So, my mom and I were talking on Tuesday night about the whole balancing act which surrounds getting your ‘body back’ after baby. We agreed that there can be two different pitfalls that people fall into with this topic. One of which is not caring for yourself after having kids and just accepting that your body won’t ever be as fit or healthy as it was pre-baby and just living life without really trying to get back into a healthy lifestyle/workout regime. The second pitfall is obsessing about getting that number on the scale or the muscles back and not being able to enjoy that sweet bundle of joy because the body is the #1 thing on our minds.

After talking about it, we decided, like the rest of life, it is all about balance. Sure, your body will change and it will probably never be just like it was before baby. I can testify to things feeling and looking different than before I had Benaiah. But, with that said, it doesn’t mean that we can’t get into a good fitness regime, get stronger, and even healthier than we were before kids! I can also testify to this and I know I am healthier, stronger, and at a better place in my running ‘career’ than I was before Benaiah. Insert happy dance here! 

So, why is it so important?

For me, it’s important to take the time I can to run, eat healthy, and workout for myself, so I can be the best version of myself for my family. I want to feel healthy and strong to be able to best serve them and let’s be honest, I also want to feel confidant and comfortable in my own skin. 

Are these wrong motives or wrong desires? 

Absolutely not. They definitely can be taken too far and if I were to sacrifice my families’ well being, health or whatever for the sake of my running or my body, than it would be a problem. BUT, it is important, as moms to take the time the time we need to be the best version of ourselves so that we can pour into the lives of our family, friends, and strangers.

Mm’Kay, now with that said, let’s chat about marathon training week TWO! (The countdown is on: 16 more weeks to go!)

Friday

Last Friday I took a much needed rest day and just rested, relaxed and spent time with the people I love. After running a six mile hill workout on Thursday, my body needed a chance to rest and refuel.

Saturday

Saturday morning, I felt super good. Landon and I went on a 3 mile running date with all negative splits! Afterwards, we celebrated our time out alone together and good run (Benaiah was being watched by his aunties) with bagels. I took the rest of the day easy and we went to bed early. Increased mileage = early bed times for Bethany!

Sunday

The past two Sunday mornings I have been running (which is kind of out of the ordinary for me) but instead, this past Sunday I took it easy, slept in, and rested. It felt super glorious and I enjoyed not doing much of anything for the rest of the day.

Monday

Monday morning, I met up with a couple ladies from my running club and we knocked out 6 miles along the river. The temperatures were perfect and we kept the pace nice and easy (right around a 9:19 pace). I am so grateful for the running friends I have made recently! Nothing makes the miles go faster than conversation! Right?

Tuesday

Tuesday was a CRAZY day. I woke up late and instead of going out for a run, decided to work on my core and glutes. Strong glutes = happy running, so I made sure to really burn those muscles and although I felt super fatigued after the workout, I loved it. I love running, but strength training is a fun thing to add into the regime, not only for the benefits, but it also keeps my regime interesting and exciting!

Wednesday

I didn’t get home from a bridal shower until LATE on Tuesday night, which meant we all slept in! Since I wasn’t able to get out there early and meet my running group, I put Benaiah in the stroller and we conquered three, slow stroller miles @ a 9:38 pace. I used my new Mizuno Wave Sky shoes for this run and was super happy with how they felt on the run! I will give a full review later, but so far, so good!

After my run, I spent a good while stretching and doing some injury prevention stuff.

Thursday

Thursday = hill days and I am all about having company for hills. Hills will make you a strong runner, but doing hills isn’t my favorite thing in the world. Thankfully, my running group had it planned, so I opted to join them for the hill workout and after finishing 6 miles of hills, I added one more mile as a c/d (c/d = cool down) for a total of 7 miles @ a 9:18 pace. I originally was planning on getting my long run (of 7 miles) in this weekend, but since I will be heavily involved with wedding festivities this weekend, I decided it was better to get it done today and focus on my last three mile run of the week on Friday!

Friday

Today, I am taking an active recovery day and focusing on stretching, pilates, and some foam rolling! Easy peasy.  
And on that note, I will leave you for today! Happy Friday and I hope you all have a wonderful holiday (!!) weekend! 

Questions of the Day 

1. When do you normally fit in your long runs?
2. What are your thoughts on the “body after baby” topic? 
3. What are YOUR weekend plans?