Monday, July 12, 2010

Water Running and Elliptical Cross Training

Hey! It is Suzy. I've been out of the running loop since the awesome Ogden Half-Marathon (anyone for the Ogden full next year?). I was disappointed that once I pinned my number on my pregnant belly, it was difficult to tell I was pregnant from the front. I was sure to mention it as we passed people. As well as yell it out at the end so people would cheer for me and I wouldn't stop and walk.
I went on a 4 mile run the Tuesday after and my legs felt like jelly. I tried to jog about a week later and found that my belly had increased exponentially in size during that week off. Too much pull on the muscles to run comfortably any more. So where does that leave me? No more runs with Danna and Kristin. :( Just a lot of water running and elliptical cross training.
Why those two activities? Danna and Kristin once told me that those two exercises are equivalent to running. For elliptical work, mileage is a one to one ratio. For water running, time is a one to one ratio. I don't know if that is really true but it makes me feel good about my exercise as I wait for my little one to arrive.
When I water run, I use the same water belt that many use for water aerobics. I have a hard time telling how hard I am "running" because I don't sweat. It also takes me a minute or two to try to get the right running motion down instead of a swimming kick. One day I "ran" next to another lady in the pool. She was pretty fast. I asked her what her secret was and she told me she was "riding a bike." No wonder she was so much faster than me!
I can only manage about an hour long water run. (I think I once did an hour and a half) I just don't have a waterproof ipod to listen to and no friends to talk to. Boohoo for me. I do like the weightless feeling and the time to relax my pregnancy muscles. Yeah for me.
Danna and Kristin, of course, miss me terribly. They ran Ragnar with my husband just because they miss me so much. (It was a good choice. He runs much faster than me and isn't even close to being as emotional as I am at this point.)
I am curious to see how labor will go and my recovery will be after consistently exercising. And maybe 16 years from now, we will have a cross country star in our family.

5 comments:

Maryann said...

Go Suzy! Wish I could join you.

Hayley said...

Suzy, I think you're doing a great job keeping fit while you're pregnant. You look amazing :) It makes me feel better about getting pregnant some day after all the hard work I've put in to look and feel this good. I miss running with you too.

Adam said...

Suzy,
It's so fun to hear from you on the blog. That is great that you are continuing to work. I never thought about it, but being in the pool would be a nice break. Keep up the good work,
Adam

Kristin said...

Go Suzy! Good point- a waterproof ipod would be great because I too am learning how old water running get, what with my injuries and all. Well, you are the fittest pregnant lady I've ever known. totally an inspiration and like Hayley, I feel less worried about my own future pregnancies!

ihaverun said...

You are awesome to stick to exercising during your pregnancy! I just did my first pool running this week and it was kind of fun to mix things up. Enjoy the pool and the elliptical!