Three weeks post-baby, Sarah checks in on her return to exercise.
Well, I went out for my first post-baby run yesterday and lived to blog about it - barely. Three weeks since welcoming little Nell into the world, I was antsy to test my fitness. So I asked my go-to running guru Bec for some guidance on a run/walk workout that wouldn't put me in traction, here's what she offered:
5 minutes easy warm up
5 x 1 minute run/1minute walk
2 minutes easy jog recovery
5x 1 minute run uphill/1 minute walk down the hill
5 minutes cool down
I designated Sunday as the day to start, and that afternoon I pulled my trusty black tights and fushia Nike shirt out from the way back of my armoire, dusted off the ol' running shoes, and...sat on the couch. After being SO motivated to get running again, all of a sudden I slipped into a panic. It had been over a month of being laid up with pelvis pain and the ensuing lack of willpower to workout, and I questioned whether I was really ready to get back into a regular routine. Besides, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was on and we had a fridge full of winter lagers from a party the previous day. Sunday Funday, anyone?
But, because I had made such a big deal about going out for a run earlier in the day, my husband, Mark, was not going to let me off that easy. With some cajoling from him and 4-year-old E, I finally headed out the door. 15 minutes in, I felt great. My lungs were burning, of course, but there were no aches and pains and I actually felt fluid. And even though I slowed down to a walk at the appropriate intervals, I was confident that I could have kept up a consistent running pace if needed. Yep, this wasn't going to be hard at all.
And that's when I totally bit it. I must have hit an uneven piece of sidewalk and, being my not-so-coordinated self, could not stop myself from plummeting to the cold concrete below with my right knee, elbow, and hip taking the brunt of the fall. In an effort to play it cool in front of neighbors, I quickly got back up on my feet and ran around a corner to survey the damage. It wasn't pretty¡ªI have a huge hole in my favorite tights and glove and a skinned knee and elbow¡ªbut I decided it wasn't worth running home for, either.
I had a good laugh at myself, finished the workout, and returned home to show off my gnarly road rash. Not sure if it makes me look like a tough runner or just a huge klutz, but I was able to impress my little ones none the less. And despite being bruised, battered, and a little sore, I'm ready for my next run! So bring it on...Bec, what's next?
--Sarah
**Check back tomorrow for Bec's response!