5 Things I’d Do Differently If I Was Running My First Half as a Mom Again

If you’re training for or thinking about signing up for your first half marathon as post kiddo, these are 5 things I learned the hard way when I tried but didn’t make it to the start line of my first half marathon as a mom. This experience led me to dig deeper and figure out how to make running work as a mom and these 5 things will help you too.

Find a Plan that Works for You Now: The biggest mistake I made was trying to use the plan I followed before having kids and being frustrated with myself when I couldn't follow it. I can still remember trying to do the sweaty sports bra dance so I could  get back into a pumping bra after cramming a 5 mile run into 45 minutes all so I could check a box on my training calendar. My hips and calves constantly felt tight and the joy of getting out for a run was replaced with feeling like I had to do it. While I was able to do this for a few weeks, it wasn't sustainable and led to me feeling burnt out and giving up on doing the race. Once I found a way to train that actually worked with my schedule and met me at my current fitness level I was able to not train for that first half marathon but run and train consistently year after year. 

Get Strong: When you're signed up for a longer race, it can be tempting just to add more miles, especially when you’re pressed for time. Incorporating strength training into your running is key to minimize injury risk and build the strength you need for your legs to handle longer runs. If adding strength training feels intimidating, start simple with workouts you can do at home. If you want help getting started, check out this strength circuit created specifically for busy running moms (gym not required). 

Put Pace in It's Place: While speed work and faster running still has a place in training for longer races it needs to be used strategically as you increase your mileage for a longer race. Running harder puts more strain on your body and while this is great to get faster and stronger it does require more recovery time to adapt. Running too hard too often can be a sneaky contributor to pain and injury as it might look like you are following your plan but maybe you start to push a little extra on runs that were meant to be easy. 

Give Your Goals a Generous Timeline: It’s easy to over estimate what we can accomplish in a 12 week window but underestimate what we can do in a 12 month window. As we scroll through Instagram it can seem like everyone has a baby and then is immediately back to running PRs but often we don’t really know the whole story. Giving yourself a more generous timeline allows your body to take the time it needs to adapt to adding mileage. It also gives you a little more cushion to adjust training for a family vacation or makes having a week of training derailed by sick kiddos a little less stressful.  

Give yourself Grace: Your time is no longer just your own. Things will come up that are outside of your control. You will have kids who get sick and potentially share your germs with you during a training cycle. You might feel flat during a workout because your side of the bed was Grand Central Station the night before. These hiccups won’t break you or your training but letting them spiral into a whole week's worth of missed runs or feed into doubt of yourself in going after a big running goal can. Control what you can and do your best to adjust and get back on track when things outside your control disrupt your training. 

If you found these tips helpful, share this page with a fellow running mom. 

Keep getting out there and Run Yourself Resilient!

Katlyn