JENNY FROM THE BLOCK: Fussy Feet and Magical Thinking

There seems to be an outbreak of "Fussy Feet". It is highly contagious and striking my athletic friends and spouse in one way or another. "Fussy Feet" is a generic term I use with no disrespect to the injury, it's just a generic term I use to cover the gamut of injuries that could be plaguing my people.

Recently I had a case of 'Fussy Feet" not a true injury but my feet just got angry from me stepping on them all the time. Can't say that I blame them. I am very thankful it resolved after soaking during my birthday pedicure. That was a relief. Game on for running. Early in the second trimester I brought my running up to 30 miles/week. Since I did so I have maintained it.

I have decided running while pregnant is a good preparation for dealing with the fussiness of an infant or a small child. The frequent bathroom stops and chafing I have learned to manage. Sometimes my feet cramp or fall asleep. I think the relaxin that is present in my body to allow a baby to fit in the womb and pass through the canal is in my feet too. They have been allowed to spread. I see the glass as half full. Better my feet than my a**. Oh wait, I think that is where the relaxin targets.

Anyway it takes sometime and patience to deal with these small things, but I enjoy running and none of these things to me are worth quitting over. Also, since exercise has been proven to be good for the baby I can deal.

Earlier this week the "Foot Fussiness" deviated north to my calves. Mad calf disease, I call it. I think I was....say it ain't so.... jogging. I'm not in shape to be jogging and I strained both of my calves. I know the difference between a sore muscle and a strain. It was a strain. grade one calf strains take 7 days to heal.

I wasn't willing to wait 7 days without a fight. Let me ask this. If a 26.5 week pregnant lady takes a week off from running, does she get a comeback? Probably postpartum. I don't have the patience to wait that long and I don't give up without a fight. So I took matters into my hands....or rather my feet.

Oh No You Didn't!

60 minute foot Chinese foot massage. $20. No appointment needed. After the appointment I wasn't convinced so I went home and applied compression sleeves with compression socks on top. Your probably wondering why not just two pairs of compression sock? Well two thick socks are not going to fit inside one pair of my shoes. Why not just the sleeves....I'm pregnant and in the event my baby is sitting on my vena cava combined with the effects of gravity the blood is going to go down to my toes and not come back up = Minnie Mouse Feet.

Because running while pregnant doesn't cause enough jaws to drop.

I had to lean forward a bit to see my feet.

A run skirt and compression socks I must be playing the pregnancy card for all it's worth.

With my calves fully compressed in got busy in the kitchen.

Tri Tip ( for some extra iron) underneath the roasted veggies.

Yorkshire pudding, because it looks cool and tastes yummy.

It's actually really easy but don't tell anybody.

After dinner I went to bed and miraculously today my calves were all better. I know this could be considered magical thinking but perhaps my interventions were successful. My other thought is that I have super healing powers brought to me by the hormones present during pregnancy. I'm wondering if all the HcG doesn't act like HGH (human growth hormone). Hmmm. I'll have to research that!

Unfortunately life was not a bowl of cherries for Tim today. His plantar facia got angry at track this morning. I think it's all the long distance ~~jogging~~ running he has been doing with me. He mentioned his feet were hurting and that even though we only ran 10 miles it was still 90 minutes of running. The Minutes vs Miles theory. I didn't mention that 10 miles actually takes 100 minutes these days.

Everybody has there priorities. Judge me, but here is the truth. I'd rather my husband say the Subaru got totaled but he was fine, then to see him come limping home. That's just how we roll. I'm hoping his plantar fascia gets better quick, but I don't know that a Chinese Foot massage is going to do the trick.

The Runners Survival Kit:

I've been putting together a mini survival guide for pregnant runners based on my experiences. It would probably help all runners. When I spoke with my OB/GYN she recommended to carry a water bottle. Over heating is the main concern. It comes with dehydration.

Hand held water bottle. Don't even think of wearing a Fuel Belt around your waist.

Please! You'll have enough around the middle.

On another note, many have expressed frustration of trying to run pregnant and always needing or feeling like you need to pea. Magical thinking once again but breaks in the bushes or the porta potties just might be Mama Natures way of getting your heart rate down and giving you a break, thus preventing the evil overheating.