When my daughter was 6 months old, I ran my first postpartum half marathon. It was the worst that I’ve ever run in every way – my body felt terrible, the mental wall felt extra tall, and my time was the worst that I’ve ever run. I swore that I wouldn’t sign up for any more races in 2025, and I (mostly*) kept that promise.
(* Mostly because I had also signed up for a local 5K a few weeks after the half marathon, which went… fine! It’s a lot easier to take an L on a 5K that starts 10 minutes away from your apartment!)
I spent the rest of 2025 falling into a groove, juggling parenthood and work with physical activity. It was nice to pepper different types of exercise into my routine, especially swimming. I took two sessions worth of lessons and improved a lot (to be fair, the bar was low)! I focused on lifting weights! I went to PT for my decade-long hip and back pain!
I never strayed too far from road running, especially because my husband and many of my friends are still avid runners, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel the pull to sign up for another race myself when cheering them on. Despite this, I stayed strong! Steadfast! I didn’t sign up for any more races in 2025!
At the end of 2025, I finally pulled the trigger and signed up for my next road race – a half marathon in November 2026. A few weeks later, I signed up for another dream race – my first triathlon in September 2026.
I’m proud that I gave myself a long runway to get back into shape – physically and mentally – because I know I’ll need it. I’m proud of myself for throwing my hat back into the ring and not giving up on something that, before having a child, brought me so much joy. Beyond being proud, I’m excited!
And beyond being excited, I’m… terrified!
So much has changed since having a kid, and I’m worried about what the next few months will look like. I know I can run a half marathon, and I know that I can finish a triathlon – I am less worried about the outcomes and more about the journeys to get there.
Currently, I leave work some days feeling so drained that, by the time I get home, I have just enough energy to play with my baby girl for an hour or two before collapsing on the couch – so where am I going to find the energy to train? My husband also has a busy training schedule, and I’m not looking forward to the extra coordination around who will watch baby while the other trains. The pool at our gym is constantly busy and I have no idea when I’ll be able to get down there at all, let alone how to make the most of my time there.
Most of all, I’m worried about feeling guilty about giving up time with her to pursue my own goals. Right now, I want to spend every waking moment with her, and the idea of using my free time to do anything else feels… wasteful. I want to soak in every evening at the library and every afternoon at the playground because I know I won’t have them forever, but I don’t want to do so at the expense of my own personal hopes and dreams.
I know that I will have to rip the band-aid off these worries very soon, but for now, I’m doing my best to enjoy the hell out of every cuddle and story time with her (even if I’m half asleep)!
Trisha Serquina 