It ain't over...

...It's just different.

It turns out that it is possible to race again after having a baby.  Phew.  It is also possible to return to pre-baby weight.  However, neither racing nor the body are quite the same as they once were...

It is no longer possible to be well rested for a race. 

Pre-race routines no longer focus on hydration, but rather dehydration - by hooking up to a breast pump before leaving the house or sitting in the back seat of a car forcing a feeding to keep baby (and mommy) content during the race.  

The first muscles to fatigue during a race are no longer the hamstrings or quads, but rather the pelvic floor muscles.  The first sign that these muscles have quit is often a trickle of warm fluid running down the inner thigh.  One of the (many) glamorous points of motherhood.

'Runs on the run' - enough said.  Shockingly, pushing out a baby does NOT help a GI system that is already sensitive to running.

Running is great for losing baby weight and getting back into race shape, but doesn't specifically address the stomach-formerly-known-as-abs.

Strengthening is still possible by doing lunges and squats while carrying a 'real-live weight'.  Babies love the up and down motion. One bicep also gets a lot of work carrying that same weight around all day.  It is important to make sure that arm always faces out for pictures :)

On the rare occasion that stretching is possible after a race/run, it usually involves getting into pigeon pose while spotting a (wobbly) sitting baby and simultaneously making 'fish face' in between versus of Wheels on the Bus.  If only this type of multitasking was helpful in races...


Days off are more of the norm rather than the exception.  With limited training time, it is important to make every run count - how hard can the body be pushed in 30 minutes?!?  Luckily, this type of training is great for 5ks and 10ks, and the days off limit the usual injuries sustained from running every run 'as fast as you can'.  However, there is no protection against the soreness brought on by carrying and lifting and spending so much time on the floor.

Cooling down consists of transferring heat to a baby - as he wants to eat as soon as the watch stops.  Apparently babies do not mind salty milk!

Previous training strategies and PRs should be thrown out the window when it is possible to be within striking distance of them in the first 5 months back to (limited) running.  What a slacker during all those pre-baby years!  Or maybe it is a reflection of an elevated pain threshold, and now more rigorous training no longer feels so hard?!?!