• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Fitness Fatale

Fitness Fatale

Conquering Fitness Goals One at a Time

  • About
    • Press
  • Blog
    • Archives
    • Workout Program Options
      • 21 Day Fix Resources
      • P90X Resources
    • PRs & Race Reports
    • Pregnancy
      • Twin Pregnancy
    • Recipes
  • Coach Business Mentorship For Runners
  • Beachbody Accountability Groups For Runners
  • Show Search
Hide Search

How I Knew I Was Ready to Run a Marathon After Becoming a Mom

Before becoming a mom, I trained for 1-2 marathons per year. I did multiple shorter distance running races per year. Once I became a mom almost 7 years ago, it got more complicated to train for marathons. Now training for a marathon was a family decision.

My First Marathon 13 Months Postpartum – New York City Marathon 2016

Running the New York City Marathon in 2016, 13 months postpartum

Because I was so used to running marathons every year before getting pregnant, I didn’t think too much of it when I put my name in for the 2016 New York Marathon lottery. I honestly didn’t think would I get in, but I did! Getting a spot in this coveted marathon meant that I had to take it and that meant I was training for a marathon when my baby wasn’t even a year old yet.

I assumed my training would not be the same as it had been when I hit my PR at California International Marathon right before getting pregnant with my first baby. What I didn’t realize was how different it would look.

How Marathon Training Was Different With My First Baby

Stroller runs with Baby Siena!
  1. I trained a lot on the treadmill & with the stroller. We got a used treadmill on Craig’s List and I did a lot of runs on it while Siena napped.
  2. I got in the bare minimum mileage. I didn’t follow any type of advanced plan. I just tried to get in 3-4 runs/week. I did speed workouts once per week on the treadmill and met up with friends for long runs on Saturdays.
  3. I did more strength training. This is when I really got into Beachbody workouts and became a coach. I did a lot of 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme workouts that year!

In the end, the New York City Marathon sadly ended up being one of my most painful, difficult marathons and my slowest (read my NYC Marathon race recap here)! In retrospect, I went out too fast and really hit the wall early on. This is because I was comparing my paces from my PR marathon that I set right before having my baby to what I thought I could do now. I thought maybe my pace would only need to be 30-45 sec/mile slower when in reality I should have not focused on pace at all and just gone out nice and easy. I remember thinking “I will never run another marathon” during the race. Well… spoiler alert, I did run more marathons!

How Soon After Having a Baby Can I Run a Marathon?

The decision of when to run a marathon after having a baby is VERY specific to you and your running background. That decision would be based on many factors including:

  • How much you ran before & during pregnancy.
  • How your labor/delivery went.
  • How your postpartum recovery is going.
  • Your pelvic floor health.
  • Considerations with breastfeeding (long runs take you away from the baby/pump for quite a long time. Some women can and are willing to work around this and others aren’t).
  • Family support.
  • If you WANT to run a marathon.

I highly recommend seeing a pelvic floor specialist after you give birth before getting back to higher mileage running.

Deciding to Run a Marathon After Having my Twins

When I had my twins, training for a marathon got even more complicated. Now I had 3 kids to juggle and my husband was not so excited about me leaving for multiple hours on Saturday mornings to run. When it was just Siena, the two of them would go on adventures together on Saturday mornings while I ran. But now, he was home with 3 kids under 3. It was tough to leave. 

It wasn’t until 2020 that I felt ready to tackle 26.2 again and we all know how that ended up.

In 2021, I thought it was motivated to train for a full marathon again. But in the end, my heart just wasn’t in it. After going to Costa Rica for a full month, really investing into my coaching business to make a push for top 10 team, and really, really, really enjoying traveling & going to parties again, training for a marathon was now how I wanted to spend my time.

Ultimately it just wasn’t a priority. And training for a marathon MUST be a priority. I had signed up for CIM (which is held in December) in the spring during a moment of FOMO, and ultimately made the decision NOT to run the marathon. It felt like a relief when I made the decision and I knew it was the right one. 

Making the decision to train for a half or full marathon is a big one. As a parent, that decision includes your entire family as well. We have limited resources, time, energy and when you sign up for a race, it means that you will be taking from other areas. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing – EVERYTHING we do in life takes from other areas – but it MUST be important enough to make that sacrifice.

My Goals for Revel Big Bear – Racing My First Marathon After Twins

I trained for my marathon on our summer vacation! Mike took the kids the to park.

This year, it felt right to train for a marathon. My twins are now 4 years old and my oldest is nearly 7!

But my kids’ ages actually don’t have a lot to do with it: it’s my mindset.

I am 11 weeks out from running the Revel Big Bear Marathon on November 13 and I’m loving training. It feels right to train for a marathon right now. 

While it IS time consuming, and tiring and I’m gone for hours on Saturday morning, I am really enjoying it. My kids are at an age where my husband takes them to the park or can get stuff done around the house on Saturday morning while I’m running. 

I’m finding myself obsessed with listening to running podcasts & consuming information on running in a way that I haven’t in years. And while yes, that BQ is still in the back of my mind – I’m truly focusing on the training week I’m in. My main goal for the race is to finish the strongest and fastest I can with what my training and the day gives me. (In the past, I measured my success in a marathon based on a time goal I set).

Thanks for reading more of my marathon story. I encourage you to listen to your heart when making the decision to run a marathon after having a baby or becoming a mom. If signing up for a race (whether it’s a 5k or a marathon!) is something that excites you and you feel like is right for your life phase, then DO IT! If it’s not calling you right now, then that’s ok too.

VIDEO: Are you ready to train for a marathon?

Watch this video for some things you may want to take into account if you are considering training for marathon, whether you just had a baby or not!

If you want weekly mindset, running & strength training tips delivered to your inbox be sure to get on my email list! When you subscribe you also get 3 free strength training workouts for runners and my top 3 strength training tips for runners!

Subscribe to my weekly newsletter here.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

August 25, 2022 By fitnessfatale

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Primary Sidebar

Let’s Get Stronger, Healthier & Faster Together!

I am specialize in working with runners to help them incorporate strength training & nutrition into their running routines.

I am passionate about mindset and love to help people find more joy and success in their running by breaking through mental barriers.

While weight loss is a result of our programs, women in my groups often find that they are running faster, are less injury prone, and have more energy and confidence!

I am the founder of Team Run the World, a group of BODi coaches who love running! I provide mentorship, support and training for women who want to start their own coaching business from home and work flexible hours.

I would love to help support you in reaching your goals!

Archives

  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011

Footer

Copyright © 2023 · Fitness Fatale

 

Loading Comments...