I ran a half marathon today!

And not any half marathon but arguably one of the most difficult half marathons in the Northeast. A trail run that took me up 1500 feet elevation and back down and then back up 1500 feet elevation (for the second loop) through steep ass hills going up and steep drops.

The Tarrywile Half Marathon is everything it is advertised it will be on the website. It’s challenging and although I have been training for a half marathon since I gave birth to my son in 2019, nothing could have prepared me for this race.

If you’re postpartum like me (5years still counts!), getting back into the flow of working out can be challenging. It took me 3.5yrs to work on my pelvic floor issues and the shame I had whenever I would run outside and start to feel my pelvic floor weakness on my runs downhill. It took the wind from my sails and I kept thinking maybe I had to hang up my running shoes and figure out another way to exercise because this slight twinkle every time I ran downhill was not where I wanted to be.

I did so much research and after getting to my 2nd pelvic floor physical therapist (Shout out to the amazing Dr. Sheron DeSousa at Purple PT,) I finally learned ways to strengthen my pelvic floor. I was so scared of going to the gym and lifting weights because I thought I was going to bulk up like a body builder and that was not the look I was going for. Dr. Sheron told me to look at her and her colleagues because they all lifted weights and looked totally normal and strong, but not like body builders. And so I started my journey getting back to my body…

A note about this amazing body of mine. Postpartum, my body was really different. It grew a healthy 10lbs baby and his placenta friend, and when she came back to her new self, she was different. What I did in the past, I couldn’t do as easily. My pelvic floor required so much attention because my hip pain was monstrous when I menstruated and I was miserable.

Society’s expectation of “snap back” of pregnant people’s bodies almost immediately after they give birth is unrealistic. It took our bodies 40weeks to build this little human —don’t you think we’re going to need more than 6weeks to get back to where we are? And frankly, our bodies HAVE to change. Our lives changed after experiencing this little being come through this portal between our legs and join us in this world— isn’t that amazing enough?

Let’s stop policing postpartum bodies.

Let’s start giving postpartum people grace to be happy. To learn their new bodies. To learn the new ways they have to strengthen their bodies. To listen to areas of their bodies that are now talking to them and demanding attention.

Postpartum people are not here for your amusement. They’re/we’re humans still figuring it out while also getting to know this little human that is learning this world.

Here is to a 2025 of more running; more loving my new body; honoring my body for always showing up and showing gratitude to my community for loving and supporting me.

Xoxo,

Birthworker Liz