Photo from Mount Royal, Frisco, Colorado.

"That is happiness; to be disolved into something complete and great. When it comes to one, it comes as naturally as sleep." - Willa Cather

Monday 6 June 2011

Skodsborg 30km race - aka the land down under

Since the race was run in honour of the Day of The Danish Constitution, it doesn't really make sense that I bring up Australia yet again, but just keep reading.

So, Skodsborg is, of course a half marathon or a marathon. One can choose. I just decided to make my very own race yesterday; 30k sound like a nice race distance to anyone else? Well, it was more or less my stomach that chose the distance, if you were wondering.

So, Skodsborg is simply a marathon among friends in the woods and that's why we keep going back. We can show up 5 minutes before the start and get a good picture taken, fumbling to get things ready.

(Thanks to Karen for all of the following wonderful pictures!!)



In honour of the Danish constitution, I wore my Thai tank top. I think that is what Jerk had in mind when he said we should wear red or white. (I'm not actually sure it's Thai... anyone?)

The odds were stacked against me. Every time I have run since The Copenhagen Marathon, I've gotten sick to my stomach, not that it hurts, but it's more like I have some mild gastroenteritis that even daily iron tablets won't reverse, if you know what I mean.

Here is a quick race summary:

It was a warm day made cooler in the shade of the woods.
SR was going for the course record, which was 3:10. On a warm day and on a tough course, I knew the odds were also stacked against him. Here he is among the early leaders.



My race, not surprisingly, started out pretty "crappy". Let me just say I can totally respect why women don't run at all at this point of pregnancy. Every 5 minutes I was behind another tree. My stomach was a wreck. This lasted about 10 km! Most people would stop, I know. But it was getting better all along. After 10k I started running with two really sweet girls who were running their first half marathon. They had gotten lost on the first loop (just like I had the last race). We had a fun time and I navigated them through the confusing turns.

So 10-20km was lots of fun.

Here Karen told me to pull up my shirt for the picture - how silly.

But problems started again - if it wasn't a side stitch, it was a Braxton Hicks contraction, or both at once. What an awesome surprise when SR came to meet me. He had started out well, but by the half, he realized he was not on pace for the course record, so let it go. He was pleased with his first place in 3:16 until we were informed by Jesper H. that Jesper Noer had actually won and had run it in 2:55! SR had thought he was running a half and I had thought he came late and was trying to catch up. Anyway, awesome race, Jesper! We made it to the aid station with Jesper and Helle (pictured here)
to round 30km for me in 4 hours and 3 minutes--- and I was more than done. But SR and I thoroughly enjoyed another Skodsborg Marathon! So great to see so many friends again.

Here's Birgitte Nielsen, my dear friend, looking beautiful and well on her way to winning for the women in 3:59.



And here Jørgen celebrates running his 100th marathon

- by receiving a Houston Oilers helmet ????? (again fitting for the Day of the Danish Constitution!)

---doctor's appointment---

So, lots to write about today. I saw the nurse practitioner today, who is very nice, but was very adamant that I stop running now. Not for any particular reason that I could get out of her other than she thought the pelvis muscles couldn't take it. I told her my pelvic muscles were stronger for it and she started to hone in on the fact that I wasn't completely normal. We discussed that there really no evidence saying I shouldn't run at this point in pregnancy, but I told her I was cutting back without intending to due to stomach issues.

She did an abdominal exam and said the head was down and that he probably wouldn't move out of that position, so I learned something very good! Then she measured me and I was only 1cm more in fundal height than at 29 weeks, thus WAY under the chart for normal growth at over 32 weeks. I was kind of like - you're not worried about that? "Well, it's just cause you run so much". I actually begged to differ because I think lots of women who run measure normally. But since I measured small last time (though we don't have the records), she said it was probably just me. But this time I had measured at 50th percentile just 8 weeks ago. I told SR and he was like "are you worried?" and I was like "I don't know. Are you?". Okay, so we both are a little worried and that was my last doctor's visit before the birth. Though there is another with the midwife in a few weeks.

I hate how my growth trajectory resembles that of women who have had Malaria in the beginning of pregnancy. Of course it is hard to make sense of it, but does it just naturally go along with running and exercise that one measures small at the end of pregnancy? And should I be worried I haven't gained any weight since week 29?

Of course, everything is probably normal - but I'm also crossing my fingers it's not a fluid problem or growth restriction or any other thing that women who read this blog might feel like mentioning just to make me not fall asleep at night...

But seriously, should we "demand a scan" as SR has suggested??

19 comments:

Jacqueline said...

You know what I'm going to say. ;-)

I would ask for a scan, if for no other reason than peace of mind. I know lots of women who ran throughout pregnancy who didn't measure small and had no problems. And women who measured small and had problems.

I have shared my story -- measured small with both pregnancies, ran a ton with the first and not as much with the second, fluid issues both times that required induction at 37 and 36 weeks. I would not have known except for measurements falling drastically -- and a careful doctor.

It truly cannot hurt to just get checked out. And then you will feel so great when you see it's absolutely nothing at all.

But that's me, and I just like to KNOW.

Anonymous said...

Having lost a baby late in pregnancy (within days of due date) due to growth restriction -- I would "demand a scan." IUG can be a real and severe problem and it's not something you want to find out the hard way.

Diana said...

First of all, you look adorable in that belly-baring picture. I hope you had a good time despite, you know, all your stomach issues.

Secondly, if a scan would make you feel better and give you peace of mind about your pregnancy, then you should demand one. If modern medicine is going to go through all of the trouble of measuring you and setting a normal range for growth, it makes sense to take more diagnostic measures to make sure everything is all right.

heather said...

I'd ask for the scan. I guess I'd just want to know what was up, and I wouldn't want to wait with it just in case something weren't quite right and there were something I could do to fix it or to help the baby. If you have to, you can pay for it out of pocket, right? Then, as Jacqueline says, you'll have peace of mind when it turns out to be nothing!

Karen said...

Echoing the advice of everyone else, you should totally get that scan. For the first few years after I finished cancer treatments, I went to the doctor with a lot of little things that could be signs of a relapse. Just having some normal blood tests come back was worth the trip to the doctor. My doctors never felt that my freak outs were unfounded.

Reassurance that everything is okay is definitely worth it. You're not overreacting. :)

Grace in TN said...

So sorry about the worrisome appointment. For me, I would want the scan, also for peace of mind. And if there is anything you need to know, and anything you can do about it now, that would make it worth it. Good luck!

cherelli said...

Hey SLG - good work on the run! "she started to hone in on the fact that I wasn't completely normal" - hahahaha! Totally cracked me up. I have known friends to lose a child in the last few days of pregnancy - because symptoms weren't followed up on...get the scan, if only for my peace of mind (haha, I mean your peace of mind of course but I want everything to be a-ok for you).

Robyn said...

I'm a doctor and a perinatal specialist. And a mother of two. Get the scan. There is literally no downside to it and it will diagnose many, though not all, potential problems related to lack of weight gain or fundal height gain. Just do it.

PiccolaPineCone said...

Look at it this way... by North American standards you have hardly had any scans whatsoever... so you are not demanding "extra' scans, you're just being North American. If I am doing the math correctly, I was scanned 10 times during my pregnancy. Overkill? Yes! Totally! My point is just that you are not being hypochondriac, you can have another scan (or half dozen) and still be scanned less than many other women!! Most important though... 32 weeks is still a long, long way to go. Think of how much better you'll feel. And, if you won't do it for you & SR, I echo Cherelli's sentiment, do it for all of us! We get a vote too right? :)

Anonymous said...

honestly consider your reasons for not requesting the scan and then weigh those against the potential benefits of the additional information.

mmmonyka said...

I do not even know what fundal height is so I am not going to comment on that:)
But, on Saturday I proudly told to some friends that I know a girl who runs marathons and such while 30+ weeks pregnant and they were all impressed. They also told me that it was crazy and that they totally believe that I have friends like you- which was supposed to mean that I am crazy as well.

sea legs girl said...

Thanks for all of this input. Doesn't seem like there's much doubt here what the best course of action is. Now it just irritates me that when I mentioned a scan yesterday she said it wasn't necessary. Now who to call? I'll figure it out...

Mmmonyka - super cool you said that! I am touched someone in Cali was talking about me, even in the she's crazy way.

Kirsten said...

I haven't had my kids in Denmark but in Israel and in Turkey. And have had regular scans along the way - that's routine there. I know that in Dk it's not common, but I think you should go for it - at least for your own peace of mind.
When are you supposed to give birth? I will be in Præstø from the 16-19 of July and maybe you are so slow by that time that I would dare to go for a run with you? And get some inside information on running a marathon...

heather said...

I'm sure you've figured out who to call by now. Hopefully it won't be hard to organise, but if you have a problem, my secret tip is to use your hospital connections. I work for a prof (head of clinic) in a uni clinic and, though I've fortunately never needed him to pull strings for me, have often observed how much easier life can be for people in need of medical services when he picks up the phone and calls a friend ;)

Christy said...

wouldnt worry about the low weight gain, I only gained 14 lbs and stayed active running and swimming throughout. I was measuring a bit small and they did the Non Stress Testing the last month because they were very worried. A beautiful healthy 7.2 lb baby later (half my weight gain) and all is well.
But if youre wondering at all, get the scan! I personally would stop running and did so when it became so uncomfortable. I didnt feel the need to keep running, "because I could" but figured Id take the time to find exercises that felt good-- swimming a mile a day helped with my need for activity and also didnt cause such pain as it seems you seem to have time to time out there.

best of luck to you and congrats on keeping the focus on staying healthy- but remember you can stop running now and still be a rockstar pregnant lady who takes care of herself in other ways!

I enjoy your blog---
christy

Katie said...

I also measured small at the end of my last pregnancy. I had a scan and everything was fine. They said the baby was just small. She really wasn't that small though, over 7 pounds and 19.5 inches. Can't hurt to have a scan...

S.A. said...

I measured 'average' (and I'm only 5'2") and ended up with a 9lb 2 oz baby. Anecdotally from chatting with other mothers the measurements don't really seem to be very predictive. Good luck, I'm sure all is well.

ND Rowing said...

I ran throughout pregnancy with my daughter, but not nearly as much as you. I gained most of my weight early and only 4 lbs after 28 weeks, but my fundal height was always within 2-3 cm of what my week was. I would definitely be worried if you were measuring only 25 cm at 32 weeks and demand a scan. This is the time in pregnancy is when baby is growing most rapidly so you need to know if baby needs a little less running or more calories. I hope everything is fine though and you are just hiding that baby in there!

The Balls said...

i wonder if your fluid levels are just low? maybe that's contributing to your bathroom issues when running (less cushion = baby directly on colon, etc). i'm sure you already do, but don't forget to drink tons of water! i found that i had to hydrate 3x as much when exercising during my 3 pregnancies! and i'm very impressed that you've been able to do so much this far along!!!