Last night was the Reno Corporate Challenge Swim Meet, an annual event where we gather a team of people to compete against other local companies. This was my sixth annual swim meet in this competition (I missed one year as I was recovering from giving birth), and we had a pretty good turn out for our team. Most people thought I was a bit batty to be competing at 6.5 months pregnant.
And perhaps I am, but I’ve been swimming lately, and feeling really strong. This is my one chance to swim in a swim meet each year, and I really didn’t want to sit it out (especially after sitting out most of ski season). I talked to my doctor, who said to go for it, and that I did. I expected a lot of stares from strangers as I loaded my pregnant belly up onto the blocks, but there was so much commotion that I don’t think anyone gave me a second thought, besides probably thinking “good for the chubby girl to get out there and compete”.
But my coworkers knew, and they were proud. After finishing one race, I heard one of them yell, “yeah, baby maker!”
I think I also wanted to prove that a pregnant woman doesn’t have to sit at home in a bubble, but can actually get out there and hold her own. I’m sick of reading on the pregnancy sites about women who think a stroll around the block is exercise, and that lifting 3 pound weights is strength training. I personally believe that as long as you don’t have complications, you should get out there and challenge yourself almost every day — belly or not. Yes, the belly is starting to slow me down, but I know that myself and my baby are stronger for my mentality.
Yes, it was humbling to be out there in my swim suit with all those other girls that looked like they just stepped out of their college team’s practice for the race. I was thankful that our company provided company logo robes for us to wear in between races. Because believe me, I didn’t want to be prancing around in my Speedo in front of my coworkers any more than necessary.
I walked away with a third place in the back stroke and second place in the breast stroke. Not bad for hefting an additional 14 pounds through the water! The relay competition was heated, and we came in fourth (ouch), after sweeping the relays at last year’s event.
That said, here are the pictures my coworkers captured of me last night.
Here is my back stroke wall start… I didn’t even attempt to get myself up onto the blocks with my knees all curled up for a proper start.
Looking rather round in this one…
Gliding my way to a silver medal in the breast stroke…
And the next pic initially made me cringe. But right as I was about to delete it, I thought that I should keep it, as it is the only pic that shows what the belly looked like that night. The whole night I thought I just looked really chunky, but seeing the side profile makes me think — hey, I might actually look pregnant finally!
