New Adventure: Running

I've begun to run. I started four days ago - today being the fourth. I've made it up to a mile now, but it's a slow, sad, pathetic, gasping mile. I really had to push myself today. I'm hurting in a lot of new places lol. And I kicked the couch with my pinkie toe and thought I broke it - so that really hurt and made the running a LOT harder to do, but I did it anyway. I'm hoping I pass a point where I stop nearly dying with each run. I'm sure I'll get there. But you know, it really feels good when I'm done running. I haven't run a mile since high school and now I'm doing it again. And I have a goal. What's my goal? I want to be in a shape. And even better than that, I want to be in shape for when we try to have baby #2 next year. I want to be in shape so I can have a better birth. I mean, Anna's was good in some ways. I came in at 3 1/2 cm and didn't feel any contractions. I sometimes wonder if I had gone into labor naturally if things would have been different. I wonder if Anna would have had time to rotate from that posterior position. I wonder if I would have thought, "I'm in labor!" and then when I got to the hospital, I would be like 5 or 6 cm. I would love that for the next one. Plus, I know that being in shape means a better birth. And I want another natural birth - this time no failed epidural - just no epidural at all. I know I can do it now. I have no doubts about what my body can achieve. I actually fear getting an episiotomy more than giving birth. I don't want to take pain meds after birth because of an episiotomy like I did with Anna - the pain meds caused complications that I talked about on this blog once upon a time. I'd like to avoid that altogether. And I'm hoping these changes make that difference. I don't want to be Miss Skinny America. I don't think I even need to lose weight. I was 118 last time I was weighed. I would like to have more muscle and less fat on my tush, though. ;) But really, my goal is to get in shape. If anything else like that happens, well... that's just the cherry on top. I actually have a workout partner now - a college friend. We start together on Sunday. I'm really excited about that! I think it should be fun. :)