I Got Gold…I’m Super Bad!

Game Ready Moms are working the Olympics. There are a many but we’ll look at 3-Time Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh and Silver Medalist Lashinda Demus.

Kerri Walsh‘s Twitter page description says “2 Time Olympic Gold Medalist, Wife & Mom ” She’ll need to update that asap to 3-Time Gold Medalist after an inspiring match last night. Talk about a Game Ready Mom! Walsh and her partner in spikes & kills Misty May-Treanor rule the sand as Beach Volleyball immortals even after setbacks, splitting after Beijing, babies and marriages along the way. Walsh gave birth to two boys, Joseph 3 and Sundance 2, and she’s having the time of her life being a mother. But getting back into Olympic shape took some doing. She worked hard to lose the 50 pounds she gained during her pregnancy with push and motivation from her husband and teammate. Kerri’s mother was also a volleyball player so it must be in the genes.  Misty May-Treanor leaves London and the retires from the sport to start her own family. We’re sure that Kerri will pass mom tips to her fellow medalist.

[WATCH the video below as Demus discusses how her pregnancy impacted her career.]

Lashinda Demus, 400M Silver Medalist

 Lashinda Demus won the silver in the Women’s 400M Hurdles with a time of 52.77 seconds but her road to the medal stand was quite difficult. She was just .07 seconds away from gold but considering the circumstances, the fact that she was on the medal stand this year at all is a testament to the human will. Demus missed Beijing altogether after giving birth to twins. Her body and spirit were in no shape for competition. She and her husband welcomed her twins, but Demus had to battle with Postpartum Depression (PPD). PPD affects thousands of new mothers each year. The symptoms – irritability, crying, hopelessness, anger, etc – made it difficult for Demus to find energy to train. To top it off, she felt guilty for being depressed. After getting back on the track, she suffered a painful leg injury. But she battled back from both issues and made it over to London. One of the most endearing scenes of the games was the cheering from one of her twins. He said it best! “Go Mommy, Go!”