Getting Started With Running: How I Nurse My Baby and Run

These are the first nine winners (out of 115) from my first half-marathon last month. See number 8???
Sorry -- I keep looking at this to be sure it happened, as life is crazy-busy, and it's a little surreal.
Random pic for this post. Ha!

A few women have expressed to me that they want to get back in their workout routine, whether it's running or something else, but that it's incredibly difficult to find the time to do it. A lot of the people in my social circle these days are young mommies, because I am too. After having a baby and adjusting physically to being pregnant and then not being pregnant -- and all of the recovery and adjustments from birth -- AND THEN adjusting to keeping a human being alive in a loving, growing environment are huge obstacles to personal fitness. I think it is normal and good to experience these seasons of change. We learn so much about ourselves and others and God that is more significant and certainly more eternal than being physically fit.

But when those adjustment seasons have passed, it can be difficult to break the mental barriers one must overcome to get back in her game. Working out has always been necessary to my mental/emotional wellness, and I learned that truth about myself as much in the times I did not exercise as the times I have. Since I am so sensitive to my body's physical fitness, it is a priority for me that I am drawn to like a magnet. I realize not everyone is like this. And that's okay.

We have two little boys. I nursed our 5-year-old until he was almost 35 months old, when our second was almost due. Our second will be 2 years old in ten days. (sniff, cry, sniff) I still nurse him. I still nurse him a lot. And I want to share how that works with my running because I am training pretty hard, and I am loving it. I am also enjoying breastfeeding. Don't get me wrong; I whine more than I should when I am exhausted... but I don't want either running or nursing to end any time soon.

BUDGET YOUR TIME AND ENERGY

Usually I am a stay-at-home mom, but I have been teaching full-time as a maternity substitute the past month and a half. I will be working this full-time position until Christmas break. Three more weeks to go! I think being a mom is really busy and difficult, no matter if you're working full-time away from your kids or working full-time with your kids. The challenges are different, and we all prefer some of those challenges to others, and maybe we feel called one way or another in different circumstances or seasons of life. The point is NOT if you work at home or not; the point is that if you *want/need* to make your fitness a priority, you CAN. Think of time and energy like money, though. You have a certain amount you can spend. so you have to use it wisely because we can't do all the things all the time, just like we can't buy all the things we want all the time. TIME AND ENERGY BUDGETING -- waaaaaaaaaaaay more difficult for me than budgeting finances.

The son I still breastfeed wakes up at least three times a night to eat. This works for our family. We did it with our first. I know I sound CRAZY. But it works for us. I feed him when he wakes every morning, at nap time (before and after -- but not before while I am teaching right now) and then when he goes to sleep at night... and those other times he wakes up in the night. I do just bring him in our bed so I can lay down and doze while he eats. Breastfeeding is one of the best experiences I've ever had. It has stripped me of sleep and comfort and dignity (in old ways)... but it has given me strength, ability, and dignity (in new ways). Some days I am amazed I can function on how little I sleep, especially compared to teenage me... but I feel great. I really think the constant alertness to someone other than myself keeps me in motion and helps me get back in motion when I'd otherwise convince myself I am incapable. Maybe all of parenting helps with this, yes? Not just the breastfeeding. Ha!

START WITH MOTION NOT SPEED

The first thing I tell people who are beginning runners is not to worry about how fast they're going. I advise people just to start moving, whether it's walking or biking or taking a class. Find a motion your body enjoys and do it at least three times a week for more than 30 minutes. The more you move, the better you'll get to know your body. And while you're moving and getting to know your body, you'll be preparing it for stronger and faster things. As you reach these milestones where you see the results and, more importantly, feel the results, you'll feel more comfortable setting goals for yourself. Before our first was born, I was running six miles at a time at least four times a week. I had built up to it after using the elliptical machine at our apartment complex's gym. It took a few months. I didn't feel rushed. I just moved because it felt much better than not moving. And I built on that movement.

After our first was born, I did not feel rushed to get back into running. I was recovering from an emergency c-section, and I was loving being a first-time mommy. I wore him in his carrier for nature walks at least four times a week, either around our neighborhood or the local trail. I used a Moby Wrap until he was 7 months old, and then an Ergo (which I have used SO MANY TIMES with both our boys for shopping and exercise. It is worth every penny). I got back into running about five months after he was born and built back to where I'd been pretty quickly. The runs were so helpful for my introverted mind. I was so exhausted from all the night-time feedings and all the other things in life. But I kept at it. Because moving felt better than not moving. Little by little, I felt stronger as a sleepless mommy zombie. About the time he turned two, I started training to run a half-marathon. I made it to my eleven-mile training mark... but I didn't make it to the half-marathon before getting pregnant with our second...

I wanted to run while pregnant with our second, but scary bleeding stopped me from doing that. I walked a little while pregnant, but I didn't stress about it. After he was born, I took both my boys on nature walks with me. I did wear them both a few times, one on the front and one on the back, but our older got too big for that really quick, so I'd push him in the stroller while I wore the little one. Conversations and peaceful silence on nature walks are really enriching educational and, more importantly, relational times. I stayed in motion, I definitely gained strength with all that extra weight I was pushing/carrying. I did that for about four months. Then I was ready to get back into running. At the time, I just wanted to jog for a certain amount of time, and then a certain amount of miles. And I just built on that over a few months. It was great alone time for this introverted mommy, and my husband had great play time with the boys after a day or a week at work.

It was about this time a year ago that I really wanted to up my running sessions throughout the weeks. My husband and I still communicate about it at the beginning of each week -- what afternoons will work best for him if I run for an hour... or if me getting up in the morning will be better. I plan out if getting up early on Saturday or running during the boys' nap time will be better for our family. Communicating and not being afraid to carve out time for work outs helps me a lot. My husband is very happy to help, and I am thankful for how appreciative and helpful he is. Again, he and the boys really enjoy that special time to "rough-house" or go somewhere together.

Almost eight months ago is when I really got the racing bug. I read about some amazing female runners who win races in faster times than I thought possible. I hadn't wondered about the possibilities before, and then when they were right in front of me... I came alive! I have shaved more than 10 minutes off my six-mile distance since them. I ran my first half-marathon six weeks ago (that's the one from the winners' chart above). I am running another half in February and my first full-marathon in April. I love pushing myself... at my own pace, while I read about other experienced athletes to help me realize what possibilities exist as I break negativity and insecurity in my mind.

I mentioned earlier that I am working full-time right now. I have been getting up very early (4 a.m.) to fit my runs in. If I wait until the evenings, I will be way too tired to do it. I know myself well enough after all these years to know I will regret NOT getting my exercise way more than waking up in a cold, dark morning. I do fall asleep as soon as my husband and I sit to chat after our boys are in bed... and I miss that time with him terribly.

I shared all of that, knowing that some of it will not work for some of you. Maybe none of it will work for you. But maybe it will help get you started to knowing what will work for you and your family. I want to encourage y'all, so please feel free to talk with me about it.

• Be patient with yourself while you get to know your body. 
• Be patient with yourself while you get to know your new body. 
• Don't compare yourself to me or anyone else.
• If someone says something ignorant that makes you doubt yourself as a mommy or a woman, remember they are ignorant about YOU! They don't see what you do all day or all the thoughts in your head and your heart. Sometimes the best intentions from others hurt our feelings the worst. Don't let those things overcome you.
• Don't be afraid to communicate with your husband about desiring that time for yourself. 
• Be brave to believe in your capabilities. You can do it too!

Happy fitness to you!