I started this blog purely to get my thoughts down, use my brain creatively and if anything share the message that if I can run… ANYONE CAN.

Since falling pregnant and then subsequently giving birth to a rather large healthy boy I started to turn my thoughts to “How can I get back into running?” Which then turned into, “How can I lose the baby weight I gained?” This then ultimately turned into, “How do I lose my Mum Tum?”

But why?

Recently (the last few months) I have been super quiet on the writing front. This is because bringing up a small human takes every minute of every day and all my brain power.

The running is still there, just less frequent. But I’m still running regularly.

Why?

Because it’s what I do. I ran before and I want to run now. Not for weight loss, not for my size, not because society expects us to “spring back” into shape and not because it’s January.

I am a runner and I like to run.

I have tried to write a few times, and it’s come out as something about my size and weight.

To which I have then deleted.

Again, Why?

Why do we as women feel the need to justify our bodies to the world? Why do we feel, especially after having a baby, the need to “spring back” into shape.

Over the last 8 months since giving birth I have swayed between being completely comfortable with my body, to looking in the mirror and wondering where my body has gone. (This is after someone asked me how I intended to lose the baby weight?)

If you can give birth and slip straight into your pre pregnancy clothes, I salute you.

If like me, your body is a different shape or size, and the pre pregnancy clothes are not quite making it up your thighs I salute you too.

Either way you need to remember your body went through a major transformation and produced another human. It takes time to heal, and everyone is different.

To use a running pun… it’s a marathon not a sprint.

I can currently just about make it round a 10km run without collapsing at the end, this is tough to get my brain around after the many marathons and ultra marathons I have completed. However, I know for now, it’s ok for my body.

And what you do with yours is ok for you.

My main message here is give yourself a little self love and time. If you feel like getting out there then do, I can completely recommend exercise for the feel good factor, but don’t put the pressure on yourself.

And if you feel like staying in the warm and resting, I can completely recommend that too!

I was asked yesterday, whilst attempting sit ups, where has my core gone? And right on cue… my 8 month old son crawled past smiling.

THAT IS WHERE MY CORE IS.

And doesn’t it look bloody happy over there!