The Nursing Runner

Since becoming a runner (okay, maybe a little while--or long while later) in my late teens, I've simply considered myself a runner. Period. There were only two adjectives that I ever found necessary to include--"woman" and "slow." But within the last 16 months, I've had to add other adjectives like "pregnant", "sleep deprived," "mother" and "nursing" to describe the runner I am. And I've finally acknowledged the most important one to me yet--"dedicated." So that makes me a "dedicated-sleep-deprived-nursing-mother-slow-runner." (Yeah, I dropped "woman" because "mother" sums that up nicely.)

During my pregnancy, I ran, hiked and walked throughout. It was very important for me to continue my active lifestyle, both because of the obvious health benefits and because of how easy it is to CONTINUE a habit as opposed to picking it back up. And I was fortunate enough to be able to continue doing the things that I loved safely. I was the only woman I knew that ran during pregnancy and I had to deal with a lot of negative comments from people who thought I was abusing my unborn child. (There were some positive comments, too.) I documented my experience here as best I could so that anyone dealing with the same issues could find something with which to relate. And perhaps I documented my thoughts for myself, too.

So today, I'm here to give some more advice for any mother that may be wondering if they, too, can run while nursing. (Okay, not exactly WHILE nursing, as in "at the same time as." I've never actually tried to nurse my son at the same time as I ran. But you know what I mean.)

Most of the following tips will be common sense and will even be exactly the same as the tips you would expect to find for pregnant runners. But they are important, and worth repeating. And just as I was virtually all alone as I ran/walked/hobbled down the paths and trails of my pregnancy-hood, you can assume that I'm still very much alone on my journey as a nursing runner. So, I share my experiences so that you may be able to foster your own, should you find yourself nursing both a love for running and a lovely little person. And if you have anything to share, please do so!

1. Listen to your body.

As a runner, you're probably very good at listening to the cues that your body offers you. (Example: Wow, that cramp only comes on when I'm not well hydrated...) And if you're like me, you became hyper-aware of every bodily function and function of your body during pregnancy. Use everything you've learned and apply it well now. You probably have very different circumstances now than ever before--less sleep, post-pregnancy aches and pains, and time constraints and it's more important now that you truly pay attention to the needs of your body.

2. Fuel up and hydrate wisely. And sleep when you can.
Chances are, you probably make healthy choices about the food that you eat because you are nursing. And of course, you always sit down with a glass of water! But it's more important than ever to take care of yourself because, as much as you love them, our little nurslings are leeches. The better you take care of yourself, the better you will feel after your runs--which inevitably are immediately followed by a nursing session. These sessions can leave you feeling drained both literally and figuratively but if you are consistently providing your body with proper nutrition and hydration, you will feel much better.

3. Plan ahead and enlist a supportive helper.
Your breast pump will be your best buddy. Pump or nurse right before you leave, if possible. Full, heavy breasts are at the top of the list when it comes to running discomfort. If your partner or a friend or family member can watch your little one while you run, they may also allow you the benefit of coming home to a well-fed and well-cared for baby that doesn't need your immediate attention, freeing you to stretch and take a shower.

Note: until your supply balances out, the early runs will be challenging if you don't pump beforehand--especially if you are going for a long run. Again, may I stress the importance of the breast pump?

4. Be patient and optimistic.
All of those aches and pains that you felt during pregnancy are still going to be there but they will gradually improve, even as you continue to nurse. More than 8 months out, I still have discomfort during and after my runs in my pelvic area but the onset is much later than it used to be (Two months after having my LO, I started to feel the discomfort 2-3 miles into the run. Now, I don't notice it until 7-8 miles in.)

Both your ability to cover longer distances and your speed will improve over time--and honestly, not very much time. Don't be discouraged. Every run I've had since giving birth to my son, I reflect on how far I've come. I think about how awesome it is that I have a beautiful 8 month old and I'm actually able to run 15 miles or 13 miles or 2 miles. Count each improvement as a success, no matter how small it might be!

5. Set goals, challenge yourself and never underestimate your abilities.
Despite what you might find yourself feeling these days, you are incredibly special and incredibly important. And allowing yourself the freedom to do the things that you love, like running, is important necessary. Every new mother book says it--you can't properly take care of the important people in your life if you don't first take care of yourself. I'd edit it to make it more realistic for us moms out there--you can't properly take care of the important people in your life if you don't at some point, after the baby is fed and changed and hugged take care of yourself. You will be a better mother (and better in all of your roles) if you do something good for yourself. And if it helps, register for a race or two to keep your motivation level high.

Don't underestimate your power and strength. Of course, you aren't sleeping enough. And you'll be tempted (just as I am, sometimes) to talk yourself out of running because you are stretched so thin as it is and even a 3 mile run will wear you down so much that you'll suddenly become ill and everything will fall apart. Well guess what? That's hogwash! Go out and run, sleep-deprived or not. (Of course, see tip #1 above.) The mental, emotional and physical benefits that you'll receive during that run will more than likely be just what you need to feel refreshed, strong and healthy. Sleep will come later...much, much later.

We really can have the things that we most want for ourselves. It just takes a little planning and dedication, along with some support from those that love you. Do take care of yourself during this special time but don't overthink it. Just be a great nursing runner!

Challenging Myself to Become Stronger

Since my pregnancy, I've had to come to terms with the changes my body has undergone. But contrary to what you may be thinking, it's not my weight that is my biggest concern. No, as a runner, I have more important things to consider. Loose pelvic ligaments and a weak core are my biggest threats right now and these are things that I'm working hard on improving--not just for my running health, but also for my general well-being.

I've been doing core workouts pretty religiously and have seen some relatively fast improvements, but unfortunately, I'm still not in the shape I was pre-pregnancy. I also began the 100 Push Ups Program again and look forward to reaping the benefits from that. Earlier this week, I found something that piqued my interest. Okay, I didn't find it, per se, another runner shared it with the community at Run the Ville. Anyhow, I'm referring to the 100 Up, 30 Day Challenge. This is a challenge to do the exercise for 30 days in an effort to discover if there is any impact on your running form. At first, I wrote it off as pointless but then I actually started paying attention. One big thing happened to change my mind and helped me decide to actually participate in the challenge--I practiced the exercise as I saw it on the video. After doing it, I FELT it. In my mind, even if it didn't impact my running form at all, the exercise itself was going to help me strengthen my core and hip flexors. Actually, I'm a little afraid of doing the challenge because I have a feeling I'll be quite sore...but a little soreness never stopped me!

The challenge begins on Friday, November 11, 2011--join me! I plan on doing my 100 Ups just before a run as a sort of warmup, or on my scheduled days off, whenever the baby says I can! I'll keep you posted about how it goes for me!

Oh, and just to be safe, here's a link to some common hip flexor stretches and the pigeon pose--this is where I'm feeling tight after doing just a few practice "Up" exercises!

Keeping Moving!

It's been quite a (hot) summer for me so far and the bigger I get, the more difficult it is to run! Fortunately, my last day of work was Friday so I've been working out first thing in the morning! With temperatures in the high 60's to 70's and high humidity, it's still a little uncomfortable but bearable and just what I need to continue to get out and do this for me and Baby!

Today, I took my Chassis, my dog, for a hike at Bernheim Forest to celebrate her birthday! She loves trails (like me!) and we had a blast! Nowadays, a simple hike can leave me feeling pretty sore and lately, running has been a chore. I do what I can, when I can. And more importantly, I try not to feel guilty. After all, as good as exercise is for me, listening to my body and doing only as much as I can is even better for me--and for him! :)

So for now, the goal is lots of long walks and run/walks--just to stay strong and have endurance for the big day...and it's approaching! 41 days and counting!

Happy Waddling, everyone!!

Update!

I'm still running! I get out anytime I feel good enough to do so, and now, if a mile sounds like the most I can manage, I do a mile and I don't feel guilty about it! Most of my runs, however, are in the 2-4 mile range.

On Thursday, DH and I went to Swag's (my favorite LRS) and visited the Brooks Run Happy Tour. The Arcade of Oddities was twisted and fun, featuring concept shoes like my favorite, the running dress shoe!

This morning's run was in the rain and it was a feel-good run! I'm not feeling too uncomfortable as far as bouncing or stability is concerned, but I do get round ligament pain around halfway into the run. It's manageable but uncomfortable. The good thing is that it does go away relatively quickly after I stretch out and rest.

My pregnant running goal is still to keep this thing going as long as possible. I'm running conservatively to make sure that I CAN continue. I sure hope the Little Boy enjoys it! :)

Polar Bear Grand Prix Recap

Today was last leg of the Polar Bear Grand Prix racing series--the Snowman Shuffle 4 Miler. Prior to that, there was the Reindeer Romp 4K (which had to be rescheduled twice due to weather conditions) and the Frostbite 5K. These are always a fun series of short distance races, and they always help keep me motivated through the coldest months to keep running!

As a reminder, I wasn't aware that I was pregnant when I registered for the series, but I couldn't have asked for a better racing series to have signed up for--the distances have been quite manageable for me during the early part of my pregnancy. I cringe when I think that I could have registered for the Triple Crown and/or the KDF Mini-Marathon without knowing I was pregnant! Luckily, I was in the perfect running shape prior to becoming pregnant to complete the Polar Bear Grand Prix!

Each of the three races were very similar in our execution--my wonderful Husband ran all three with me to keep me company and keep my speed in check, though I did have my HR monitor during all three races. The series is a lot of fun and to add to the enjoyment, I will be able to tell our child that it ran and won at least the last two races--my belly popped quite a bit for those and we're assuming the baby crossed the finish line first!

Though these are absolutely nothing to brag about, here are my very slow and pregnant finish times, with average pace included in parentheses:

Frostbite 5K - 42:51 (14:17/mile)

Reindeer Romp 4K - 33:59 (13:40/mile)

Snowman Shuffle 4 Miler - 53:55 (13:28/mile)

As you can see, I did set some PR's--PR's for slowest race times!

On a positive note, though, there are two good things to come out of those races. First, I got out there and did something healthy and fun for me, Hubby and baby and second, if you look at my average pace for each race, I got progressively faster. That means I'm learning how to be a better pregnant runner, huh?

Happy Running everyone!

First Trail Run as a Prego!

Since being pregnant, running has become a totally different sport for me. No more care and concern for times, no competitive racing, no worries about increasing distance. This more laid back approach, which is what my body is telling me it needs right now (and also what the doctor ordered), has been difficult to get used to. Quite frankly, it's been a little boring. But I keep getting out there because I know how important this is to me and my growing baby.

To switch things up, though, I decided to go for a trail run today. This is the first time I've hit the trails since being pregnant--I was honestly a little apprehensive about hitting the trails because of the uneven footing and hilly terrain on some of my favorite trails. I figured, though, that I needed a change of scenery, literally and figuratively.

I ended up at Jefferson Memorial Forest, which is one of my favorite places to trail run. There are trails of varying distances and terrain which really make it more exciting. And with the opening of the semi-new Yost Ridge Trail, they really opened up the possibilities for increased distance and adventure, if you desire. And that's where I started. The trail begins with a gradual incline that doesn't let up for several hundred feet or more--it's always a good place to warmup before your workout. About 1 mile in (I may be off on the distance a little) there's a fork in the trail where you can either go left to the Paul Yost area of the Forest or right toward the Horine reservation area. However, each of the times I've been on this trail in the past, the trail to Yost was not complete and therefore not open. This morning it was! So I excitedly ran the trail to the Yost area and met a huge friend--a beastly Pyrenees! She was very interested in me and decided that I needed a running buddy. She stayed with me for about 2 miles, even as I ran over to the Mitchell Hill Lake trail at the Horine side. She made me feel very guilty for not bringing my own dog out, but I was also grateful that I had not because I don't know how these two would have gotten along!

All in all, I had a great, safe and fun run. But trail running is SO MUCH harder now. Talk about having to take walking breaks--and lots of them--to keep my heart rate in the appropriate range. But it was definitely worth it. It was just great to get out and get into something different--I bet the LO was bouncing around a lot and probably wonders WTF I was doing!

Happy Running, folks!