Moms Who Rock

edit: link corrected

MOMS WHO ROCK! Pt. II

This week: Mama Sweat (a.k.a. Kara).

In her own words

This blog isn't about weight loss or acquiring the perfect body, it's about the absurdities we moms face when we're trying to be mom, wife, employee (or employer), daughter, sister, friend, and the many other roles we take on; while making fitness fit into our lives. As a former endurance athlete, I'm trying to stay in shape while I raise my three young daughters and infant son. Finding the time and the means to exercise isn't just about me, though. I also want to be a good role model and help my children grow up active and healthy.

I found this blog when searching for ways to cope with pregnancy without giving up running. I instantly fell in love with the following post after the first bulletin point:

Everything I Know About Coping with Pregnancy I Learned from Being a Triathlete

1. Ice is nice. After finishing my third marathon (Big Sur--a must run) I saw kiddie pools filled with ice water available for the runners. Because marathoners' brains are a bit addled after 26.2 miles, sitting in a pool of ice water seemed heavenly. And it was. Even better was the next morning, when I had enough spring in my step to walk the hilly streets of San Francisco. From then on an ice bath became my ritual after any run longer than 18 miles. Fast forward many years later, about midway through my first pregnancy--heavy with twins--it occurred to me one night that I felt like I had run 18 miles. And then I realized that an ice bath might make my aching legs feel better. Getting in the tub of as-cold-as-I could make-it-water wasn't quite as easy that time, but once there, and especially after, the benefits were worth the initial discomfort. So much so that I took an ice-cold bath almost every night until I had those babies. I've never had swollen cankles or circulation problems in my pregnancies. Am I lucky or is it my affinity for a polar plunge?

She had me at Ice Bath.

It goes on to cover eating, resting and preparation in terms I can understand (you know, using words like "workout" "training partner" and "modify").

So, thanks Kara, for the advice. You are definitely a Mom Who Rocks!

Moms Who Rock

In exploring the wide world of the internet, I've stumbled upon some amazing tales: Not just blogs by women who run half-marathons mid-way through pregnancy or enter triathlons just weeks after giving birth; I mean, women who constantly explore their roles as mothers and athletes, who wrestle with balancing healthy bodies & healthy body images. Frankly, there are a lot of moms who rock out there who are pretty inspiring. This is why I'd like to introduce a weekly feature highlighting some of these women: Moms Who Rock.

This week's Mom Who Rocks:

This dreamcrossed twilight tracks the adventures of one woman who doesn't lose her identity as a Runner throughout the many weeks of pregnancy. She's at 35 weeks now and still logs at least 20 miles weekly (including a 10 mile run). This new mother-to-be deals honestly with her fears of loss-of-identity, struggles with body image and the logistics of actually exercising with an ever growing belly.