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I don’t run to add days to my life, I run to add life to my days.
Ronald Rook
Before I joined the 8% that actually love to run and powerfully improved my life, I was part of the other 92% that either hate or tolerate it. Like many, I enjoyed resistance training more than cardio because it felt “easier.” I eventually stopped exercising altogether and my love of delicious foods took over. You can guess where that path led. But it isn’t just about what my weight was at the time. My body and mind were so drastically unhealthy that it could be seen physically in my face. When the time to change approached, it was running that helped me to cross the hurdle.
Finding the time to take care of yourself as a mama can be difficult. Between diaper changes, appointments, cooking meals, and cleaning, the days can feel daunting. But it is still extremely important to take care of yourself. Running is my self care. I include running among other tips in my 10 Easy Self Care Tips for Busy Moms. If you are looking for a fun way to add healthy movement to your day, read on to find my running tips for beginner runners.
How It Started
I began my health and fitness journey at the young age of 15. I would wake up at 4:30 every morning before school and lift weights. In the afternoons after school I would go for a jog. Nothing serious, just 1-2 miles at an easy pace. I wasn’t a pro by any means, but I looked like I wanted to.
As time went on, I was scheduled for more rigorous classes with hours of homework every day. I lost the time and motivation to be able to keep up with my exercise schedule. Slowly but surely, the weight crept on. Between a heavily processed diet, lack of exercise, and the stress of highly rigorous school work, I was in the worst shape of my life.
Becoming a Mother
After having my first baby at 19, I desperately wanted to get my health and fitness back in order. My new mama body was hard to accept at that age. I began counting calories through My Fitness Pal and doing at home workouts like Tae bo. I saw small results, but I wasn’t having fun during my workouts and it was hard to stay motivated.
While browsing my phone one morning, I discovered an incredible app called “Couch to 5K.” It seemed to take the difficulty out of the barrier to entry with running. It was a free virtual running coach and it was super easy to do. You start off with a minute of running and two minutes of walking, alternating. Gradually over 8 weeks, it will build you up to running a full 5K. You can check out a comprehensive guide here.
The Journey
Originally, I was just running through my neighborhood because the running time is shorter in the beginning. As the duration increased, I would get bored of circles and started to venture down the back roads of my suburban home. New sights made for more interesting runs. I always had my favorite music to keep me company. The more I went through the program, the more results that I could see. I lost the last of my baby weight. To be able to maintain the distance, I had to change up what I was eating. I began to make much healthier choices on my plate. This rolled into better bedtime decisions. I began to look and feel healthy.
The 8 weeks flew by and I was hooked on running. Thankfully, that same app also offers a 10K trainer edition. I dove headfirst into the longer distance. I was a strong 10K runner by the time I was pregnant with my second child. Running during pregnancy is what most likely caused my bounce back the second time around. I was able to maintain the healthy habits that I had initially established.
Going for the Distance
It wasn’t until I had my third child that I started to increase the distance even more. I have to admit that I didn’t run while pregnant with her like I wanted to, so it was important to definitely wait the full 12 weeks postpartum before running again. That time was spent strengthening my core and body with yoga along the way.
As soon as it hit the 12 week mark, I went for my first post baby run. It was the most wonderful feeling to get back into it, but I was disappointed to have lost my distance. I slowly built back up and eventually went for a half marathon through the same app. There is no bragging on my speed, but I completed it effortlessly.
As of now, I am 6 months postpartum with my fourth baby and I am still running. Again, I waited the full 12 weeks, but have been back at it ever since. I have lost all 50 pregnancy pounds and am feeling even better than ever. This is my ninth year being classified as a “runner” and I plan to stick to that term for the rest of my life. It’s been an incredibly transforming journey for my physical and mental health.
How Running Continues to Improve My Life
The title only mentions running improving my life, my it indirectly improves the lives of my family also. By directly affecting me, the benefits indirectly effect those around me.
Running makes me a better mama. Whenever I get that time to myself, it mentally brings me back to my center. It is meditative and restores my inner self. I naturally love peace and quiet, but I have four kids. That quiet “me” time is much needed, and I always return with a smile and excited to see my kids.
Running led me down the path towards a healthy and holistic lifestyle. It was the gateway to more knowledge about nutrition, mental health, and supplementation. This led to learning more about holistic ways of living like meditation, less toxins in the household, and even conscious parenting.
When choosing different routes, I have been able to find the most unique spots that could never have been found in a car. Driving is too fast to take it all in and a car is much too big to access some of the smaller trails. Walking takes too long, but running lets you cover more ground faster so you are able to see more in the same amount of time. Sunrise/sunset runs also offer a unique perspective. I have seen some of the most beautiful sunsets while out on a run, and I am able to actually take in all of the last rays of sun for the day.
Find Something You Love
By finding an activity that I love to do while also burning calories and staying active, it has shifted my mind and body to permanently being fit. My body stays strong and healthy to carry out my tasks throughout the day. I have the particular advantage of being able to satisfy my sweet tooth without very drastic changes in my weight.
I simply can’t think of any disadvantages that running has placed in my life. It has been a wonderfully fun and challenging hobby since day one.
Beginner Runner Tips
Make sure to start slow and easy. Running should be fun and smooth. Once you are more advanced and have already established a love for it, then you can start to tackle the heavy challenges. I find challenging my speed and distance quite fun now, but it is something that would have caused me to quit in the beginning.
The foods that you eat are what will fuel your running. Make sure you are eating high quality. There are too many fad diet recommendations out there, “eat this,” “don’t eat that,” but I have found just sticking to the highest quality that you can afford to be just fine. For me, this has varied from higher carbs to higher fats and proteins. Overall, just avoiding excess junk has provided plenty of fuel for the level of running I do.
Sleeping and being a mama to young children just don’t fit together in the same sentence. It is important to try and maximize as much rest as you can while training, however. There are so many important functions happening while you rest. Your body is repairing itself and growing stronger. Cells are relieved of their toxic waste and energy to them is restored. Mentally, your brain is resting and storing the information of the day. Sleep is essential for everyone, but is especially important for anyone participating in regular exercise.
Mental Fortitude
There’s so much information on the physical side of running, but there is much to be said of the mental drive that will carry you through in the hardest moments. It is best to set goals and to know why you are wanting to run. Weight loss, increased physical performance, and fun are a few of the reasons that I started and have maintained running these past 9 years. Whenever I am at a point of burnout during a run, remembering why I am there in the first place is helpful to carry me through.
My final and most important tip is to make sure you are hydrating throughout the day. Before, during, and after a run it is essential to drink enough water. If you are running longer distances, it may even be crucial to add certain hydration products to your water so that you are balancing electrolytes. When I lived in Georgia, I would drink coconut water before and after a run in the hot summers. I also wore a camelbak with a hydration bladder so that it was easy to carry and drink water along my route. Make sure to hydrate and keep your electrolytes in mind, it’s no fun to be thirsty or hit muscle fatigue early during a run.
In Conclusion
I am so thankful that I discovered running when I did. I don’t know if I would have ever found an “exercise” regimen that I actually enjoyed. 9 years ago, I was overweight, unhealthy, and definitely not headed down a good path. For the sake of my health and for my kids, I decided to take on the journey of a 5K and from that, I have made it all the way to a half marathon. My future does revolve around a marathon once my baby is older and I can train more seriously.
If you are trying to find that right form of exercise that gets you excited to workout every week, I definitely think you should give running a try. I especially recommend the “C25K” app because of its ease. It makes it not feel like a chore, but something fun to do. Transform your body and mind with running. I would love to hear about your journey with running. Are you a beginner or advanced runner? Are you interested in getting started? Did running improve your health? Let me know!
Best view i have ever seen !
Pictures can’t even capture it all! It was truly a magical experience.I’m so happy you enjoyed the pictures 🙂
[…] exercise after my first child was born as a means to lose weight and get healthier. As a result, it powerfully transformed my life and it became something I looked forward to doing. It still keeps me strong and healthy, and is my […]