In April 2022 at 8 months pregnant, I told my family “I think I can run a half marathon next year.”
At the time I felt it was a realistic goal. My pregnancy had gone well. I ran up to 22 weeks, went on my indoor bike 2-3 times a week and was doing appropriate pregnancy strength workouts. Apart from slight hip pain (resolved by a physio), I believed I had done everything I could to ensure a smooth return to running after I had my baby.
Well, it didn’t work out as I had hoped. 2 years on, I’m slowly building up to running 5k. Looking back I was naive about what could happen during the labour and the impact this would have on me. Of course, every woman’s experience is different and some may be able to return to running within the first year. What I wasn’t expecting was a 2nd degree tear and the amount of time my pelvic floor would need to recover and then regain strength.
So, what have I learnt over the last 2 years:
Focus on what I could do instead of obsessing about not being able to run
Initially my exercise was walking and doing mobility and gentle core workouts. After a couple of months I was able to cycle indoors again and at 6 months post partum I was back cycling outdoors.
To be honest though I did find it hard at points, especially at the end of 2022 when I thought I would be running again. I missed the social side of running, its simplicity, and being able to clear my head. I had to keep reminding myself I needed to wait until my body was ready and strong enough to run again.
Importance of working with a women's health physio
It took a while to find the right women's health physio for me. I’ve been working with my current physio for almost a year now and the improvements to my pelvic floor strength have been considerable. Without her excellent knowledge and practical advice, I very much doubt I would be back running.
With hindsight, I wish I had seen a women's health physio when I was pregnant. They would have identified I was doing my pelvic floor contractions incorrectly (apparently it's very common!)
Strength, Strength, Strength
Strengthening my pelvic floor and the muscles surrounding it has been crucial. As a post natal PT I was aware of exercises which would help, but my physio provided additional exercises. I can lunge, squat and deadlift again which a year ago still felt uncomfortable.
I aim for 3 strength workouts a week, but given the demands of being a mum, usually one of these sessions is 10-15 minutes of core exercises in the evening after my daughter is in bed. When I haven't prioritised strength during a week, I do notice that my pelvic floor doesn't feel as strong.
Patience
At times being able to run again seemed a long way in the distance. I had to remember that everything I was doing in terms of pelvic floor contractions, using a pelvic toner, pilates classes and strength workouts was taking me closer to that goal. Not always my strength, but patience has been key!
My goal now is to run 5k by the end of April. So far I’m on track and have just done my first continuous run of 20 minutes since 2022. I’m not getting ahead of myself though and definitely don’t have any half marathon races on the cards!
Comments