Week 24: Admin, Crossfit & A Weekend at the Lake
At the beginning of this week people kept asking me what I had planned for the week. At the time I didn’t have much to tell them, it seemed my week was going to be pretty boring. However, the reality was a bit of the opposite. Between working on thank you cards for the shower, running errands, a spontaneous trip to Pigeon Forge with mom to use up some baby clothes coupons, blogging, taking care of some admin tasks for our move, and getting back into working out consistently…time has flown by.
Crossfitting In The Second Trimester
I’m very happy to report that I’ve found a new box in Asheville that I’m really enjoying. During our move and a busy first week in town, I only managed one workout a week, then last week I got two WODs in. This week I got back up to my normal three. In general I feel good. I don’t feel overly tired, and although I’m sure my cardio isn’t at the normal level – I don’t feel like I’m super winded or fatigued too easily. Now that I have a bump, there are a few new sensations to adjust to, like the fact that it sort of bounces around when I’m running, until my abs catch on and realize they need to stabilize it. I’m also pretty aware of the stretching that is going on with the ligaments that support and surround the bump. I attempted a long jump last week only to determine after the first jump that that was a strain that was NOT welcome. And yesterday while trying to do mountain climbers, I decided getting my legs around my belly was just a no-go. I also bumped my bump with the bar when working on my snatches. And now regularly find chalk and grime from the bar decorating the front of my shirt.
Current Modifications
I finally had to transition from box jumps to step ups after landing a less than stable jump a few weeks ago. Burpees are now done on parallettes. And scaling is coming into practice. For the most part I’m using pretty close to the same weight as I always have on my lifts. I try to listen to my body and if I am feeling too fatigued or winded I will drop ten or so pounds. I no longer max out on any lifts. I also try to pay attention to how my pace compares to others. If I am moving slow, I scale the number of reps or modify the movement to get back on pace with the rest of the class. I’m still able to do regular kipping pull ups, but after a round or two of regular pushups I’ve been using a band to assist me. Lying on my back doesn’t seem to have the effect that it does on some pregnant women (your uterus weighs enough at this point that it can put pressure on an important vein located in your back when lying on your back, which can cause shortness of breath and diminished blood flow to you and baby). We haven’t done many situps in the WODs I’ve done in recent weeks, but I will probably substitute them with russian twists or knees to elbows when they come up. As a general rule I take breaks when needed so that I’m not gasping for air or overheating, and I make sure to sip water throughout every workout. I think the key is to focus on maintaining a good level of fitness, and taking into consideration that your body is working double time to support you and your growing baby – so breaks and hydration are more important than a great time or PR weight.
I can’t stress enough how important I feel that consistent exercise both prior to getting pregnant, and while pregnant, is. In the first trimester although I was very tired, in a way crossfitting gave me energy. It also seems to be the single best cure for bloat. Now that I’m in the second trimester and have developed a bump, I feel like having the core muscles to support my growing belly has been crucial for my comfort. In general I feel SO much better on the days and weeks when I work out. And as an added benefit, the intensity of the WODs leaves me craving healthy foods to refuel. When you are red faced and sweating nothing sounds better than a fresh salad or some cold fruit. It’s no secret I have indulged in foods I wouldn’t normally eat on any kind of regular basis and definitely sweets during this pregnancy, and although exercise cannot compensate for a poor diet, I do feel like it’s helped me keep things under control and balanced. I’m really thankful that I’ve felt good enough to continue crossfitting, and I hope I’m able to continue throughout.
Father’s Day at the Lake
This year my grandparents came down to the lake on Saturday and joined us out on the water for the day and a cookout that afternoon to celebrate Father’s Day. We were blessed with beautiful weather, and I’m happy to report my goal to get an awesome tan this summer is now one shade closer.
Growing up, my family, including my grandparents, great aunt and uncle, two cousins and their families, aunt jill, and our family of four went to the lake every single weekend in the Summer and a good part of the Fall. We all had campers sitting adjacent to each other (with the exception of one camper that was parked just up the woods), all with a waterfront view and a small beach. Our battery of sea doos bobbed in the water waiting for the next round of speed runs. And the party barge (a.k.a. my grandparents’ old, but very much loved pontoon) sat ready to be covered in colorful beach towels and ridden until the sun set on the day.
Some of the best memories of my childhood involve the lake. On those Saturday mornings I remember waking up and looking out at the water while the first wave of warm air came through breaking up the ice box my Dad had created by running the camper AC on high the entire night. The smell of livermush and bacon and biscuits wafted through the campground. Bathing suit on, I would excitedly run over to my Mamaw and Papaw’s camper to see if their breakfast seemed any better than ours (sometimes there were blackberries and biscuits on their menu in which case I opted to eat with them). Anticipation built in my chest as Dad pulled my mom, sister and I in the boat down to the boat ramp ( I still don’t know why it always seemed so cool to ride in the boat while it was being pulled on the trailer), where our little family Dixie boat glided into the water and puttered patiently until Dad made his way back to the dock to board. We tubed, we skied, we floated in our diapers made from life jackets, and we snacked on delicacies like beefaronies straight from the can, lake steaks (sardines), vienna sausages, and pork rinds. My mom could bear inhuman amounts of heat as she roasted away on the boat reading People magazine, and my Dad could singlehandedly set the world record for longest drag time coming out of the water on a slalom ski. Sometimes we would walk up to the store and beat the heat with chocolate ice cream in those little plastic cups, only properly eaten with those peanut shaped wooden spoons. At night, post-dinner, we all gathered around the fire pit, myself often bundled up in one of my mamaw’s sweatshirts, and we talked while we roasted marshmallows. And just when we were starting to fight sleep, we loaded back up in the car and went home so we could make church the next morning.
It wasn’t till I met Will that I realized how little hiking and outdoors stuff I had done in our hometown known for such activities. He looked at me like an alien the first time I told him I had never really hiked or camped here, until I explained that my weekends were spent at the lake.
Things have changed a lot since then. Most of us still go to the lake regularly, but only one camper is left in the campground, all but one sea doo has been sold or parked for an indefinite time, the party barge finally found a new owner, and now we have the lake house. We have experienced an all new type of laking in many ways in this new era, and it’s been fun, but nothing can replace those special years at Benfield’s Landing Campground. I have many memories with my Dad including countless hours on the ball field, but I also ways remember our time at the lake as the true quality time. Where he was relaxed, and able to forget the woes of work and the constant travel it required. So it was fitting that this Father’s Day we got to enjoy the day in one of our favorite places.
Hello 24 Weeks!
The weekend ended too shortly as usual and before I knew it we finally hit the end of week 24. Time feels like its flying by. Baby J is kicking up a storm. I can’t imagine what it would be like if at least a portion of its kicks weren’t absorbed by my anterior placenta. I can see how sweet little baby kicks could keep you awake all night! Anyway, we’re happy to have made it to this point. We’ve got another empty week to fill and this weekend Will is coming in for a couple of weddings we have on Saturday. It’s only been a week since I saw him last, but I can’t help but miss him. This time at home is absolutely wonderful, but I’ll admit I’m already getting excited about our next adventure. I think one of my happiest places, or rather, state of beings, is traveling with my husband. There is nothing that fills me with as much excitement, contentment, happiness, and exhilaration as exploring somewhere new with my one and only 🙂
