Monster Month!

For those who are unfamiliar with the term “monster month” it is the month during marathon training with the highest and most intense mileage, and begins roughly 6 weeks prior to the marathon itself. It is the final push prior to enjoying a two week taper (rest) period before the big day. During monster month, runners typically experience one or all of the following symptoms due to the intensity of the training:

• An insatiable appetite
• An obsession with remaining hydrated,
• The need to take an embarrassing number of bathroom breaks at work (caused by the hydration obsession)
• Restless legs
• Trouble sleeping due to constantly obsessing over the big day that is fast approaching
• A lost or dazed look while taking on tasks that at one point seemed simple, but due to the constant fatigue and lack of sleep now seem insurmountable
• The need to groan or grunt when going from standing to sitting and vice versa
• A constant desire to hide under the desk at work to catch a quick nap
• An uncontrollable need organize and reorganize your race day gear to make sure you don’t forget something essential, like your shoes (I’ve done this)
• An inability to talk about/focus on anything other than the training plan and the big day

As I entered the 34^th week of pregnancy two weeks ago, and realized that I had 6 weeks to go, I couldn’t help but think about the similarities between how I feel 6 weeks out from a marathon compared to how I feel 6 weeks out from d-day (delivery day). Looking at the above listed symptoms, I can’t find a single one that doesn’t apply to how I feel now … I am in pregnancy monster month!

Having experienced both now, I will be so bold as to say that pregnancy is way harder!

For one, there are no “off” days during pregnancy. Every day, all day, no matter how I feel about it, no matter what the weather is, no matter what else is going on in the world, I am pregnant. This has a good side to it in that every day I am rewarded by feeling Maddie move. During marathon training, sometimes you don’t feel anything good for several days and it is hard to remember at times why you are putting in so much work for something that seems so far away. I never forget why I am working hard through this pregnancy, and I feel blessed every day because of it.

Second, for some reason when you’re training for a marathon and say it is 6 weeks away, people tend to assure you of how much time you have left to prepare. When you are pregnant and say it is 6 weeks away, everyone tells you that you are in the home stretch, it’ll fly by, and you’re “almost there!” Who cares that I dread going to bed each night because I can’t find a comfortable position, I’m almost done right? Wrong! I will not consider myself “almost done” until I’m on my way to the hospital. It’s just like during a race; you NEVER tell a runner that they are “almost there” until the finish line is in sight. Not around the corner, not just a half mile away, actually in sight.

Last, the marathon is guaranteed to happen on a specific day that you can count down to. When Maddie decides to come is pretty much out of my control, and while the doctors will make educated guesses, they are still just guessing. I was told two weeks ago that I am measuring 3 weeks ahead of where the charts say I should be. I got so excited at the thought of the pregnancy ending 3 weeks early that I actually started fist pumping the air! The doctor just smiled and said, “now don’t get too excited, it could just mean that when you deliver her on time she’ll be a really big girl.” Well if that doesn’t sound exciting I don’t know what does … staying pregnant for several more uncomfortable weeks and delivering a big baby! Go me.

In marathon training, you reach a point where you wish the race would just come already so that you can put all of your training to the test. I was so nervous the week leading up to the Boston Marathon that my boss at the time sent me home a half day early because I was absolutely worthless sitting there obsessing over every mile split I was planning to hit. I am rapidly approaching that point with the pregnancy as well. Our house isn’t quite ready yet, work is busy and probably always will be, there’s really no right time, but I can’t wait for THE time because I’m just itching to meet my little girl!