Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nurse of midwife. The information expressed in the series “Mom on the Run” should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult your doctor before running during pregnancy and postpartum.

Welcome to “Mom on the Run!” A blog feature that shares a mom-on-the-run and her story of running during and after pregnancy. My hope is to provide a resource for women who are thinking about running during pregnancy. The overarching theme: everyone is different. No two pregnancies are the same and of course no two stories of running during pregnancy are the same. In this series you will find a wide range of experiences that both inspire and comfort runners who are pregnant or have recently given birth. To read about other “Moms on the Run” click HERE.

I'd like you to meet January's "Mom on the Run," Elizabeth from Fit Life with E. Elizabeth is mommy to one adorable little girl and is 18 weeks pregnant with number two. Along with running after her little one, Elizabeth is a personal trainer who enjoys helping others find a life of fitness and a healthy diet. I'm excited to have her share her pregnancy and postpartum journey here with you!

Tell me a little bit about your pregnancy and your little one: I have one little girl named Reese, who just turned one in August 2014. My pregnancy with Reese was wonderful! I really enjoyed being pregnant (I know, call me crazy!). During the first trimester, I was nauseous all the time. I went back to my usual workout routine though from the second trimester through about 9 days past my due date. Thankfully she joined the world 11 days after my due date!

Did you run through your pregnancy? If not why not?

I did not run during my pregnancy. I had just finished a half marathon about a month before I became pregnant and I was taking a break from running because I was burnt out on it. My break combined with winter approaching caused me to decide not to run during my pregnancy with her. We didn't have a treadmill at the time & I was worried about falling on ice while running, so I stuck to indoor activities until spring rolled around :). I definitely want to run in my next pregnancy though!

Prior to pregnancy about how often were you running?

10-20 miles per week because I was training for my trail half marathon

How would you characterize your pregnancy, labor and delivery?

Low risk

Once you found out you were expecting did your running change?

N/A

What was your running like during the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters of your pregnancy?

N/A

Did your attitude towards running change during pregnancy?

Yes, see above :)

Did your run any races during pregnancy? If so what was your approach to racing, was it different than normal?

No

What was the most challenging aspect of running during pregnancy?

N/A

When did you stop running during pregnancy? Or did you run right up until your delivery date?

N/A

Did you incorporate cross training into your weekly exercise routine? If so what did you do? and what did you find most enjoyable?

I played competitive volleyball weekly (until 30 weeks), took TRX classes (until 32 weeks), Zumba (until 36 weeks) and lifted weights, walked & did the elliptical until 9 days after my due date. My most enjoyable workouts during pregnancy were volleyball because I loved seeing that I could still be as competitive even while pregnant. I even felt like I played some of my best volleyball when I was 18-20 weeks pregnant with Reese (and I was packing about 10-15 lbs of extra weight). It amazed me at what my body was capable of & I loved being able to share my love for the sport with my unborn daughter.

What was your return to running like postpartum? How soon did you start running and did you feel your attitude towards running was different? I started running at 8 weeks postpartum. I only ran a few miles a week for a long time. I jumped right back into other workouts & sports much more quickly than running. I have never loved running, but running after having a baby is time for me to just me. I love my husband and daughter, but sometimes you just want to feel like yourself and not worry about taking care of someone else for 30 minutes. It helps me clear my head & just "pound pavement." Reese does run with me in a jogger sometimes, but I don't usually take her on any runs longer than 3 miles. I wanted a goal to look forward to during my first year post-partum, so I registered for a half marathon right around Reese's first birthday. Many times I was so stressed that I had put this goal on myself (on top of everything else). During my training for my first half postpartum, my first long run was 8 miles and I was so darn happy after I finished because I had never run 8. I knew if I could do 8, I could do 13.1. And I did! I crossed the finish line at 2 hr 1 min...51 minutes faster than my previous PR. I was so stoked & emotional crossing the finish line because I proved to myself that I could be fitter & faster post-baby.

Where can readers find you?

Web:

www.fitlifewithe.com

Twitter:

www.twitter.com/fitlifewithe

Instagram:

www.instagram.com/fitlifewithe

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/fitlifewithe

You can find Elizabeth's post on running after her first baby

HERE.

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