Why Training For 26.2 Is Like Having A New Baby
You nurse both training and children in a very similar fashion—kind of.
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Are you a mother runner who is wondering how she is going to commit to training for a marathon? Preparing for a marathon is much like having another newborn in the home. For about four months, the entire dynamic of what happens in your home changes while you nurse your newborn or train for your race.
Then…you’ve been focusing on what you feed your kids while you eat leftover sandwich crusts.
Now…you need to focus on nourishing your own body so that you can nurse your newborn or fuel your long run.
Then…you’ve been able to pick up and drive your kids everywhere.
Now…you must ask for help and designate some errands to others so that you can maintain the baby’s schedule or fit in your scheduled runs.
Then…you’ve been taking care of everybody else’s needs.
Now…you need to take care of your mind and body through yoga and cross-training so that you can have the endurance for sleepless nights with the baby or double-digit weekend runs.
Then…you’ve been able to enjoy a couple (or four) margaritas when you went out.
Now…you need to drink lots of water instead to hydrate your baby or your body for your long runs.
Then…you’ve been constantly on the go, never taking the time to lay down and rest.
Now…you need to rest when your baby does and allow your body and your muscles to recover.
Then…you’ve been enjoying book clubs and dinner with friends.
Now…your time is eaten up by nursing your baby or your training plan.
But you need to keep in mind, that although your family and personal routines will change, nursing a newborn and training for a marathon are both temporary life events with big rewards. As soon as they are over, you may say that you will never do it again…until the next year when you flip through pictures of your baby and your beaming race photos and only remember the highs and none of the pain.
If you loved this, check these out!
Don’t Judge A Runner By Her Baby Bump
What Going To The Gym Looks Like After Having Kids
Paria Hassouri is a mother, a runner, a pediatrician and a margarita enthusiast. She runs to maintain her sanity and chronicles her running journey on her own blog, Mom On The Runsanity.