Pregnant. Zero mileage. Am I still a runner?
By Vanda Wilder
I started running as a mandatory requirement for gym class back in 8th and 9th grade. And what happened next was so unexpected. I joined the XC team, found friends and camaraderie, and even fun in running. I then ran for performance and chased fast times all throughout high school, college, and as an adult doing 17+ marathons. I traveled the world doing “runcations” because it became such an integral part of who I am. This bettered my mental health, positivity and I found life skills. I loved the process of improving and seeing my potential grow.
This led to a professional career as a physical therapist helping other people maintain active lifestyles in overcoming injuries. I pursued a goal of specializing in orthopedic injuries, tendinopathies, post-surgical rehabilitation, etc in the past 16 professional years as an effort to help my fellow athletes who were as passionate about their sports as I was with mine. I tried to become an example of health and embodied this love for movement.
And then I met a whole running community that has supported each other throughout our highs and lows in the sport. You find your tribe that “get you” with your love for the sport, and we build each other up. Spewak Racing has made an immense impact on my adult life.
But what we don’t talk about as much is just how intimately life can change our relationship with running. Or how running and all the different hats we wear can fundamentally change us at the core of who we are. And how running stays with us throughout different stages of life – yes, even when our mileage is zero.
I thought adjusting my expectations in my current-day running would be hard after competing and training at my highest level for so many consecutive years. I’m a wife, daughter, manager, teacher, therapist, and soon-to-be mother which is scary as heck. But I am pleasantly surprised. The truth is, running has so many opportunities. As an athlete, I want to be in an environment where running is joyful. And I can create that joyful environment for myself, which can also help avoid burnout. My mindset had to shift from an “all or nothing” attitude to allow greater flexibility. And when I can get out there to run, I appreciate it so much more.
This sport can be one of obsession (for better or worse). If I kept running purely for pursuit of performance and fast times, I would have completely missed the point of why I started running in the first place. And the point is, this is one of the few sports that can give you so much more. So I am going back to my raw roots of why I turned to running:
Run for mental health
Those short, brain-clearing runs should never be taken for granted.
Run for the love of movement, and for the love of yourself.
Run for camaraderie
Coffee, brunch, happy hour with friends: they all combine well pre- and post-runs.
Run without stress, expectations, or performance anxiety
It’s amazing to wake up in the morning without the pressure of a daunting workout or race once in a while.
Finding time for other important aspects of life
It’s important to have more than just one identity. I can still be me and identify with other things that bring me joy.
Rediscover other hobbies that bring you joy: playing an instrument, reading, being a wine/beer connoisseur, etc, etc, etc.
And more significantly, find time to catch up with family/friends more than you would compared to if you were in an intense training cycle for a performance goal. Time is so precious with loved ones, and can easily slip away.
Use this time to fine tune your body
As a physical therapist, I cannot express this enough. Take advantage of these down seasons or cycles of life where you can invest in this.
Cross training and weight lifting has been shown to decrease risk of injury, and can improve performance by up to 19%.
As runners, we see ourselves as fit. We can run for miles or hours on end. But we are fit in that endurance sense. Become a more well-rounded athlete and improve your body’s potential to increase power, bone density, tendon cross-sectional area, etc which will make you an even better runner and increase your longevity in participating in the sport.
You can join a fitness class at the gym, do home programs, and even involve your significant other or best friend!
I am currently in my 3rd trimester of pregnancy. And this is probably the most inconsistent running I’ve ever done since 1999. But I am embracing what my body can and cannot do at this time, and I know that I will always have the sport as life changes.
So whether you are doing run/walk intervals or hammering out 70-mi/weeks, we can redefine what a runner is and what a runner looks like at any stage in life. You’re still a runner. And no one can ever take that away from you.