The glorious return to running.
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| Getting it done. |
The first two weeks consisted of learning to get out the door despite the new responsibilities. Then came my first race. I ran a 5k that was low key and free! I ended up running the thing in roughly 27 minutes. That is not a pace I am proud of, but in light of the fact that I was still very much learning how to be a mom and recovering, I am not complaining.
After the race I finally started to feel a little more normal about pace and stamina. I did several 5 and 6 mile runs that tested my limits but also showed me that I still have it in me. I did speed intervals at the track that also confirmed that I can juggle all of this.
For the sake of being a first-timer, here are the challenges I faced in my return to running:
1. Having a quality run despite the 2-3 wake up sessions during the night.
2. Making sure I time my run just right so that a) I have just pumped milk or b) he is awake and wanting to nurse
3. Directly related to number 2 challenge is 3, learning to accept that nursing can make the need to buy a large sports bra a reality. BUST. no pun intended.
4. Not feeling guilty about having personal time away from Motorcycle
5. Scheduling running according to when Jason is not working
6. Learning to operate on less sleep and less energy
7. Easing into it and being okay with it
At my 6 week check up yesterday I got the official stamp of approval to be normal again. Though I had already returned to running 3 weeks previously, I will now resume swimming laps and ab work. How I love abs. I also stepped on a scale for the first time. Here are the stats...started the pregnancy at 133 lbs. end of pregnancy at 170 lbs. 6 week post-partum at 144 lbs.
For me, there was never an option to not return to running. You just do what you have to do to make it work. And sometimes that means wake at 4:30am with Motorcycle, nurse him, put him back to sleep, and get out the door to run all before 6:00am.
The neat thing about running is that you never regret it. I will forever come back from a run and feel that I made the day better because I ran.
The neat thing about all of this is that I have an extremely supportive husband. He never gripes about my need to get out the door. As a matter of fact, he presented me with a present for my return to running. My sister told me this is called a push present. A little reward for doing the pushing in the delivery room.
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| Thank you for the push present! |
Yee'go