Rollercoaster

It's been a month or so of ups and downs. The ups: being able to run for more than 30 minutes, running (gently) up a couple of local hills. I started on roads and more recently went onto trails and this weekend, proper "fell" (well, the Nab). I feel more like my old self, I can tell by how my gait is when I run. It's a good feeling. My son is six months old now. I didn't think it would be this long but the wait has been worth it, and I haven't injured myself getting to this point, I'm really glad of Lynne at Global Therapies help with this. 

On the track up to Turf Pits

The downs: Winter brings colds and bugs, and babies get them all. It's an important part of growing a strong immune system but it knocks onto me, not just that I catch a cold too, but when ill, he sleeps less and consequently so do I. The last two weeks have been particularly bad with him returning to three or more wakings at night, plus struggles to get him to sleep in his cot. Sleep deprivation is no new thing to me but now he's older and more needing of entertaining during the day, it's wiping me out. 

I've had to get over myself on a few assumptions I rashly held about returning to fellrunning. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you need to be firstly quite determined and secondly very flexible to fit in running, and strength training, around looking after a baby. 

The Baby Clock 

Club run on Thursday? Oh yes please. See you there. Oh. This Thursday the baby has decided to drop into a sound sleep at 6pm (which he never usually does) leaving a club runner with boobs like two unripe gala melons. This situation can at least be saved with that most useful of items, a breast pump.

Race on Sunday?  Oh yes please.  This Saturday night the baby has been waking at 00.24, 03.44 and then not sleeping til 06.20 and then awake again at 08.00 at which point this racers head is spinning and body feeling like rubber. No race. 
 
These two examples illustrate how it's  hard to plan and then execute training of any kind . I've been reading Jo Pavey's book and it's a lovely account of her career, of course I am particularity interested in her return to fitness after childbirth. She writes a little about having support from her husband, about fitting in breastfeeding, about running late in the evenings. I haven't made my mind up yet whether to take my metaphorical hat off to her or to be burning with envy that from what I can gather neither she nor her husband have jobs to worry about (someone please correct me if they know otherwise)

Maybe I should have a stern word with myself on those days and evenings where I just feel too drained to go and run, or swim, or even to follow the strengthening exercises which I know will benefit me but just can't. Unfortunately , I feel as if too many times in the choice between train or sleep, sleep has won..On the positive side I have begun to embrace the off-the-cuff run at times of day I wouldn't normally entertain the idea. I need to continue to evolve from the Planner to the Flexible type of runner! 

Physical stuff 

Whilst I have finally recovered from the c section (I can feel muscle!! yay!!), there's no denying that my body is still different from how it was before. Hormones are still kicking about and I am breastfeeding.

 I have to be super vigilant about staying hydrated.  I've got the habit of drinking plenty of water from training for long events, though I've really noticed that though I drink as much as I ever did, I am going to the loo a lot less. It's clearly going to the milk. So if I go for a run then I have to chuck even more water down me, and that's sometimes hard when the baby is wanting to be picked up a lot.

 I ache. With the best will in the world and all the strength training I've done, I still end up carrying him for long whiles in what are perhaps not the optimal positions, or sleeping all cramped because he needs a night in our bed when he is poorly. Other aches are a result of the hormone relaxin which makes your joints a bit more mobile.  I have definitely noticed my hip flexors hurting, and am doing my best to warm them up and stretch them gently. Having said that , sometimes I am so excited about going out to run I just dash out the door! 

Recovery days are so important . I wrote earlier about overdoing it a bit. There is no way I can run, or even go for a decent length walk, two days in a row. I feel as tired after a 40 minute run as I used to after a few hours out in the hills. I'm hoping this will improve as my fitness grows. 

Selfish mum vs sharing training

Being able to have the baby with me whilst I run is lovely for him and for me. It doesn't always work out but it's great to be able to do it, I've met with my running club mum mates and done 'baby hill reps' a few times, great way of sharing the baby-watching duties and getting some quality training in. At weekends Him Indoors can take Fox in the carrier and walk along the start of my route, so that I can meet them on my way back (only works with out and backs but who cares). 

My support team 

On the flipside, I need some time for Me! All runners know the feeling of leaving everything behind once you get out the door and your heart rate going. I always come back home very excited to see my son and tell him where I've been, and it makes me feel more like the person I was before he arrived. This is the person I want him to get to know, and learn good things from. I need to keep her going!

Parent outdoor gear hacks update

Sports bottle: jet wash for getting dog poo off buggy wheels
Towel from triathlon I did years back: changing mat liner
Buff: baby scarf on cold days
Nappy cream: Face cream to keep his face from getting chapped

In the next month or so , I'm hopeful I can do my first race since having Fox, and that I can take the buggy to a parkrun and see how that goes. I'd also like to beat my pregnancy parkrun (at Glossop) time of 23.30ish, I got close a few weeks back and keen to try again.