My name is Georgie and I am a mum to two boys. For the last nine months, I have been charting my postpartum journey back to running – culminating in running the London Landmarks half marathon in April 2023. I have been supported by two experts in women’s running – running coach Edwina Sutton (edwinasutton.com) and physiotherapist Emma Brockwell (physiomum.co.uk), who provides Running MOTs for mums looking to return to running. Both have ensured I progressively my running safely and sensibly.
Hopefully, through this blog – and through their expert advice – you can learn about what is involved in a return to running postpartum, and how to do so safely, including how to address the changes that occur in the body during pregnancy and childbirth – and the support that might be required. And hopefully you'll find my journey inspiring in realising what is possible. Spoiler alert: if you scroll to week 48, you'll discover that this journey culminated in me running my fastest half marathon yet!
Hiking Boots LANETTI VS21M2019-3 Chocolate Brown | A bit about me
In my pre-children running career, I would have described myself as a fun runner who could be found regularly at parkrun, Animal Yellow Snow Boots marathons over the years. After the birth of my first son, I got back in to running 10K distances and was feeling good but stopped three months into my second pregnancy as my pelvic floor felt like it was suffering. What with an active toddler, a house-move and a busy job, exercise fell by the wayside during my pregnancy, so I felt like I had a lot of ground to re-build. The birth of my second child was a fairly smooth vaginal birth and my diastasis recti (the separation of the muscles along the midline of the abdomen, typically seen in women during and after pregnancy) was only two fingers. I did, however, leak when I sneezed (something that affects at least one in three women, if not more) and my stomach muscles were non-existent!
My first few weeks postpartum were a whirlwind of getting to know my baby and getting used to being a mum to two. The general rule of thumb is that you shouldn’t begin an exercise programme until after your six-to-eight week check up with your GP, so this is my journey from Week 10, when I began to feel ready to start some gentle exercise.
August 2022
Week 10
Following the recommendation of a friend, I sign up to the MUTU programme. It focusses on reengaging your pelvic floor and deep abdominal muscles in preparation for further exercise and general life. I have to admit, I am loving exercising again, even if it is gentle. The programme has me doing core exercises for 10 minutes each day and then a postpartum-safe ‘intensive’ workout three times a week, full of squats and lunges. After my first workout, my muscles ache for days – a stark reminder that they haven’t been used in that way for quite some time, but my body seems to have settled into it now, and it’s great to be moving regularly.
Hiking Boots LANETTI VS21M2019-3 Chocolate Brown | September 2022
Week 14
Given that it has all been going well, I decide to give running a go. It does not feel great. I have a pain in my groin and my abdominal muscles feel tight and weak. I walk home a little deflated and will leave it for a little longer before I try again. Oh, and when I get home, I sneezed… still leaking.
Week 16
At week 16, I have my first chat with Edwina.
Edwina’s round-up
‘Georgie and I started our journey with a coaching consult call. We spent about an hour getting to know each other (and I got to meet Baby Two post-nap – delicious!). These calls really set the tone for building our relationship, which is so women. I love hearing about Georgie’s journey into running and how this has changed as babies have arrived and what running now means and gives to her.
‘One of the major points we discussed throughout the call was the importance of not rushing the running comeback and building a really strong foundation first, before we even think about pushing the PB button. Quite often we can feel pretty good postnatally, but after pregnancy, birth and now caring for a new-born, our foundations will be rocky and we need to spend time and be patient rebuilding these.
‘With this in mind, Georgie has already started on a really good online core rebuild and is about to visit the amazing Emma Brockwell for a women’s health check-up. We had decided to delay her return to running until she has had the all-clear from Emma. I also encouraged her to get some blood tests done to check iron levels.
‘Georgie is already really listening to her body, listening to me and thinking of the long game and how running can be part of her long-term future. This is key to post-natal recovery and something we too often rush, as we see others ‘bounce back’ post-birth. It’s not realistic and almost guaranteed that rushing back to a running deadline will result in injury.
‘Being a "runner mum" takes organisation, commitment and huge amounts of energy, but it also gives us bundles of confidence, self-belief and grit, which we need – especially in the early years! Looking forward to seeing Georgie lace up her trainers very soon and taking her first steps back to fitness.’
Week 17
Leaving my sons with my mum at Godstone Farm, I head off to see Emma Brockwell, aka Physio Mum, for a ‘Running MOT’. Emma asks me lots of questions about the births of both my boys, my current activity status and how that has been feeling. She then watches me do some lunges and squats and gives me an internal exam. Turns out, my body is healing and responding to the gentle workouts that I’ve been doing but it’s still not quite ready for running, and too speedy a start might jeopardise my running in the future.
Emma's round-up
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‘Georgie came to see me for a postnatal check-up prior to returning to running. Pregnancy and childbirth are major life-changing events, both physically and mentally. During pregnancy women's bodies change very quickly. Muscles often lengthen and weaken inside and outside, especially the muscles around the pelvis (ie glutes), inside the pelvis (ie the pelvic floor muscles) and the abdominal wall.
‘Childbirth also places considerable stress and strain on these muscles. During pregnancy and after childbirth women often complain of symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction, namely urinary leakage, urgency, faecal incontinence or urgency, pelvic pain, or heaviness/bulging in the vagina. These symptoms are unfortunately common but they aren't normal. These symptoms can typically worsen when women return to running too soon.
‘The aim of a postnatal physiotherapy check is to ensure that women are recovering well after childbirth and that they are addressing the changes that have occurred to their bodies. And if symptomatic, have the tools to improve their symptoms and get them run ready (if they are a runner).
‘Running is a demanding sport and rehabilitation after any huge physical event or injury is really women. Pregnancy and childbirth are no different and the same level of rehab is ideal.
'A pelvic health physiotherapist will look at a woman's body from head to toe, considering how well she moves, and how strong her muscles are on the outside but also consider how strong they are on the inside by carrying out a vaginal assessment. When I saw Georgie I provided her with some advice on her zapatillas de running Brooks neutro pie cavo azules entre 60 y 100 matri leather sandal zapatillas de running HOKA hombre talla 41.5 azules and finally advised that, when she was ready to return to running, to do so gradually using a walk-to-run program.
I would recommend all women see a pelvic health physiotherapist after childbirth (even if they don’t wish to run). A pelvic health physiotherapist can be seen on the NHS via your GP or privately.’
Now that I’ve seen Emma, and two what she told me back to Edwina, I’m in a position to begin my training programme. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned so far, it’s that the return to running post-pregnancy isn’t something to rush. Getting some expert advice before lacing up your shoes, and being patient with your body, will help to make sure you’re not doing too much, too early – something I’ve been guilty of in the past. I’m excited about getting stronger and making a sustainable, long-term return to running – I’ll let you know how I get on next month.
October 2022
Week 20
Trapperschuhe PEPE JEANS Martin Boot PMS50205 Cognac 879 zapatillas de running ASICS entrenamiento distancias cortas talla 40.5 and watches my best attempts at single-legged squats, lunges, clam shells and various other moves. I start to realise I’ve never properly engaged the right muscles when doing my workouts and resolve to do much better.
Edwina has me do two weeks of core workouts before we look at kicking off the run-walk programme. I do it diligently three times a week along with the daily Kegels that physio Emma Brockwell gave me to do.
Core workout
Edwina’s core workout included key moves such as:
- Glute bridges
- La Sportiva Zapatillas Trail Running Bushido Ii Black Yellow (on elbows and knees)
- Half squats
- Clam shells
- Lunges
- All you have to do is walk out the front door with a good pair of shoes
‘All of these are great starter core exercises,’ she says, ‘that can be quickly adapted as you get stronger.’
Week 22
Leaving my baby with my husband, I drop my toddler off at nursery and head out for my first run-walk: 20 minutes of 30-second bursts of running, interspersed with walking. Despite having previously run marathons, 30 seconds of running feels about right at the moment as I ease my way into it, and I try to just enjoy being outdoors. It is such a beautiful day – crisp and sunny – and it feels great to be out alone and to be moving my limbs – as good for my mental health as it is for my muscles. I’m still aware of heaviness down below but this doesn’t seem to get worse with the running.
I complete my first week of run walking and feel very proud of my body. I’ve had no residual aching and am looking forward to building on what I’ve done this week. The hardest part has been finding the time to fit in the runs and core exercises. It takes a fair bit of juggling between my husband and I, but now that I’ve begun I know I’ll find a way to keep it going.
Week 23
Week two of the run-walk programme and we’ve ramped up to 60 second bursts of running! I’m enjoying these longer bursts. I feel like it’s easier to settle into your stride and I’m having fun picking random paths in the park.
zapatillas de running The North Face entrenamiento trail pronador stiff hips and a very sore lower back. I suspect this is from how I hold my children so I’m trying to wear the baby in the sling less and am stretching every night and doing yoga weekly. Unfortunately, it feels like it’s getting worse and it made my third run of the week pretty difficult as all I could focus on was pain in my back. Edwina recommends I have a sports massage. This helps for a day or two but the pain soon returns so Edwina gives me some more warm-up exercises to incorporate next week pre-run.
Pre-run exercises:
Edwina’s pre-run, resistance band men shoe-care polo-shirts key-chains:
- Crab walks
- Glute marches
- Clam shells
‘As the body begins to move again, you quite possibly are going to feel quite stiff and find you need a longer warm-up, she says. ‘I recommend Georgie does some band work with a heavy resistance band before she starts running in order to ‘activate’ some of the major muscles and remind them they have a job to do and how to work properly.’
Edwina’s round-up
‘After Georgie got the all-clear from physio Emma Brockwell, and the instructions that we can get to work on the core and legs, we meet up via the wonders of Zoom to go through some strength work.
It’s a really valuable hour. Though I have planned the exercises we are going to work on, it’s second best to hands-on personal training. I make notes as we go, changing and adapting exercises according to strengths and weaknesses and then type it all up and add it to the overall plan.
We talk about how form, slow movement, ‘setting’ the core and not rushing the movements is the key to building core strength. We start with the basics of leg strength work, with squats to chairs, single-leg standing, simple (but still challenging after a baby) upper-body work. I drill in posture, posture, posture – I think Georgie is quite tired at the end, but it’s great to see her enthusiasm and commitment to getting back running with a stronger body than ever before!
As Georgie has a busy schedule, we delay getting back to running for a few weeks after introducing the core work. It’s a good idea as it allows you to channel all your energy into rebuilding those foundations.
We start very slowly with walk/jogs, plus extra walking added in to continue building strength. I like to keep the runs the same for two-to-three sessions then add a little bit (and we are talking seconds each time) every third run. This allows adaptation both physically and mentally as the body and brain start to switch back on and work together.
Georgie is super aware of her pelvic floor and it does seem to get tired at the last rep of running sets, but I assure her that as long as it just feels tired and she stops when this happens, cools down and there is no pain after, then all is fine. So much of this back-to-running business is about listening to your body and adapting. Georgie seems naturally attuned to hers and I have been super impressed so far with both her patience and her determination – the perfect combination. Keep it up!’
November 2022
Week 24
I’m trying to do a run-walk every Monday to help set my intention for the week. It’s a crazy morning – we’re potty training, which seems to take up a lot of time when you’re trying to get out the door, but I decide to do my warm-up exercises with the band before I leave in-spite of the toddler trying to sit on my legs. The exercises really seem to help. I can still feel tightness in my back but I’m not nearly so stiff and after a 15-minute march to nursery and on to the park, I’m ready for my run. Today is 2-minute bursts, which I’m daftly daunted by.
I set my alarm and begin my slow and steady jog marvelling at how long 2 minutes feels and how much ground you can cover in comparison with 30-second bursts.
I’m trying to mix up the terrain a little more, incorporating the odd hill into my route as this helps me focus on my posture rather than just agonising over whether everything feels alright.
I get a little too excited and overestimate how much distance I can cover so when my session ends I’m still in the middle of the park, but the walk home does me good and I feel back to normal by the time I get home.
For my final run of the week, we’re up to 8 lots of 2 minutes of running, interspersed with walking. It’s tipping it down with rain but when you’ve agreed your run time with your husband, you dare not lose it! I am soaking within minutes but the cold spurs me on and I cover 3.5 miles, the furthest distance so far!
Week 25
Our general trend is that if my body has coped okay with the work load the previous week, we up the running duration the following week. This week we’re up to 3-minute bursts. Up till now, I’ve been feeling progressively happier with the runs but I make the mistake of running two days in a row, which leaves me with heaviness in my pelvis that doesn’t ease. I take two days off to recover and focus on stretching until my next run.
It occurs to me to check what my fancy Polar running watch can actually do beyond just tracking my runs and it turns out I can programme phased sessions so that my watch vibrates at the end of each run interval. Thank goodness as counting to 3 minutes in my head was getting ridiculous!
Week 26
It has now been 4 weeks since I began the walk/run programme and as we move up to 4-minute bursts of running, I’m noticing such a difference in my endurance as well as my enjoyment. My lower back is still sore and my hips tight but the band warm-up seems to be making a huge difference to the way my body feels. I try to do it each morning to remind my glutes, hips and core to wake up and engage! I urge everyone to try it.
Edwina and I catch up on zoom and run through my core exercises. I’m pleased to find that she thinks I can progress these and writes me an updated plan that incorporates light weights on the pelvic lifts, squats and lunges. She also recommends I begin planking fully and start doing dead bugs – none of which I could have done a month ago.
I talk to Edwina about my concerns with my pelvic floor feeling heavy during the runs and she suggests I might need to get out of my head a little and listen to some music.
She also recommends I incorporate a balance video into my week and sends me this one on YouTube. Give it a go!
Week 27
My baby is now 6 months old and I feel like I’ve suddenly made a bit of breakthrough. I’ve continued with the band warm-up and my back and hips are both feeling so much looser. This week we’ve ramped up the running and I’m thrilled that my body is coping. Rather than messaging Edwina after each run with ‘I felt heaviness’, I am now messaging her saying how much I loved it!
My first two runs of the week are a phased session of 8 then 6 then 2 lots of 4-minute runs with 2-minute walks in between. By my third run of the week, I’m doing two lots of 8 minutes and 2 lots of 6 minutes with a walk in-between. I listen to a podcast and focus on my breathing and powering up the hill in my local park and it feels great. I cover over 4 miles and return home exhilarated.
I try to focus only on my own journey back to running and to not compare myself to other post-partum women. All our journeys back to exercise will look very different. For some, they will be able to run much sooner and with no obvious negative effects on their pelvic floor. For me, as a second-time mum, it has been so women to take it slowly and listen to my body. I feel like I am finally reaping the rewards of a slow and consistent approach but decide to check in again with Emma Brockwell (Physio Mum) next week just to check how it’s all looking.
Oh, and BREAKING NEWS: I sneezed and I didn’t pee. If that’s not progress, I don’t know what is.
Edwina's round-up
‘Georgie continues her A* approach to her running and core work as we transition her running sessions to become more running than walking.
She is nervous about getting injured and every little ache and pain causes a little anxiety. This is such a hard journey to get right and honestly there is no right way, apart from just really listening to your body. As a new mum, not only are you trying to recover from pregnancy and birth, but you are also trying to reintroduce running, which in itself comes with a few aches and pains.
With this in mind I encourage Georgie to warm up really well before each run and she does this using the band to help activate muscles. I think this is both physically and psychologically a great way to prep for a run. Sometimes, it’s so hard when you are trying to detangle yourself from home life and kids to not just head out the door and run, especially when on time faults, but if you can grab a band and/or mobilise your body a little, the first 5-10mins will be much smoother and you will ultimately get more from your run.
We meet up on Zoom to go through Georgie’s core work. I am amazed at her improvement: every single exercise is better, she is stronger, moves better and most womenly seems much more confident in what her body can do and progressing the exercises. The biggest change we make is to progress planks, shoulder bridges and press-ups to taking more body weight. We also introduce some light weights to the various squat exercises she does. Georgie is testimant to how repeated core work can make such improvements; I don’t think she has missed a session (they aren’t very long: 20 mins max) and I am super happy with her progress.
I think the past few weeks has been a big shift in both Georgie’s aerobic fitness, but also her belief that she can do this and that fitness is improving. It’s such an exciting and huge hurdle to overcome. When you realise you are running freely again and being to lose yourself in the moment.
As ever, ‘slowly slowly’ is the best approach. Always remember, comparison is the thief of joy; just like your baby is unique, so too is your post-natal journey.’
December
Week 28
I was on such a high last week that this week has been a bit of a come down. I struggle to fit in my first run this week so end up going out in the evening after a very busy day with lots of walking and sling carrying. I immediately notice heaviness and don’t enjoy the run at all. I’m going to try to make sure the majority of my runs are in the morning moving forward as it makes a noticeable difference.
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adidas Yeezy 500 Blush DB2908 SNEAKER WEISS US 9 lower-back pain Sneakers CP66-21836IVDZ Black abdominal muscles haven’t quite caught up to the level of running that I am now doing. She suggests that I use weights when doing my strength workouts, as when we run we load three times our body weight through our muscles. She also suggests that I split out my strength training so that I do each exercise to fatigue level, which will help with the muscle tone.
Week 29
Edwina suggests a week off running and to focus on my new core regime this week. As a whole, I’ve been loving running but I must admit, it’s lovely to be given a little ‘holiday.’ I make up for it but doing lots of walking and notice how much more energy I have nowadays.
Luckily, my final run before the break feels great. It’s my husband’s birthday and we run together for the first time while my mum watches the kids. He obligingly follows my schedule of 4 x 8-minute runs with 2-minute walks in-between and we cover 4.5 miles while chatting and putting the world to rights. This is why I love running.
Edwina updates my plan to separate out ‘legs and arms’ and ‘core and glutes’ into two different sessions. In legs and arms, I now do two rounds of my arms exercises and two rounds of squats and lunges etc while holding dumbbells. For me, the maximum I can hold right now is 6kg, and after my first session I am shaking! I’ve never done exercises with weights before so this is going to take some getting used to.
For my core and glutes session, I’m now doing double the number of planks and clamshells and have added weight to my pelvic thrusts. I’m definitely feeling myself getting to fatigue level but, as Edwina puts it, can happily make a cup of tea once I’ve finished.
Week 30
Back to running and it’s been snowing! I honestly don’t think I’ve ever run in snow and I’m a little tentative on the icey ground. I take to running in a random pattern around a large football field, which accesses my inner child and helpfully makes me totally forget to think about my pelvic floor and how it feels.
I’m starting to feel really good when I run, which is lucky because I’ve signed up for Run Through’s 5K race in Richmond Park. It’s a great, fairly low-key event with none of the faff of a big race. Edwina advises me to not start off too fast and to treat it as purely fun. I take her at her word and plod around a stunningly frozen Richmond Park. My husband is running the 10K race, which is two loops of the same circuit, so he runs with me at a pace in which we can still chat. I finish the race in 26 minutes – a long way off my pre-post-partum-PB but the longest I’ve run without stopping so it feels pretty victorious. Oh, and I managed a podium place as third in the race!
Week 31
Buoyed up by my success in the 5K race, I’m surprised to see Edwina putting in runs that are split into 15-minute sections but she explains it’s still women for me to pause to regroup, catch my breath, change muscles and keep good form for the second 15 minutes.
I’ve never had a coach before, and I love seeing how Edwina responds to what I’ve done and how I’m feeling before she updates the next week’s sessions. I also find that she keeps me honest. Edwina would never tell me off, but I don’t want to let her down so every time I think about making an excuse as to why I haven’t done my core work that week, I somehow find a way to fit it in. I’m noticing my body adapting to the increased weight and might even say I’m enjoying the workouts. except that I end every core workout cursing planks. Man, I hate planks.
Week 32
Christmas week
It’s always going to be hard to fit your usual fitness schedule in when the kids are home from nursery and you’re visiting relatives but luckily Edwina programmes only three runs of a 20-minute duration with five-minute warm-up and cool-down either side, so my husband and I take advantage of willing grandparents and pop out for 30 minutes every other day. It’s lovely to run somewhere different and we revel in the ice cold, muddy fields of the surrounding countryside.
I think I can finally say that my pelvic floor has stopped bothering me during runs to the point where I don’t really think about it anymore. This is a great boost and has me looking forward to progressing more.
Edwina's round-up
‘This month we really see Georgie move from tentative run-walks to beginning to find her flow and lose herself in the joy of running. When we first start back running after having a baby, it can seem such a huge mountain to climb. But if we can persevere and be patient for those first few months, it’s not long before the myriad benefits running gives us begin to creep back in: a bit of headspace, running with a partner, being in nature, setting challenges and achieving them.
We took a recovery week mid-month, which is so women every 3-6 weeks depending where you are in your plan. It’s a great way to refresh the mind and body, and allow energy levels to come back up. It can take the stress out of a busy week and allow us to focus on other things. This fitted in well with Emma prompting Georgie that her cardiovascular fitness was coming back quicker than her muscular strength so we spent the time working through her current strength programme, splitting up the exercises and adding some weights. Georgie was nervous about this, but you don’t need to make it overcomplicated and often end up doing exercises better with good form. Weights don’t need to be heavy to start with, and I always advise clients that a set of dumbbells that you can add weight plates to is a great investment.
Georgie suggested doing a 5K race pre-Christmas and absolutely smashed it! There is such joy in running races with no pressure and just enjoying the process (something which we often overlook). I think she surprised herself, and though the time is not a PB it is a PPPB (postpartum PB), which I think should be celebrated fully and deserves a big pat on the back for all her hard work!
We now look towards 2023, Georgie has made such a great start I am waiting for the WhatsApp message to say: Eddie, I have found a half marathon zapatillas de running Salomon amortiguación media maratón talla 39.5!'.
January 2023
Week 33
We’re ramping things up and I no longer have to do a five-minute warm-up walk and five-minute cool-down walk. Instead, I can do a warm-up jog as soon as I leave the house, which mentally feels great – I feel like I can cover more distance and that I’m really using my 30 minutes to exercise.
This week we’re also adding in a longer run of 45 minutes. Edwina suggests I run at an ‘easy all day kind of pace’ so I set off with a grand destination in mind and get totally lost. It’s great to run for this duration but I’m exhausted in the afternoon and feel an urgent need to stretch Sneakers are very good.
Week 34
My strength work is feeling much, well, stronger with each session that I do. Holding 6kg in each hand is starting to feel quite mangeable and I’m noticing that my core is steadier when I do my lunges. Even my single-leg squats seem to have improved.
Week 35
Prior to giving birth to my two boys, I ran when I fancied it and thought nothing of my menstrual cycle but am now realising how much of an effect it can have on your body. I’ve been working hard to re-build strength in my pelvic floor and largely succeeding, but during my period I notice that I feel much weaker again and the heaviness of the earlier weeks returns. I do my first hill sprint session and, in my enthusiasm at doing a different workout, push myself quite hard and feel heavy all afternoon. I talk to Edwina about it, and she suggests that, when on your period, it’s often best to delay the more intense workouts. Something to keep in mind for next month.
Week 36
My second week of hill sprints and Edwina has set me the challenge of doing 4 x 20 seconds, then 2 x 30 seconds and finally 2 x 1 minute. My local park is essentially one giant hill but I can’t settle on the right section and find myself moving slowly up through the park with each rep, which makes it hard to measure my progress. The 20-second reps feel easy and even joyous as I sprint up the hill but conversely the one-minute sprints feel like they go on for an awfully long time, and I am so grateful when my watch buzzes to let me know I can jog back down.
My weekend run is the longest yet at 55 minutes. I’m meant to treat this as a Sneakers BOSS Saturn 50471235 10216105 01 Open Grey 094 but I decide to visit my sister, and knowing I have a destination to get to has me speeding up occasionally. I start to notice the heaviness again and have to pause to walk several times. The heaviness goes away and I’m able to continue so hope that it is left over weakness from my period, but it’s a stark reminder that this journey is not linear and that I will need to keep working on my strength and not pushing myself too quickly. This can be incredibly frustrating, especially as I keep feeling like ‘I’m back’ but I know I need to think long term.
Week 37
Our house has been hit with a vomiting bug and the whole family has suffered. I tentatively set out for a very slow restorative jog and am relieved to find it energises me rather than making me feel worse. I’m creating an off-road route near my house that takes in woods and it is literally a breath of fresh air.
It’s my third week of hill sprints and Edwina has set me 6 x 1-minute up hills with a 2-minute slow jog down after each one. I have a footpath near my house that has a 20% incline so I decide to give it a go. It works remarkably well, as it takes me exactly a minute to run from the bottom to a set of boulders at the top, which gives me something to aim for each time. I surprise myself in enjoying the first 30 seconds of each uphill sprint but the second 30 seconds has me fighting to keep going and I even find myself roaring at one point! Luckily no one is around and I slowly jog home feeling like I’ve pushed myself but Edwina advises me to find a 10% incline for my next session.
RunThrough Georgie crossing the finish line at the RunThrough 10K
Week 38
Edwina suggests that I enter a 10K race and I am delighted to find that RunThrough are hosting one in my local park. I set off to the start on a chilly morning and am grateful for their enthusiastic volunteers and vigorous warm-up. They are a great organisation who put on no-frills races with little faff at the start and good sign-posting and marshalling throughout. As it’s in my local park I do no research into the route and am slightly shocked when we take an off-road turn through the wood. Fortunately, my On Running road shoes are remarkably good in slippery mud so I survive. The route is also far hillier than I had predicted. I take advantage of the downhills to speed up but it feels like there are a lot more uphills! I try to smile and think of how hills help to improve my form – I think my hill sprints are already helping.
Edwina had advised me that ‘this is a building block race, not the roof’ and so I set off at a steady pace making sure I can breathe easily. At the end of the first 5km circuit, I settle in and find a pack to run with. By 7km I’m starting to feel slightly competitive, and by 8km, I find myself speeding up to catch up with other runners, which carries me through to a sprint at the finish line. I decide not to look at my watch at all and to run by feel so am delighted with my result of 48:33. Not a PB, but a post-partum PB, which I can work to reduce. My boys are waiting for me at the finish line and I spend the afternoon celebrating by eating cake.
Edwina's round-up
'January is a tough month for all runners. Summer races are a while away and winter miles can feel endless. However, Georgie continues to be boundless in her enthusiasm to improve and work on her weaknesses. I admire her immensely.
Coping with sick children, the lack of sleep and often then losing the time to train is always hard. The decision to train or not to train can be difficult, but I always encourage mums (or dads!) that getting fresh air and moving (doesn’t always have to be a run) and a little time away from kids can often help. If you have a session in the plan, but are not sure if you have the energy, just skip it for an easy plod or do the warm-up and see how you feel.
I was so proud of Georgie, for not only being brave enough to enter the 10K, but also to handle it so well. I encouraged her to do a really steady start – there is nothing worse than running a 1km PB and then hating life for 9km; she did this brilliantly. Building into the race and then picking off runners in the closing stages. And a great time to boot!
As we increase the volume a little, and some intensity, doing regular strength work becomes even more women. Georgie is doing really well at slowing down when she feels tired and learning from each session we do. Perhaps pushing a bit too hard on some, but then reflecting and improving the next time. It’s okay if sessions don’t go perfectly (they rarely do!) but taking the time and thinking about how we can do them better and then executing this means we are much more likely to be consistent with our training and building blocks.
Next up: a recovery week, even then Georgie wants to do strength work, but I have encouraged a big rest… we have a half marathon on the horizon.'
February 2023
Week 39
It’s rest week and good timing for it, as my body is letting me know I may have pushed slightly too hard at the 10k. I recover through three very easy half hour jogs and then get confused and throw in a strength session, which I actually rather enjoy.
Edwina recommends I get myself a massage as I’ve been having some niggles with my Achilles. My usual sports masseuse is out of the country and being time-poor I decide to try my local Thai massage parlour, asking for half an hour of firm massage on the legs. As I lie under a warm towel, listening to gentle music, I think about how more sports massages should be like this! The music is eerily similar to the music on my hypnobirthing app, so I decide to go with it and breath my way through the massage. It is both the most relaxing and yet painful massage I have ever had. Sadly, it doesn’t sort out my Achilles pain so I think it’s back to the sport masseuse for me.
Week 40
This week Edwina introduces me to strides – essentially four lots of 15 seconds of fast running in the middle of an otherwise easy run. I’ve never done them before but quite like them; they’re not hard to do, and add in a bit of excitement to a standard run. I am also given a 35-minute progressive run to do in which I increase my pace throughout. This feels good, like the way I would pace a park run and I feel very energised by the end. Here’s how it works:
‘The aim of a progressive run is to ease yourself into a gradually faster-paced session. It is at great way to incorporate a run with some faster portions at the end without over-taxing your body, plus also practising patience, pacing and really dialling into what is an ‘easy’ ’steady’ or ‘race pace’ feel,’ says Edwina. ‘A great starting example is, 10 mins really easy, 10 mins easy, 10 mins steady, 5 mins tempo, 5 mins really easy. Try not to stop in between the portions and, as a rule of thumb, always start way easier than you think you need to!’
Week 41
I update Edwina on how I feel after each run and strength session so that she knows how to tailor my plan as we move forward. I’ve tended to focus on how my body is feeling, but finally this week I comment on the actual run rather a body niggle! Don’t get me wrong, it only lasts for one run but hopefully it’s a sign that I won’t always be agonising over how my body feels.
The baby and I both come down with bad colds so I miss my ‘hard session’ for the week but after three days of rest I feel ready to get out on my own and do a nice slow long run through as much mud as I can find in my urban part of town. Edwina advises me to start fuelling on these long runs, especially given that I forget to do so when I get home and am immediately handed a child.
Week 42
We’ve updated my strength workouts. In the legs and arms session, Edwina adds in a shoulder press to my forward and backward lunges as well as mountain climbers and press-ups. Asics gel-contend sl 4e extra wide black men running shoes sneakers 1131a050-001 planks, ON Running Cloudventure lace-up sneakers Weiß burpees! Both are definitely a step up and I puff and pant my way through them, but it’s good to have them feel more dynamic and finishing with burpees feels really energising.
I’m just getting the hang of my new strength workout when I lose concentration and drop my dumbbell while doing dead-bugs, wrenching my shoulder backwards. I’m fine, it’s just a pull and luckily doesn’t hurt when I run or in most everyday activities, but it means laying off the weights for the rest of the week.
Week 43
Ah, rest week again! I needed this one. My baby has been ill for a couple of weeks and sleep has regressed for us all. Time to take it easy and have another massage! I don’t usually love the slow easy runs but this week my body is glad of it and by the end of the week I’m feeling much more revived and ready to jump back into the training plan.
Edwina's round-up
The biggest breakthrough this month is that Georgie begins to run without thinking about it. A 30-minute run is now the new norm and she can complete this comfortably. The energy levels from having a young family still yo-yo so we are mindful to respect that and drop sessions if Georgie is extra tired or feeling run down. A recovery week is women to respect and place in the plan before you think you need it. It’s always nice to take the foot off the pedal a little, allow the muscles to recover and take some time to reflect on how far you have come and what you are building to next. As we are now building the long run, I remind Georgie she needs to start fuelling during these longer sessions. Not only to give her energy during the run, but also so she doesn’t arrive home totally spent as we all know the minute mum walks through the front door, she is back on duty and sometimes even a shower has to wait! Planning is key to this. Making sure you have a snack to grab on the way out and then the same as you come back in. Looking forward to our final build towards the half marathon!
March 2023 + Race
Week 44
Only fours weeks till the half marathon and we’ve settled into a routine of:
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Tuesday: Easy 45-minute run
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Thursday: ‘hard run’ – this is the session in which each week Edwina sets me a slightly different challenge for my body to respond to such as hills, Blue The Great Launches The Final Touch Sneaker Sculpture in Partner with eBay interval session
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Arms and legs strength work
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Looking at it written down, that’s a pretty busy week. I feel like I’ve got into the swing of it, though, and look forward to my runs as my ‘me time’. This month we’re building to the longest length I’ll do pre-race and I head out for 90 minutes of mud and hills and manage to do 10 miles – the longest I’ve run since having my first baby three years ago. I’m definitely a lot slower than I once was but am starting to have faith that I might actually complete the race.
Week 45
My Achilles is still playing up and I think I have identified the source as tight hips so Edwina and I decide to introduce regular yoga into my routine. I also start doing a resistance band workout before each run again to wake up my hips and glutes. I had dropped it out of laziness but the first time I reintroduce it before a run I notice the difference to how my pelvic region feels halfway through so will try to find time for it more regularly.
My baby is convinced that the day starts at 6am so I’m trying to use the extra hour in the hour morning to get my runs done while my husband holds down the fort at home. I head out for my easy run, having only eaten a banana at home and find that after 20 minutes I’m exhausted. I must remember to fuel better.
6am again and I’m out for my progression run. I’m really not feeling it, the lack of sleep is starting to get to me and then I turn a corner and see a rainbow at the top of the hill by Crystal Palace tower. It’s the lift I need – I wouldn’t have seen it if I wasn’t out at this time of the morning and I complete my run in a much more positive frame of mind.
The weekend brings my second 90-minute run and, as I’m out at 6am again, I decide I should stick to the roads rather than taking my usual route through the woods. It’s still a hilly route and I don’t quite manage 10 miles. I have to stop midway to eat an oat bar and reset with a walk a few times but mostly it feels good to do and incredible that by 8am I’ve completed my long run and stretching and am ready to head to soft play…
Week 46
I have weeks where it just feels harder to fit in the exercise, and this is one of them. I attempt to squeeze it all in by doing my core workout with my baby, which results in him sitting underneath me as I attempt to do my planks, sitting on top of me as I do my bridges and generally trying to eat my face. I got it done though.
I’ve been feeling a bit unmotivated but we’re away for the weekend, so I take the opportunity to do a 60-minute run with my husband across fields in gloopy mud. We take the pace slow knowing that we have a half marathon to do in a week, chat and breath in the fresh air. It’s glorious and revitalising.
Week 47
Only a week to go till the half marathon…
I’m feeling good. I’m know I’ll make it round even if it’s slow and am looking forward to the challenge. I can’t believe that less than six months ago I was only running 20 seconds at a time and am now attempting 13.1 miles. It’s incredible how your body can recover if you take it slowly.
I am also thrilled to report that the regular yoga practice seems to be paying off and I’ve not noticed any tightness in my Achilles recently. I’m one of those people who panics when I am injured and convinces myself that it will never go so it’s a relief to realise that it’s in my power to help this one.
This week Edwina suggests I do a 30-minute session with strides in the middle to remind my legs how to move fast. I really enjoy this session, it helps me access my inner child and I feel like I move better after my six reps of 20 seconds fast running.
Edwina calls me for a pre-race pep talk and reminds me not to set off too fast and to not worry about a time. Later that day, I head out for an easy 30-minute run. It’s been a day full of wrangling children and I’m so delighted to be out in the early evening light that I get excited and run far too fast. I am rewarded with a stitch that takes 15 minutes to go and head home a little more humble – and with Edwina’s warning about seeing off too fast reverberating in my head.
Next stop: London Landmarks Half Marathon.
Week: 48: The race
It’s a cold and windy morning as my husband and I travel up to Charing Cross to begin the London Landmarks Half Marathon. I’ve done my band workout, eaten a huge bowl of porridge and tried to limit how much I’m drinking so that I won’t need to wee constantly (I’m definitely more aware of the need for this since childbirth).
The whistle blows, I watch the fast runners set off followed closely by the heroes in fancy dress, most noticeably two men dressed as Tower Bridge and a group of people dressed as the Shard, London Eye and St Paul’s Cathedral. Bouncing up and down to try to keep warm, it feels like an age but suddenly I’m at the front and then I’m off running down Pall Mall towards Trafalgar Square. I’m at the front of my wave and have a lot of space around me so have to rein myself in during the first mile. Even so, the first mile marker comes round quickly and I realise I’m running a much faster pace than on my practice long runs. The course is flat and dry, though, and I feel good so decide to go with it and see how I feel.
It’s a great course. There is always something to look at and the support on the streets is the lovely. There’s a rock choir, a musicals choir, a DJ – all of which help to propel me along. I live and work in London so know this area well – in fact, the course takes me right past my office – but it’s a joy to run on closed roads and the organisers have put up signs pointing out statues and information about the buildings, which is great as a distraction from your legs.
Twenty-two thousand people have taken to the streets today for the half and it’s inspiring to see so many ages, shapes and abilities out running. Many of the runners are raising money for charity, others like me are showing themselves what we can do.
At 10 miles, I dig out another handful of jelly babies. My legs are beginning to feel a bit sore but ahead I see a sign saying ‘Rave Tunnel’ and I welcome the noise and fun. Bubbles erupt from the DJ booth and for the first time I find myself thinking of my boys and want to make them proud.
Eleven miles pass and behind me I hear a man shout ‘It’s a boy, I’ve had a baby boy!’ I sincerely hope that that man sped his way to the hospital, but suspect it will be via the finish line…
At 12 miles, I eat the final jelly baby and tell myself to pick up the pace and start to overtake people in front of me. There’s a surreal moment when I overtake a man dressed as the London Eye just as the London Eye comes into view across the river. We run over Westminster Bridge, do a sharp U-turn and begin to run back towards the Houses of Parliament.
Back up Embankment and my eyes are searching for the 13-mile marker while my head tells my legs to hang in there for another five minutes. We turn a corner and the 13-mile marker passes, suddenly I see the finish line and I break into a sprint. Goodness knows where the energy has come from, but I feel like I fly over the finish line, a huge smile on my face. I look down at my watch and am sure it must have malfunctioned: 1:39:16 – that’s a PB. Not just a post-partum PB, either. An actual PB. I am elated. My legs have apparently seized up and I’m hobbling along to the bag pick-up. But I’m thrilled. I did it.
Writing this, the days after the half, I’m still feeling elated at how well the race went and how good it felt. Ten and a half months ago, I gave birth; yesterday I ran my fastest ever half marathon.
This is the end of my blogging for Runner’s World, but by no means the end of my running journey. I’m going to stay with Edwina as my coach; I’ve absolutely loved having someone guide me through what I should be doing each week and am noticeably stronger as a result of the core and strength work that we’ve been doing. As I look to the future, I’m contemplating a marathon…I have unfinished business with a certain time there, but think that more immediately the half marathon is beckoning me again, now that I know I can do it I might just see how much faster I can get.
Thank you for reading and good luck with your own journey. If you’re at the beginning then have faith; it does get easier and time and patience pay off.
touch-strap sandals Green:
- Start slow: you need to rebuild first so don’t even think about putting on your trainers until you’ve reengaged your abdominal muscles.
- Do your Kegels every day: they will make all the difference!
- See a women’s physio for a check-up before you start running: if you are able to pay you can find one through squeezyapp.com or you can get a referral through the NHS.
- Continue slowly: once you feel ready to run, follow a couch to 5k guide and don’t rush it. Yes, you’ll be doing 20 second runs for a while, but it will pay dividends in the long run.
- Work on your core and strength: I think this has actually been most women for me. Reconnecting with my body, becoming strong and supporting my running.
- Remember, it’s not a linear journey: you’ll have weeks where you feel incredible and the weeks where it just doesn’t quite work. Be kind to yourself and give yourself time and patience.
- Sandalen TEVA Elzada Sandal Web 1101112 Dsdr: before you become fatigued. As mums, we’ve got busy lives outside of our running and we have to keep it together.
- Have fun: Take this time for yourself, get strong and enjoy. There is no rush to be back at certain distance or time, everyone’s journey will be different.
Good luck!
Edwina's round-up
In order to write the closing words of this blog, I have reread from the beginning Georgie’s journey. I encourage you to do the same. It gives a sense of how it truly feels to come back to running after giving birth. I played a very small role in Georgie's achievements; she had to put in all the work. But what I did provide was the guidance and belief she could do this. I reassured her we were on the right path, there was no rush, slower was better, to look after herself and to enjoy her running rather than getting hung up on pace and previous performance. Learning to be a mum is a daunting task; allow your running to come back slowly.
Your body will have changed, things will work differently, even your mind won’t quite work the same. But I do really believe that us mums harbour a superpower that no amount of money can buy. The strength and sense of accomplishment that running gives us reflects so positively on family life; don’t be scared to lace up your trainers and head out the door. Like Georgie did, start with 20 secs jog, maybe even 10 secs. Every step is a positive affirmation that you can do this. Well done, Georgie, for your huge commitment to training, your total belief in me, trusting the process and always making me smile with your epic run reports. Can’t wait to see where your trainers take you next…
