Weekend Views: Running in Half Moon Bay

Apparently, we’re going to have a baby in the next few weeks. It’s twelve days from my due date, so most likely less than 20 until we meet this little person! We’re both feeling pretty calm about the whole thing, for now at least. Excited, maybe slightly nervous? But mostly positive. I’ve had quite possibly the easiest pregnancy ever, so I’m not yet “over it.” Although, I’m pretty over talking  about pregnancy. It’s a pretty boring topic at this point! And I’m excited to get back physically to doing things I love. While I’m so glad I’m still running at 38+ weeks, it also happens to be fall marathon season and my jealously is pretty high.

One side perk of late pregnancy has been the added incentive to go on weekend excursions while we’re still baby-free. Not that a baby will prevent us from doing things, but it will change. Two weekends ago we went to Santa Cruz and Moss Beach. This weekend we headed to Half Moon Bay for a run with my teammates. I’m pretty excited I can still clock in sub-10min/mi five milers at this point! Fully plan on running until I go into labor if I can! A friend of mine actually went into labor on a run. That’s the dream.

Then today we cheered on runners at the San Jose Rock’n’Roll Half, with one of our elite team members taking first place! It was so much fun to spend the weekend with these women, and more, to focus on all things not baby. I had no idea how refreshing it would be to just talk about everyday things! Well, mostly running, but still. I’m incredibly excited to get back to chasing down running goals and planning races. That, and regular amounts of wine/cocktails, are the only things I really miss about not being pregnant. Well, that and having people look me in the eye and not at my stomach (but that’s a recent thing, and thankfully almost over!).

I’d say these last nine months have been nothing like what I’d expected. But really, I didn’t know what to expect. It’s really just been fine. I love that I’ve had the most boring pregnancy possibly ever. Not that its over, or that something can’t change. But mostly its just a standard, textbook, non-complicated affair. I was lucky to some degree to avoid early symptoms, but 30% do, which is a fair amount. But I also worked hard to stay active and eat well which I know contributed greatly to how I’ve felt. Pregnancy as portrayed by media has been a far cry from my experience, and the experience of most fit-moms I know. So while I have no idea what my luck to effort ratio is for how I ended up with such a good experience I’m just happy it shook out that way!

Now we begin the waiting game! Statistically it’ll happen between the 13th and 27th, and I’d really like to make it to full term at 39 weeks (the 13th), but I’m feeling pretty relaxed about when it happens after that. I don’t particularly want to be induced, but if it comes to that I mostly just want a healthy baby at the end. And want to do everything possible to avoid a c-section. But besides that? Not actually terribly worried. I’m sure it’ll be painful, but it’ll be over. While running a marathon is certainly not as physically demanding I think a background in endurance sports helps. There is pain, yes, but it’s temporary and the reward is great. Just like in running I plan to take each moment as it comes, focus on the mile (contraction?) as it comes, visualizing what waits at the end. And then we get to meet our child!

So pregnancy: overall fine. Didn’t like it, didn’t hate it. But can’t really complain. And now? A few days to weeks of just continuing to live our lives and enjoy our time together before it all changes forever, whenever that might be!