Post Partum Running: Weeks 1 Through 8
Eight weeks have flown by! Here's what I've been doing to get back in racing shape.
Week One
- BABY DAY!!! Little J was born at 11:49am
- Rest
- Rest
- Rest
- Walked 1 mile with the dog
- Walked 2 miles with the dog
- Physical therapy assessment at the women's health and sports medicine clinic
Week Two
- Spent the day moving. Yes, you read that correctly.
- Rest
- Rest
- 2 miles with three one-minute jog intervals to kind of kick the tires
- Rest
- Walked 5 miles with the single stroller
- Walked 3 miles with the double stroller
Week Three
- Rest
- Hiked 3 miles with the baby in the carrier
- Walked to the track (about a mile round trip) and ran 1 mile! Core and hip routine
- Hip routine
- Hiked 4 miles with the baby in the carrier
- Walked to and from the track, ran 1.25 miles
- Walked 2.2 miles with the dog on a leash and the baby in the carrier (mistake!)
Week Four
- Ran 2 miles! Real running!
- Hiked 4.5 miles with the baby in the carrier
- Ab routine
- Ran 2 miles pushing a heavy-ass, non-jogging infant stroller. Gross.
- Rest
- Walked 1.5 miles with the stroller, parked it, and ran 2 miles on the track
- Walked 3 miles with the baby in the carrier
Week Five
- Ran 3 miles, ab routine
- Walked a little bit, no idea how far
- Walked about 3 miles, ab routine
- Rest
- Ran 4 miles @ 10:27 pace (started looking at the pace metric on my watch/Strava again this week)
- Hiked 5 miles on trails with the baby in the carrier
- Rest
Week Six
- Ab routine
- 3.5 miles on the track, no watch
- Rest (small road trip with the baby)
- 4 miles @ 9:50 pace
- Rest
- 4 miles @ 10:35 on the track
- Walked 3.5 miles with the baby in the carrier
Week Seven
- 4 miles @ 10:05 (including a walk to the track and some laps)
- 3 miles @ 9:xx on roads
- Rest
- 4 miles @ 10:30
- 3 miles @ 9:46
- Walked 2 miles with the dog on a leash and the baby in the carrier (still a mistake!)
- 4 miles @ 11:05 average, some with the heavy non-jogging stroller, and some around the track
Week Eight
- Rest
- 3 miles @ 9:30, some trails
- 6 miles @ 10:35...I had a sitter for half the day and IT WAS GLORIOUS!
- Rest
- 3 miles @ 10:03
- Rest
- 4 miles @ 10:20 and the single stroller! We were able to debut the single jogging stroller with the semi-reclined bassinet attachment, since baby J has good head control and is 25" long now! So exciting!
So, that's about it. I'm almost 10 weeks post partum now, and running progress is slow and steady. I'm very excited to be able to use the single stroller without the heavy infant seat, even though it definitely slows me down considerably and makes me sore. Also, baby J has been sleeping some longer stretches (!) and I've even been able to do an early morning feeding around 5am, then slip out and run for 40 to 60 minutes while everyone is still sleeping. It is an absolutely life-affirming and incredible experience to have some time to myself and watch the sun rise over the side of the mountain.
I'm still struggling a bit with the ab separation and some weakness in my core and glutes. I've added some weights workouts to try to help with this. We live in a very remote and rural area now, so I don't have access to physical therapy, massage, chiropractic care, yoga, Pilates, or a gym with childcare...all things I took for granted in Birmingham. I'm making the best of it. Baby J also has been diagnosed with a minor but chronic health condition that means I am on a special diet while breastfeeding him. It's limiting my dietary choices somewhat, and affecting the variety and quality of the foods I'm able to eat. This is causing some problems with my efforts to lose the last bit of weight I gained during pregnancy. I'm trying not to worry about it, but I know that being heavier is slowing me down a bit and possibly causing some knee and lower leg soreness. Things will get better.
That's all for now. I'm planning to do weekly updates on Mondays from now on, just like old times ;) Life is extremely busy, but I'm hopeful I can make it happen!
Have a great week!
 |
| TFW you're not pregnant anymore |
Week One
- BABY DAY!!! Little J was born at 11:49am
- Rest
- Rest
- Rest
- Walked 1 mile with the dog
- Walked 2 miles with the dog
- Physical therapy assessment at the women's health and sports medicine clinic
Week Two
- Spent the day moving. Yes, you read that correctly.
- Rest
- Rest
- 2 miles with three one-minute jog intervals to kind of kick the tires
- Rest
- Walked 5 miles with the single stroller
- Walked 3 miles with the double stroller
Week Three
- Rest
- Hiked 3 miles with the baby in the carrier
- Walked to the track (about a mile round trip) and ran 1 mile! Core and hip routine
- Hip routine
- Hiked 4 miles with the baby in the carrier
- Walked to and from the track, ran 1.25 miles
- Walked 2.2 miles with the dog on a leash and the baby in the carrier (mistake!)
Week Four
- Ran 2 miles! Real running!
- Hiked 4.5 miles with the baby in the carrier
- Ab routine
- Ran 2 miles pushing a heavy-ass, non-jogging infant stroller. Gross.
- Rest
- Walked 1.5 miles with the stroller, parked it, and ran 2 miles on the track
- Walked 3 miles with the baby in the carrier
Week Five
- Ran 3 miles, ab routine
- Walked a little bit, no idea how far
- Walked about 3 miles, ab routine
- Rest
- Ran 4 miles @ 10:27 pace (started looking at the pace metric on my watch/Strava again this week)
- Hiked 5 miles on trails with the baby in the carrier
- Rest
Week Six
- Ab routine
- 3.5 miles on the track, no watch
- Rest (small road trip with the baby)
- 4 miles @ 9:50 pace
- Rest
- 4 miles @ 10:35 on the track
- Walked 3.5 miles with the baby in the carrier
Week Seven
- 4 miles @ 10:05 (including a walk to the track and some laps)
- 3 miles @ 9:xx on roads
- Rest
- 4 miles @ 10:30
- 3 miles @ 9:46
- Walked 2 miles with the dog on a leash and the baby in the carrier (still a mistake!)
- 4 miles @ 11:05 average, some with the heavy non-jogging stroller, and some around the track
Week Eight
- Rest
- 3 miles @ 9:30, some trails
- 6 miles @ 10:35...I had a sitter for half the day and IT WAS GLORIOUS!
- Rest
- 3 miles @ 10:03
- Rest
- 4 miles @ 10:20 and the single stroller! We were able to debut the single jogging stroller with the semi-reclined bassinet attachment, since baby J has good head control and is 25" long now! So exciting!
So, that's about it. I'm almost 10 weeks post partum now, and running progress is slow and steady. I'm very excited to be able to use the single stroller without the heavy infant seat, even though it definitely slows me down considerably and makes me sore. Also, baby J has been sleeping some longer stretches (!) and I've even been able to do an early morning feeding around 5am, then slip out and run for 40 to 60 minutes while everyone is still sleeping. It is an absolutely life-affirming and incredible experience to have some time to myself and watch the sun rise over the side of the mountain.
I'm still struggling a bit with the ab separation and some weakness in my core and glutes. I've added some weights workouts to try to help with this. We live in a very remote and rural area now, so I don't have access to physical therapy, massage, chiropractic care, yoga, Pilates, or a gym with childcare...all things I took for granted in Birmingham. I'm making the best of it. Baby J also has been diagnosed with a minor but chronic health condition that means I am on a special diet while breastfeeding him. It's limiting my dietary choices somewhat, and affecting the variety and quality of the foods I'm able to eat. This is causing some problems with my efforts to lose the last bit of weight I gained during pregnancy. I'm trying not to worry about it, but I know that being heavier is slowing me down a bit and possibly causing some knee and lower leg soreness. Things will get better.
That's all for now. I'm planning to do weekly updates on Mondays from now on, just like old times ;) Life is extremely busy, but I'm hopeful I can make it happen!
Have a great week!
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