Professional triathlete Meredith Kessler does not have any races on her calendar this summer. However, the 11-time IRONMAN Champion is preparing for her next big finish line — the birth of her second child.
In a new video with Master Spas, Kessler shares the news of her pregnancy and how she continues to train during this stage of life.
"I recognize the privilege of being pregnant, and we're so excited to be welcoming another boy into the family," says Kessler, who is expecting a baby boy in August with her husband Aaron. The couple also share 4-year-old son Mak.
Kessler had qualified for the IRONMAN World Championships and had planned to race in May in St. George, Utah. But the soaring temperatures and race conditions, she decided to pull out of the race.
However, with the support of her doctors, she continues to train as a triathlete.
"Pregnancy can be a tough journey for many individuals, for many women," Kessler says. "Swimming, biking, and running help me to cope with the physical effects of pregnancy, from the nausea to the low-back pain.'"
Kessler began training in an H2X Challenger 15D Swim Spa by Master Spas in May 2020, a time when many pools were closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She continues to use the swim spa for training, recovery and family time.
"I truly use the swim spa the same as I did pre-pregnancy. If I'm in the pool four days a week, I'm in the swim spa two times a week. If anything, I probably add another two times a week for a couple half-hour swims at night. We, of course, still go in as a family. It's summer time. After I do my swim, my family will join me and we'll hang out and talk about the day."
Now in her third trimester, Kessler continues to swim up to 35,000 yards a week. As she gets further along, she anticipates increasing her volume as swimming feels the best for her.
"I remember with Mak, I swam 8K the day I was induced because swimming just felt so good. My flip turns stopped at 39 weeks because my belly got in the way. I couldn't do it," Kessler says. "That's the beauty of the swim spa. Do you have to do a flip turn in it? No. So there's a good chance that I will do 10K the day this baby is due."
Master Spas values family and believes women should be able to balance personal and professional goals.
"Meredith is so much more than just an athlete — she is a wife, mom, sister, daughter. At Master Spas, we celebrate her," says Kevin Richards, Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Master Spas. "We value who Meredith is and what she brings to the sport of triathlon, whether she's racing at the world championships or staying healthy during pregnancy."
For more information about Master Spas, go to MasterSpas.com. Follow the manufacturer on social media at @masterspas.
Master Spas is based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, 90 miles northeast of Indianapolis. Operating out of a state-of-the-art, 614,000-square-foot manufacturing facility on a 45-acre manufacturing campus, Master Spas is the largest swim spa manufacturer in the world, and largest hot tub manufacturer that builds 100% of our spas in the USA. The company's executive team boasts more than 200 years of spa manufacturing success and one of the strongest track records in the industry. For more information, please visit: www.MasterSpas.com