Racing mom
Posted on February 13th, 2011 by ErinPosted in Uncategorized
On November 4, just 2 hours and 23 minutes after having begun the 26.2 mile race, Paula Radcliff crossed the finish line of the New York City Marathon, winning 1st place in the women’s division. Making her win all that more impressive is the fact that Radcliff is a new mom, having only given birth this past January.
For many new moms (and dads), the idea of training for a marathon when you’re short on sleep and big on the wonder of your new bundle of joy is almost impossible to imagine. But beyond that, Radcliff’s amazing victory brings to the foreground questions of when it’s okay for a new mother to begin exercise again. There’s no definitive answer – it varies according to each woman – but many agree that there should be no strenuous exercise during the pregnancy and for at least 6 weeks after a natural birth.
As a professional runner, Radcliff ran throughout her pregnancy and began training again shortly after her difficult labor. Even though she’s a seasoned, experienced racer with six previous marathon wins, the workout schedule was still too much for her body: in May, she suffered a stress fracture of her spine, which stopped her from training for a full eight weeks. Again, Radcliff is a woman who has trained hard for a very long time. She is far more prepared than most to train during and after a pregnancy.
So where does that leave the rest of us? Mostly in a rocking chair, holding and bonding with our new baby. After a pregnancy and birth, our bodies change. Sleep cycles most definitely change. In order to stay healthy, we need to give our bodies a good rest before bouncing back to previous routines. Don’t push it and always talk with your doctor before beginning a new exercise schedule.
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