The Life of a Running Momma: Running 12 Months Postpartum

I wrote this post a little after Elise's birthday and never published it. So here's what running was like a year after Elise's birth:

I wrote a running update at 10 months postpartum with Carter. I haven't updated what running has been like after Elise's birth since 6 months postpartum. I've talked about running a lot and have written race recaps, but haven't talked much about what training has been like or what has been different with my body. I'd like to share where I'm at a year after Elise's birth. I feel like at this point I'm back to my old running form. I'm still nursing Elise but only in the morning and at bedtime. We have more or less dropped the midday feeding. I started giving her a sippy of milk at lunch right around her birthday and she's only wanted to nurse once since then, so I consider that nursing session to be dropped. My body feels back to normal with the addition of a bit of a jiggly belly. It takes time to get my stomach back and I just haven't put the effort in. I'm back down to my pre-pregnancy weight and have been for a while. I fluctuate every now and then, especially during times where lots of sweets are available, as in holidays and birthdays.

Most runs are with the double stroller and the dog. Ty has been great about making sure I'm able to get 1-2 hard workouts in per week without the kids.

My training has been going really well. I've only been averaging around 20 miles per week with weeks anywhere from the 17-23 mile range. I've been extremely pleased with the times I've been able to run in races with such a small weekly mileage load. My runs consist of 2 hard runs a week, typically a speed workout and a tempo run. My speed work started out with just quarter mile repeats. Then I started adding in half mile repeats. I got to where my speed workout was 4x0.25, 4x0.5, and 4x0.25 repeats with 0.1 jog between each repeat. To get some lengthier repeats in for my 10k, I added in three-quarter mile repeats or 0.75 mile repeats. So my longest speed workout lately has been 2x0.25 repeats, 2x0.5 repeats, 2x0.75 repeats, 2x0.5, and ending with 2-3x0.25. I built my tempo run up to 6 miles before the Sweetheart Run 10k and after that stuck with mostly speedwork to prepare for the Get Busy Livin 5k with just one tempo run 5k thrown in the mix to see where I was at. The rest of my runs are easy runs and are usually only 3 miles. Occasionally I run a bit further if the kids are being good in the stroller and we aren't pressed on time, needing to get home to get ready to leave for a playdate in the morning or to make dinner in the evening. Carter has gotten to where he puts up a bit of a fuss when we leave to go run but once he's in the stroller he is content and doesn't fuss at all unless I stop for Harper to poop or something and then he wants out to walk. Elise is typically a happy little girl in the stroller unless it is close to dinner time and then she's hangry and cries so Carter sings to her until we are done.

At this point my fastest post-Elise 5k is a 20:29 from the Race Into the New Year 5k, a 42:30 10k from the Aquarium Run 10k, and a 1:35:43 half marathon from the Route 66 Half Marathon. I know if I built my mileage up to 30-40 mile weeks I could really chip away at those times but for now I'm pleased with where I am. It's hard to get the kids out after naps and our mornings are so busy with playdates and outings that we often times can't get out for a run in the morning. I've gotten up and headed out for runs before Ty needs to leave for work, but it has been hard with it being really cold and dark that early. He's been leaving for work anywhere from 6-6:30 in the morning which means I need to be finished with my run by then if I want to get out in the morning. I think that will be more doable now that Elise is back to sleeping through the night and even more doable once summer hits and it gets light out earlier as well as gets blazing hot during the day! Right now I'm content with running my 20 mile weeks and staying where I am pace-wise for races. When I start getting the urge to run faster and drop my times, I'll start adding in more weekly mileage. My goal for now is to slowly shorten my easy recovery days between hard workouts. I typically leave 2 easy days between hard runs and would like to shorten that to one day between hard runs so I can add in a 3rd hard run, either a long run or a tempo with 2 speed workouts. That will most likely occur this summer as my goal race for this season is the Get Busy Livin 5k on April 30th and I'll take a couple of easy weeks of running after that to give my body a break before gearing back up for summer and fall race training.