My CD0.1's Maiden Voyage

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Last Thursday, I decided it was time. I had this sweet new ride calling my name, and I was SO eager to take it out, despite previously described apprehension being 11 weeks postpartum. I dug through my drawer to find a pair of bike shorts that fit me, handed Henry off to Steve, and set out for a quick spin to try everything out. I hadn't been on a bike since May and haven't been able to ride outdoors Since mid-October last year.
Henry and I posed for this pic before I set out:

Henry likes the new ride. Mama likes it more!

It. Was. Glorious.

I only went for 15 miles or so, but I felt great. This bike is crazy fast, and though I was a little nervous that it would take a lot of time to get to know my R2C shifters, it seemed to click pretty fast. My average wasn't spectacular, but given my time away from the bike, it really wasn't that bad, especially considering the number of stop signs I hit.

I felt like me again riding. Although my running is progressing, my times aren't really coming down. I still feel slow and heavy, but on my bike, I felt like an athlete, like a person, not just a mommy milk machine.

I got home with a big smile on my face, and Steve snapped this photo:

Home after a quick fun ride.

I squeezed in another ride on Saturday. Same thing. I felt great, and with that, I signed up for my first and only tri of the season - the St. Croix Valley Sprint Tri.

I have been in the pool twice since Henry's birth, but my swims went OK. I've lost a lot of speed, which I'm hoping to get back once H is not so cranky that he can't go to Kid's Care at our Y. I'm confident I'll be fine in the 1/3 mile swim. The bike is only 10 miles, and the run is 4 miles. It will be my first ever sprint tri, and although it will no doubt be embarrassingly slow, I have to keep telling myself that I gave birth 12 weeks ago and need to cut myself a little slack. I am really hoping to focus on getting my speed back over the winter to see what I can do in shorter distances next year, and this will be a great starting point.

On the running front, I've been increasing my mileage pretty successfully. I logged nearly 30 miles last week with my long run being a 16 miler. My speed just isn't coming back as fast as I'd hoped, but now that I've been able to get back some of the distance, I hope to incorporate some speed work back into my regimen before my marathon in a month. The race this weekend will serve as my "recovery" day. Next weekend I'll put in an 18 miler. The following week I'll shoot for 20, and then I'll taper for 2 weeks and see if I can hit the finish line in the 6 hour time limit on October 2. I'm really hoping that being at the back of the pack will allow me to meet some new people who need a little encouragement. I thrive on getting people excited out there. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the TCM course and will show it off whenever I can.

On the Henry front, things aren't going much better, which makes me really nervous to send him to be with someone else when I start work next week. I mean, if his own mother has trouble settling him down some days, how is a stranger supposed to do it? Fortunately, we have a neighbor caring for him. She has 2 kids of her own, and one of them was a crabby baby. We had a 2 hour trial the other day, and it went really well. He was sleeping when I got there to pick him up. By the end of last week, he was extra crabby. I had cut out ALL dairy for over 2 weeks at that point (save for one day when I had a moment of weakness and ate a cookie with butter in it), but it really didn't seem to help his disposition. We thought it was helping his intestinal issues, but he had another bloody poo on Saturday, so we're back to square one. I ended up cutting out all wheat, soy, and eggs for the last few days, but the LC today told me to forget about it. It's been a really frustrating process. We've seen 2 doctors, a lactation consultant, a Douala (the teacher for our birthing class series where we had a reunion yesterday) and a chiropractor within the last 2.5 weeks, and all of these "experts" think that they know the cure-all and are contradicting the information that the other ones are giving us. By this afternoon, I was really ready to call it quits on all of them. I know that the real "cure" for colicky babies is usually just time, but it's so hard to watch your baby scream and not do anything. I would feel terrible if there were really something wrong, and we just ignored the signs. Then, as if to tell me everything would be just fine, I figured out how to make him giggle today, and that was worth all of the frustration I'd had in the morning.

My last race was one week before Henry was born. My next one will be 12 weeks afterward. I think it's going to be a pretty surreal experience having him at the finish line. Wish me luck!

17 comments:

Amy

Wow you are an inspiration. I didn't get back to marathons till my reflux baby was 2. If you happen to be in the mood for unsolicited advice from strangers on the net; I had to cut dairy and soy together for my boy. A pediatric gastroentorolgist diagnosed him with a sensitivity to a protein. It took three days but he slept 6 hours on the third day and was much more comfortable. He did outgrow it- he eats both now. Good luck!

Christi

What an awesome lookin' bike! I think Henry wants one of his own.

Good luck with your race!

Josie

I've been reading your (and your husband's) blog for a while, and I just wanted to say that you're doing great! I had my own super cranky baby in October 2010, and u know how hard it can be when you just can't figure out what is wrong. For us, time was the answer. She got less cranky by 3-4 months and now, at 10 months she is just the happiest little girl. Just keep going and doing your best, and be sure to get your "you" time to stay sane. It gets better, I swear! Truthfully, having this experience now months in the past, it all seems like a very distant (bad) memory. You guys are doing great! Best of luck to you and your family!
Josie

Kim

that new bike is so hot pharmie! so glad to hear you are having a blast on it. and henry is looking adorable as always!

Liz C

Sarah you are doing so, so well! I continue to be totally impressed and inspired by you. Biking, running, swimming...I'm 16-ish weeks postpartum and still consider a 3 mile run a big accomplishment!

My heart goes out to you about Henry. He is such a beautiful baby, and I completely understand how difficult it is to watch your baby cry in what might be pain and there is nothing you can do. I remember getting my hopes up SO many times over the course of 12-14 weeks and ultimately, you're right, it really was time. You are so close and doing all the right things. And remember - so many people have gone through this (even if they don't talk about it).

You don't have any idea who I am but I am thinking of you and Henry and crossing my fingers for improvement soon. In the meantime, way to go!!

Trisaratops

Hugs hugs hugs to you and Henry....I've been very lucky and never had colic issues, and I can't even imagine how hard it is. I will just send you big hugs since that's all I can do :)

YAY for the ride! So excited for you to tri with Henry at the end! And your running is going AWESOME. You should be very proud of yourself--I know I AM! :)

Kitzzy

You are amazing! Wow, I'm so impressed.

Christine

I lurk on your blog and have for the last year or so, and just wanted to give you some cyber *HUGS* about the baby! I'm currently pregnant with baby #4!! (don't worry, I'm stopping after this one). And my baby #2 was SO difficult! If I could get him to sleep for longer than 20 minutes it was a success! It took a little longer with him but by the time he was 6 months old he was the happiest little baby. I know it's SO hard to "wait it out" but just hang in there and keep letting steve take him on those runs in the stroller! My cranky Andy is almost 5 and now the joy of my 3 children. He is SO sweet and loving now. Your little one will make up for it when he's older.

By the way - your new bike ROCKS.

Abigailius

That bike is pretty awesome. Don't worry about going back to work before all the lingering baby questions are answered. I think it'll do you good to have the chance to focus your energy on your job and let your caregiver handle some of the bouncing and diapers, and I'm guessing it will go a long way in giving you renewed resolve. You've been doing such a great job with him. As intense as it is right now, he'll probably grow up to be something like Most Amiable Person in the World, and the first few months will be a distant memory.

Katie

AWESOME!!!

Unknown

Okay, that bike is awesome! It was so great hearing you say that you felt like "you" again on it! :) So excited for you this weekend. I hope that you have fun out there! 12 weeks PP is pretty dang impressive!

Sending you a big hug as you figure things out with Henry... I'm sure it's a little frustrating just not knowing what's making him so fussy. :(

bobbi

Hugs to you and Henry - time will pass and it WILL get better, even though it might not feel like it right now. Here's hoping that it's soon :)

Have a great time this weekend - I'll be at TCM, and I'll be looking for you at the back of the pack (which is where I live, hehe). I am so impressed with how far you've come in 12 short weeks! Keep it up!

GoBigGreen

First of all, you look great and i am so happy you are enjoying your new bike. From a non mother you can take this or leave it, but I know my older sister was super colic-y ( is that a word) and she just outgrew it. That was before they knew all the diet and allergy and cut this and that out of your diet etc...and i know it was hard for my mom, and she just outgrew it after she was 1. So who knows is right, hang in there, as i told steve he is so dang cute:) sorry he is crabby alot!

Anonymous

Way to go on the bike. I'm the oldest of 4 and my mom said I was the worst baby of the bunch. I had colic and would cry for hours on end. She said having me first made all the other babies seem easy. =)

J and D

I just found your blog through ST and wanted to say thank you!!! I just had my first baby in April and, like you, I'm on the comeback trail. I wasn't able to run through my pregnancy (had to give it up to get pregnant), but I'm back at it and running my first post-baby half marathon in two weeks. I'm loving reading about your return!

Unknown

Awesome! I can imagine how thrilled you were with those 9 min miles!

*~*~* Tracy

Wow. I am beyond impressed. At 12 wks postpartum, I was definitely not considering a sprint tri!

Your Henry sounds like my Shane (I also have a Henry, but we call him Hank). I eliminated dairy, then wheat/gluten, then citrus, bananas, tomatoes, avocados and corn.

Eventually we realized he had GI mediated food allergies to dairy, wheat and corn. And reflux which flared with the other foods I eliminated.

Very thankfully he outgrew everything but dairy by the age of 3. The longest 3 years because I slept precious little and did a heck of a lot of laundry.

BUT now he's on track for growth, and he's adorable and smart. Once you find the offending food and eliminate it, your little guy will grow and you will sleep. Hang in there! It does get better and more manageable.