I am a runner. I also am a mom to three kids, three and under.
I am a #MotherRunner.
I ran my first half marathon 8 months postpartum with my second child. Now that my youngest is 5 months old, I am at it again.
My fitness journey began six years ago when I got a crazy idea to be a personal trainer. Using MyCAA scholarships, I was able to make that career switch and fell in love with fitness. While teaching me to use the equipment at the gym, a dear friend challenged me to run a half marathon someday. I laughed it off as impossible, but the idea began to percolate.
A few years later when I was pregnant with my second child, my sister-in-law asked if I would run a half-marathon with her … at 8 months postpartum. I wanted to laugh it off, but there was something enticing — enchanting almost about that idea. Logistically I couldn’t run the same race, but I took that challenge upon myself and decided I would start running after I had my baby, for the first time ever.
I had never run a mile without stopping, let alone a whole race (of any distance), but I was going to run a half marathon.
And I did it!
On April 30, 2017, I ran the Oklahoma City Memorial Half Marathon in just under 2 hours and 40 minutes (you can read more about that here). And the instant I crossed the finish line, I knew I wanted to do it again. I had caught the running bug.
Here I go again … slowly …
With my next race right around the corner (anyone else running the 2019 Disney Princess Half Marathon in Orlando??), I need to start training. But I have a 3-year-old, 2-year-old and 5-month-old who need to be fed and kept from killing each other off Hunger-Games-style. And I need to follow-through with my commitments and keep the laundry lower than our ceilings.
Oh, and I guess I should also sleep. And after forcibly giving up any semblance of running at 30 weeks pregnant (which was many many months ago), I’ve forgotten how much I love running, and why it’s so important to me. But I am fully aware of just how lovely sleep is and can still kind of remember what it’s like to catch a few Zzz’s.
But I committed and publicly proclaimed to all social media that race day is February 24th. Not to mention I already paid WAAAAY too much on a race fee. So, I am running this race.
But I feel like I am letting my excuses run me.
I live in Florida where it is still SO HOT, and I don’t want to run with a wet, hot, blow dryer in my face. I have three small kids, a double stroller, and a husband who works ever-changing hours, none of which sound like a good combination. I don’t like nursing when I’m dripping with sweat, and it’s near impossible to time a run around feeds when I nurse on demand. Not to mention the physical complications I had post-delivery and only running on my “good days.”
So far these excuses have encouraged my “Meh, I’ll do it later” mentality. Which is ridiculous because I’m allowing myself to settle for something less than I know I want and need.
Have you ever wanted and needed something so much but struggled immensely at just taking the first few steps to achieve it? That’s where I am. And as a personal trainer I feel a bit ashamed to admit that.
My whole career has been built around helping people like me, so why can’t I help myself??
But with the internet as my witness, I WILL start my official training regimen this week.
So, here I am, starting at square one, both physically and mentally, and making SMART-Y goals to set myself up for success.
My goals need to be…
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-Bound
And make me shout “Yippee!” Because if I’m not excited about my goals, I will have no motivation to see them through.
As I move forward in changing my mentality and not taking my NOs for an answer, I will need accountability and encouragement, too.
You can follow along on my journey by following me on Instagram (@mrs.amielou) or following #postpartumtohalfmarathon (at the time of writing this, I am the only one in the history of Instagram to use that hashtag!).
