Side Workout

This weekend, I participated in the Chicago Cinco de Miler. Amazingly, when you finished you were awarded a medal. I got two- one for me and one for the little fetus. My next event is a 10 miler but I am actually going to walk this race as I am not in the capacity to train  for a 10 mile race being as I am currently in my second trimester. But, that does not mean that I do not try to work on speed walking.

This picture was taken when I was 12 weeks. I did not PR (as I do not plan on PR'ing at all this year.) but I did finish in an hour. This was an 8k. Pretty pleased with myself I thought I could keep going and training but my breath has been getting pretty short within each week.

This is where I have begun to train with more yoga and walking. I still try to run but my distances are much shorter and my pace is slower. I currently have two yoga DVD's which I have been trying them out and seeing about them. Here are my reviews if you are more of a novice athlete like myself.

Prenatal Yoga with Shiva Rea

This video is 70  minutes and is full of gentle stretches and practice yoga for preparation of delivery. I must be honest, I do not regularly go to the yoga studio to do yoga since I feel like a whale and there is a lot I can not do with the instructor's commands even though they tell me before I walk in, "No twists, inversions, or being on your stomach." And, I can't go to the extreme hot classes because why would I do that? Don't want to hurt the fetus. Pros of this video is that it is gentle and safe enough to do as a beginner. Cons of this video is that you need tons of props. You need a rug or a carpet or something like that, a block, a strap and a chair. I bought this video at a second hand video store for $1 but I had no idea I had to spend even more money for props. Well, in my case just the chair.

Pre-Natal Power Vinyasa Yoga with Meghan Coy (Core Power Yoga)

This video is currently 60 minutes and offers a different style of yoga than the prior video. While Shiva Rea focuses on Iyengar yoga which is more stretching and gentle, Meghan Coy is a Core Power Yoga gal who is more into what I am into pre-pregnancy; Vinyasa or "flow" yoga. Vinyasa is more intense than Iyengar but both flow with breath. This was faster and had no props. If you are a beginner, this video is not best to begin with as you are doing chaturunga (at your choice), sit ups (unless you are farther along like myself), and arm balances like crow pose. Pros of this video is no props unless you want them to enhance your practice. Cons is that it is not for someone who is just trying yoga for her first time. This video cost me about $12 and I see it every Saturday when I am working the front desk.

Enjoy the pregnancy and the modified working out!