Running 6 Months Postpartum

I've been running with Carter for a long time!  Nine months in utero and now 6 months in the running stroller.  It's been a challenge at times and slow going at others, but it has been worth every moment!  I'm a bit late getting this posted since Carter's 7 month birthday was yesterday, but everything here reflects the first 6 months of running postpartum.

Before one of Carter's last races as a fetus, The Mustache Dash, at 30 weeks gestation.

Where I'm at 6 months postpartum:

• Running 4-5 days a week, most weeks 5 days
• Long run built up to 8 miles
• Weekly mileage ranges from 10-15 miles (usually it's around 12)
• Pushing the stroller plus Carter's 17.5 pounds and the 18 pounds of the car seat
• Longest run with the stroller: 8 miles
• Pace is still 9:00-9:30 per mile, but is faster without the stroller (8:30-9:00 sans stroller)

I'm still using the car seat adapter and leaving Carter in his car seat for runs.  Partly because I'm worried he'll bobble around too much just strapped into the stroller and partly because I love him facing me so I can watch him as we run.  I'm holding off until he can sit up on his own to strap him directly into the stroller.  That way I'll know he can support himself when we encounter bumpy terrain.  I strap him directly into the stroller when we walk, but he goes in the car seat when we run.

Such a sweet, little running buddy!

Goals for this month:

• Build my mileage up to 30 miles per week (this past week I hit 25, so that shouldn't be too much of a stretch).
• Get my long run up to 12 miles (I ran 10 miles without the stroller this past weekend and that got me even more excited for a fall half-marathon).
• Start running weekly tempo runs at 8:00 pace, my goal half-marathon pace (We'll see how far I can run at that pace, I may need to adjust that goal)

The most important part of my plan is to get up to 12 miles by August so I can spend August-November maintaining my long run distance and then start working on my speed.