Waving goodbye to the 2nd Trimester

I'm currently sailing through Week 26, and pretty soon will be starting the final trimester of this pregnancy.

Second tri is great! I feel so much better than I did in the first trimester. I have energy again, and I don't feel like emptying the contents of my stomach every 5 minutes.

So far I haven't had to make any adjustments to my bike or my biking style. I haven't found anything to be particularly more difficult than it was before. I currently commute on a bike with drop bars, and although I was worried about my belly getting too big and hitting my knees while riding, that has not been the case yet. But the Bump is definitely growing. I went out for a walk the other day, and I caught a glimpse of my reflection in a window....yikes! Of course I see myself in the mirror everyday, but I don't really see myself.  I guess I'll see how the growing belly will affect my riding in the last trimester. If I need to, I can switch over to a bicycle with straight bars instead of drop bars and adjust things for a more upright riding style.

I have adjusted my commute slightly. I no longer ride after dark if I can help it. Mostly this is because my route home takes me through a heavy bar/club area, and I simply don't trust drivers (and pedestrians) to not be drunk on the road. I distinctly recall one ride home through this area (before I was pregnant) and a young man driving some type of sporty car ahead of me decided he didn't want to sit in the heavy club traffic, so he gunned it and tried to pass the car ahead of him at about 80 miles an hour. The laws of physics kicked in (2 objects cannot occupy the same space) and he ended up ping-ponging off of about 3 cars and ended up on the sidewalk. That move takes a certain kind of judgment that only alcohol can provide. No one was hurt, but it was super scary. So glad I was BEHIND him, but it was so scary to watch it unfold. I don't mind risking it when it's just me, but I'm not going to put this kiddo at risk if I don't need to. Instead, the hubster picks me up after work and we stick Kermit (my commuting bike) on a bike rack. Handy.

Speaking of risks, I got a pretty severe lecture from a coworker (a subordinate, no less) who was downright angry that I was biking to work while pregnant. This coworker saw me pull into the parking lot on my bicycle and immediately laid into me, ranting that I had no right to put a child at risk and that she doesn't trust drivers in DC (despite being one herself), blah blah blah. She didn't even give me a chance to respond, and honestly I started getting so angry I just walked away from her mid-rant. I'm used to getting Looks, and the occasional off-hand "Question Comment" (i.e. you're still riding pregnant? Is your doctor okay with that?), but this was absolutely not okay. I've become acutely aware of how pregnancy turns a woman into public property. Whether its a coffee shop barista who "helpfully" gives you a decaf coffee despite you not ordering decaf or someone commenting "are you supposed to be eating that?" while you are trying to eat lunch; or complete strangers feeling absolutely entitled to touching you (I've discovered that if I rub their belly in return, they stop); some people seem to forget that you are a capable adult human being and not just a walking incubator. Anyway, after I had a chance to calm down (and rant on twitter for a bit), I pulled that coworker aside and explained that 1). It was really not okay to speak to me like that. 2)I am still a supervisor, so its REALLY not ok to speak to me like that. 3)If she was genuinely concerned about my chosen method of commuting, I have no problem having a CONVERSATION about it, outside of work, but that I will not be lectured. 4). That my commute on my bicycle is the best part of my day, that I look forward to it, that it is time that is completely for ME, and that it actually helps me to relax & lower my blood pressure (which I need), and she made it the exact opposite of that with her lecture. She did apologize. I know that these sorts of "issues" happen because the other person genuinely thinks they are being helpful, but still....I get really tired of the pearl-clutching "think of the children!" rhetoric when its really about controlling/judging someone else.

Did I rant a bit there? Sorry.

Anyway. The weather is changing and that means its time to adjust my bike bag contents. Instead of extra gloves, scarves & layers, I now bring sunscreen, wet wipes, a towel and rain gear. (This is in addition to my usual commute essentials: lunch/snacks, water, change of clothes). I'm not complaining. I'm SO over cold weather. Give me heat & humidity. Please. My current commute outfit is usually a running/yoga capri and a bike jersy or large t-shirt. It works so far. (Weird fact: I can still fit into my usual pants. I have bought a few pairs of maternity pants for work, but my regular pants still fit fine. Shirts are another matter.)

This weekend (starting Sunday) is the Police Unity Tour. Thank you all that donated! I met my fundraising goal, so now I just need to ride the 205 miles. Yikes. My plan is to head over to Hains Point in the morning, and generally follow the mileage/rest stop guidelines from the cue sheet from previous rides. The first day is about 85 miles, the second is 80 and the last is 45ish. Will I actually ride all those miles? I don't know, but I'm going to try. I plan to take it nice and easy though. If I start to feel to uncomfortable, I will stop and call it a day. I'm not trying to go into premature labor here. I plan on having the hubster stop by with refreshments throughout the day. This means I can ride Blue (my carbon fiber frame road bike) instead of Kermit since I won't need to carry snacks/lunch/hydration for the whole day on my bike. If any of you are in town and want to ride in circles, feel free to stop by! I'll be wearing my Police Unity Tour jersey.  I'll post more specifics here the night before (as well as on Facebook and Twitter). It's supposed to be HOT, but clear those days. We'll see.