Returning to Running after Baby: Update #1
Fridays are always awesome but Fridays before a long weekend are always better! Does anyone have fun plans for Labor Day? We still have practice on Monday morning but Lavinia, my mom and I will still manage to squeeze in plenty of fun this weekend! One of my friends is coming down to visit tomorrow and we have a full morning of walking, coffee, and baby shopping planned (she’s newly expecting!). Then Sunday we have a BBQ at Henri’s parents’ house with the whole fam bam. It’s going to be a fun two days.
Maybe we’ll even fit in a little swim time with Lavinia’s cousins!
I’ve been promising a running related post for quite awhile now and today I’m making good on that promise.
Before I had Lavinia I had no idea what it would be like returning to running after labor and delivery. I hoped that I wouldn’t have to take a full 6 weeks off but was willing to listen to my body and follow it’s cues if that’s what it needed. A little side note here: doctors generally recommend 4-6 weeks off from physical activity after having a baby but there isn’t much research or scientific backing behind this claim.
For the first few weeks after Lavinia’s arrival running didn’t even cross my mind. I was loving soaking up all the newborn snuggles and honestly I was so sore and tired there was no way I could have even run a few steps.
I mean how can you even THINK about giving up these snuggles for a run?
Two weeks postpartum Henri and I started taking family walks with the stroller. We went short and easy at first and slowly made each walk longer.
At about 3.5 weeks I was out for a walk with Lavinia by myself and was feeling great! I was on a flat, smooth surface and just had the urge to run. I was in flip-flops and a nursing tank top so it lasted all of 10 steps BUT it was exhilarating and felt so amazing to run again. That weekend I went out for a 1 mile run while Henri watched Lavinia and everything felt great.
I was especially glad about that because CBU practices started on August 15th (that Monday) and part of my job is running with the gals on the team. Of course, the head coach was understanding if I couldn’t right away but I was so excited to have a team of people to run with that I wanted to be ready to go day 1!
I decided to start back running every other day with a max of 4 days per week for a little while. I ran 3 days that first week, and 4 days the next when we were all up in Big Bear for XC camp with the team. I can’t wait to go back again next year to run on the gorgeous trails and paths when I’m in a better place fitness wise, every run was beautiful!
Everything was going great until my bleeding returned after running week #2. I took 3 days off in a row before I could talk to my midwife about it at my 6 week follow up appointment this past Tuesday. After she examined me and determined that everything is doing well and a little return of bleeding is normal (it could even be my period despite the fact that I’m breastfeeding… boo!) she gave me the all clear to keep running!
So that’s where I am now. Running fewer miles than I used to, on fewer days than before, at a much slower pace than before I was pregnant but LOVING it all nonetheless!
Just for fun… here’s what the past 3 weeks my “training” has looked like:
Week of 8/15
Monday – 3 miles @ 8:32 pace
Wednesday – 3 miles @ 8:48 pace
Friday – 3 miles @ 8:11 pace
Week of 8/22
Monday – 2.5 miles @ 8:55 pace
Wednesday – 3.5 miles @ 7:55 pace
Friday – 2 miles @ 7:21 pace
Saturday – 3.12 miles @ 8:04 pace
Week of 8/29
Monday & Tuesday – off so that I could get an answer to the bleeding from my midwife
Wednesday – 2.2 miles @ 9:01 pace
Thursday – 5.5 miles @ 7:55 pace
Friday – 2 miles @ 8:11 pace
I may or may not add one more run this weekend. I just got some fresh white sneaks that are really REALLY making me want to get out there for a few more miles this week!
