All Jogging Moms Out There

I think that is totally normal. I struggled getting back to running after both my babies. BUT, I would keep TCM as a possibility. I don't think milk supply is a concern. It may not be safe to ramp up that fast to cover a marathon distance if you are just getting back to running. You really only have 2 1/2 months. I've done TCM 3X. One thing you could shoot for as a goal is just doing the first 10-13 miles of TCM and have someone meet you there. I actually did that once the first year after my first child was born. Good luck whatever you decide!

The only thing that I would add to all of the great comments below, is to make sure that you have good, shock absorbing running shoes.

A shoe's midsole only lasts so long. It degrades from use and the resultant useful life of a running shoe is 350 to 550 miles. This means that if you are running 20 miles a week, you should consider changing by approximately weeks 20 to 25. The shoe may still serve a useful purpose; casual wear for walking. Replace the initial sockliner fairly quickly, it is likely designed to be comfortable and cushy when you first wear it. After that it loses shock absorption capacity quickly (and start your knees hurting!).

According to http://www.drpribut.com/sports/spshoe.html

"A shoe's midsole only lasts so long. It degrades from use and the resultant useful life of a running shoe is 350 to 550 miles. This means that if you are running 20 miles a week, you should consider changing by approximately weeks 20 to 25. The shoe may still serve a useful purpose; casual wear for walking. Replace the initial sockliner fairly quickly, it is likely designed to be comfortable and cushy when you first wear it. After that it loses shock absorption capacity quickly.

"Sole wear does not necessarily reflect the loss of shock absorption by a shoe. Even with a new looking shoe, adequate shock absorption may be lacking. Use the 350 to 550 mile guideline instead of trying to guess how worn your shoe should look."

I would also like to note that you can recycle your old running shoes: http://www.recycledrunners.com/

Have fun running, and good luck on your marathon!

Congrats on getting back into running! I started running 5 weeks after my son was born last year in June and was able to complete the TC 10 mile race in October. It did a number on my body though!! My knees would constantly hurt and if I had to get out of bed in the middle of the night, it was hard to walk. I think I started a bit too soon though. At 5 1/2 months, I hope the transition is easier for you! My milk supply significantly dropped when I started running again so follow the advice of the other ladies and stay hydrated. If the supply continues to go down, I would consult a lactation consultant. I know there are supplements like fenugreek (sp?) out there to boost your supply. I ended up having to wean my son at 4 months because my supply had dwindled so much.

Good luck and again...good for you!!

N.,
Great job on the marathon - doing Chicago? I'll be training for my fourth after my little one's born in late Sept (plan to do Chicago 2010). Anyway, I started running again shortly after my son, now 2, was born. My husband decided to take up the sport with me at the time (he has since quit), and he was pushing the running stroller. When he quit running, I had to take over that load, and boy was it hard at first! Pushing all that extra weight really makes it more difficult, but it will get to the point where pushing the stroller is nothing, and running without is WONDERFUL! Anyway, with the knees, it's probably a result of your loosened joints, as another mom said. I would do some research on this, as you might want to purchase some knee braces just to help keep everything in alignment and make sure it doesn't get worse. As far as milk supply, you HAVE to make sure you're getting enough water and calories per day to keep it up. People might notice a decrease because they are not increasing their caloric intake. Keep in mind that when you run 1 mile in 10 minutes, you're burning about 100 calories. If you're running faster than that, then you're burning more. If slower, slightly less. When you run for 30 minutes, consider it 300 calories. You need to eat this amount in order to keep your milk supply up. Even if you're trying to cut calories in order to lose some of the extra baby weight, you have to be very careful and slow with this process. Make sure you follow your run with a healthy snack (in addition to your daily meals) consisting of some carb and some protein, and drink drink drink the water! If you're noticing a dip in milk supply, eat a bigger snack, even if you're not hungry. If you're eating enough calories and drinking enough water, you should find no significant decrease in milk supply. Since your little one is starting solids soon (or already has), then you will most likely have a natural decrease, since he won't be getting all of his nutrition from you.

Well, I must say that I am SO jealous of your ability to run. I'm 7 1/2 months pregnant now and WAY too big for jogging. I miss it so much! I got a great deal on a double jogger off Craigslist and I can't wait to use it next summer!!! Best of luck to you in your marathon.

Amy K

Every body is different. I was able to exercise and not have any problems with my milk supply, but my sister hasn't ever been able to exercise until her kids (she has 4) were weaned because her milk supply would drop so much when she exercised. She just had to wait until breastfeeding was done. I hope that's not the case with you. Good luck with your knees and the marathon!

It took me a year to start running again after my baby. But I know some who have started a lot sooner. Pregnancy can loosen your joints, it has to do with the hormonal changes. So your knees are easier to injure now. Listen to your body, it will tell you what it is capable of and when. Be patient, your body has already accomplished much this year.

Hey N. - congrats on getting back out there. Your milk supply should be fine as long as you stay hydrated. I would also recommend taking a calcium/magnesium supplement because new moms are more susceptible to stress fractures. Training by pushing the jog stroller is also great because when you run without it - you are much faster because you aren't pushing all that weight!

My guess is your body isn't used to running anymore. I run on a regular basis and at first it was hard. Just take it slow, remember, you just had a baby! Your joints aren't used to all that motion and your knees tend to take the brunt of the impact when running. Good luck with the marathon, Medtronic Twin Cities? I didn't get into the 10 mile, I could never do a marathon. Something about running for like 4 hours straight just doesn't appeal to me! Good for you though!