Last month when I went to my two week postpartum check up with my OBGYN, I asked when would it be ok to start running. The Dr. told me that it would be fine to start light exercise and whenever I felt up to running to "go for it". At two weeks postpartum my body still felt like it had been through a meat grinder. I was dealing with healing from a c-section and not getting much sleep. Running was still a figment of my imagination. But, as time went on I began to feel a little better each day.
Two weeks later I was ready to go for my first run. I ran two miles and I felt clumsy and awkward. My glutes, hamstrings, and calves were tingling. I was barley cranking out a 10:30 mile. My lungs burned and I thought "wow this is hard work". But, the endorphin high that I had missed for many months was back and I was over the moon happy. The next day was a rest day, and the day after that I ran another two miles on the treadmill. That first week back I was following a one day run, one day of rest schedule. I don't want to push myself too hard.
Two weeks later I am now up to four miles at a time. My pace is now in the high 9 minute range. I'm trying not to ask to much out of my body right now. I just have to remember that it will be a slow progression back to where I used to be.
I'm fitting in my workouts whenever I can. The baby is on a pretty good schedule. She's not sleeping through the night just yet. But, she's a pretty good sleeper. I can run first thing in the morning before my husband leaves for work, or when both kids are down for a nap. I go back to work in a little less than three weeks and I'm getting worried about where I will find time to run. I guess I will cross that bridge when I get there.
Here are some pictures of my little Rachel.
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| One week old |
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| Six weeks old. |
