having my first child. Training with a baby can be difficult and you definitely have to juggle schedules quite a bit. The support of my husband and family was essential (my husband did IMLP that year, too). Hopefully your work is flexible and you get some time off.
I started walking about a week after and run/walking after the doctor OK’d it. It can be uncomfortable and at times I wore two bras for extra support. Running was the best investment for the limited amount of time I had and it’s just so simple to throw on your shoes and head out the door (or on to the treadmill). I tried to get runs in right after a feeding to minimize the bounce. The running (for me at least) was super challenging. Carrying the extra weight and just the lack of cardio fitness made it quite difficult.
I began swimming after the doctor OK’d it and felt terrible in the pool. I had been swimming right up to my due date (in fact I swam on my due date - kinda makes the lifeguards nervous). But my form on returning was WAY off. After a while things did get back to normal though.
The bike was probably the last thing I got back to. My bottom did not feel like sitting on that seat for a long while! But, that depends on you, everybody is different. I started on my mountain bike then eventually my tri-bike mostly indoors during naps.
While pregant I didn’t do any really long workouts. I got pregnant at the beginning of the season and continued racing until I was about three months along. You will notice a difference in your endurance due to the increased blood volume your body now has. I ran until my 5th month but was having alot of pain in my hips. I stopped biking around the same time for the same reason. This time (oh yeah, baby # 2 is on the way due Aug. 23) I ran until the 7th month. My swim workouts (the first time around) were pretty basic and again by the end I didn’t do anything very long . I did weight workouts up to the end but with modifications made to my regular routine and much lighter weights.
I loved racing before and after, I don’t think that changes. After my first child I had several PRs and did my first IM. This season has been hard because it’s the first one in 5 years I’ve had to sit out of, but I’m already planning my comeback…
Have a 14 month old and will be competing at LP after a 4 year break for back surgery and baby. Tried to train for a half IM when she would have been 6 months old, but it was just too much for my body, mostly due to the nursing, I think. Fatigue, fatigue, fatigue–just wasn’t fun to train at that level.
I did an Oly when she was 4 months old and that was fun to train for, although my times were SO SLOW. (The extra 10 pounds didn’t help).
Have a fantastic husband and a great babysitter and couldn’t have done the past 6 months of trainig without them. When my little one weaned herself at 9 months, things all sorted themselves out and I felt my bod ywas ready to go again.
Will not train for an IM next year–takes too much time away from my family and has a been a bit of a struggle over the past 2 months with self-induced guilt. “Hi honey, nice to see you. I’m going for a 6.5 hour ride, followed by a run tomorrow. See you the day after?” I miss spending time with them, especailly now that my daughter is at such a fun age.
One final thought–as a Type A, stay-at-home mom, training keeps me sane and prevents me from thinking too often about all that time I spent in school going to waste.
My wife waited a solid 3 months before she did a half ironman in 5:11. She turned around two weeks later and did another half ironman. She is amazing though I might add.
She can not do an ironman right now simply because of the breastfeeding issue. She doesn’t like to give our son more than two bottles of milk in a row without having him feed off of her. She will do Great Floridian iron distance race in October.
But, that depends on you, everybody is different. I started on my mountain bike then eventually my tri-bike mostly indoors during naps.