Returning to running after having a baby can feel intimidating.
Questions like “Am I ready?”, “What if I have prolapse symptoms?”, and “How am I supposed to train with kids?” are incredibly common—and honestly, they’re questions we ask ourselves too.
Recently, we completed our first postpartum race together: Roxanne’s first 10K just a few months after giving birth. While the race itself was a huge milestone, it also reinforced something we’ve been teaching for years at MamasteFit:
Postpartum running isn’t about getting back to where you were before pregnancy. It’s about building a stronger, more resilient runner than before.
Whether you’re training for your first 5K, dreaming about a marathon, or simply hoping to run without leaking urine or feeling pelvic heaviness, we hope our experience helps you feel more confident on your own journey.
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A First Postpartum 10K
Roxanne just completed her first race approximately five months postpartum.
Like many postpartum athletes, the goal wasn’t setting a personal record.
The goal was proving that her body was capable again.
Of course, I may have made the race slightly more appealing by finding an incredible cabin in Asheville for the weekend—but Roxanne didn’t need much convincing. Running had always been part of her life. From high school and collegiate running to half marathons and marathons before children, racing was something she genuinely enjoyed.
This race simply marked the beginning of a new chapter.
Well…with one small surprise.
The “flat, net downhill” course turned out to include far more hills than either of us expected.
Fortunately, the unexpected elevation provided a valuable reminder:
Race day rarely goes exactly according to plan, but your preparation determines how well you adapt.
Why the Run-Walk Method Works So Well Postpartum
One of the smartest decisions Roxanne made was using a run-walk strategy instead of attempting to run the entire race continuously.
At the time, her longest training run had only reached around three to four miles.
Instead of feeling like she needed to “prove” she could run six miles straight, she chose a simple strategy:
- Run for three minutes
- Walk for one minute
- Repeat
This pacing allowed her to:
- Monitor how her body felt
- Check in with her pelvic floor
- Control fatigue
- Finish strong rather than simply survive the race
Many runners mistakenly assume walking during a race means they’ve failed.
In reality, many experienced marathoners and ultramarathon runners intentionally use run-walk intervals because they’re incredibly effective for managing fatigue over long distances.
Jeff Galloway popularized this approach through RunDisney events, making endurance racing more accessible for runners of every age and ability.
For postpartum athletes especially, walking intervals create valuable opportunities to reset breathing, assess symptoms, and maintain good movement quality throughout the race.
The goal isn’t to avoid walking.
The goal is finishing healthy enough that you can continue training tomorrow.
Returning to Running Doesn't Mean Running Race Distance
One of the biggest misconceptions about race training is believing you must complete the entire race distance before race day.
In reality, many experienced runners never do.
Marathon runners rarely complete 26.2-mile training runs before race day.
Ultramarathon runners certainly aren’t running 100 miles during training.
Even for shorter races like a 10K, your longest run doesn’t necessarily need to match race distance.
Instead, training should balance:
- Weekly mileage
- Recovery
- Strength training
- Progressive overload
- Injury prevention
For busy moms, this is especially encouraging.
You don’t need endless hours every week to prepare for a race.
You need consistent training that fits your life.
Learning to Trust a Postpartum Body Again
One of the most meaningful parts of Roxanne’s race wasn’t her finish time.
It was learning to trust her body again.
Throughout the race she regularly checked in with herself, paying attention to:
- Breathing mechanics
- Pelvic floor heaviness
- Shoulder rotation
- Thoracic mobility
- Overall body tension
Instead of ignoring symptoms, she used them as information.
That mindset shift is incredibly important.
Your body isn’t trying to stop you.
It’s constantly communicating with you.
When we listen instead of pushing through discomfort, we can make smarter training decisions that support long-term progress rather than short-term accomplishments.
Running with Prolapse: What We Learned
One topic we don’t hear discussed enough is running with pelvic organ prolapse.
Many women are told that prolapse means they should never run again.
That simply isn’t true.
It means your body may need a different strategy.
During the race, Roxanne noticed something encouraging:
She didn’t experience many of the prolapse symptoms she had struggled with previously.
There was:
- No urinary leakage
- No difficulty emptying her bladder afterward
- No need to splint
- Minimal pelvic heaviness during the race itself
She did notice some heaviness several hours afterward.
Rather than viewing this as failure, she recognized it for what it actually was:
Fatigue.
Just like your quads become tired after a long run, your pelvic floor muscles can become fatigued too.
The symptoms resolved after resting, and by the next day she felt back to normal.
That recovery told us the training load was appropriate—even if a bit more preparation would likely reduce post-race fatigue next time.
Why Monitoring Symptoms Matters More Than Avoiding Running
Many runners become afraid of every pelvic floor sensation.
Instead, try asking:
- Do symptoms appear only after long efforts?
- Do they improve with recovery?
- Are they becoming less frequent as training progresses?
- Can I modify intensity rather than stopping completely?
These questions help guide progression far better than assuming every symptom means something is wrong.
Your Pelvic Floor Isn't Meant to Stay Tight While You Run
A common misconception is that the pelvic floor should stay contracted throughout exercise.
Many women have been told to “hold a Kegel” while running.
Unfortunately, that’s not how the pelvic floor is designed to work.
Your pelvic floor is constantly responding to every step you take.
With each stride, these muscles naturally:
- Contract
- Relax
- Lengthen
- Rebound
This constant change in tension helps absorb force, stabilize the pelvis, support your pelvic organs, and contribute to continence.
When we attempt to hold one long contraction throughout an entire run, we actually prevent the pelvic floor from doing its job efficiently.
Instead of becoming more supportive, it often becomes fatigued much faster.
Think about trying to keep your bicep flexed for an hour.
Eventually, the muscle stops working well.
Your pelvic floor responds similarly.
The goal isn’t to squeeze harder.
The goal is to move better.
Movement Quality Matters More Than Muscle Tightness
Throughout the race, Roxanne used each walk interval as an opportunity to perform a quick body scan.
She asked herself:
- Am I breathing?
- Am I rotating through my upper body?
- Am I feeling heaviness?
- Am I holding unnecessary tension?
- Am I staying stacked?
Those simple check-ins prevented her from running mile after mile with poor mechanics.
Many postpartum runners only notice symptoms once they become significant.
Instead, try noticing the smaller changes before discomfort develops.
Ask yourself every few minutes:
- Has my posture changed?
- Am I gripping my glutes?
- Am I clenching my jaw?
- Am I breathing normally?
- Am I starting to shorten my stride?
These little adjustments often make a much bigger difference than trying to “strengthen” your pelvic floor during the run itself.
Why Arm Swing Can Improve Pelvic Floor Function
One of the biggest changes I made to my own running form surprised both of us.
Growing up as competitive runners, we were taught:
- Arms move straight forward and backward.
- Don’t cross the midline.
- Keep everything rigid.
While those cues may work for maximizing sprint efficiency, they don’t always create the best movement strategy for postpartum runners.
Instead, allowing a natural arm swing that creates gentle rotation through the rib cage can actually improve pelvic floor mechanics.
Why?
Because your rib cage, spine, pelvis, and pelvic floor all work together.
As your thorax rotates naturally with each stride, your pelvis rotates as well.
That rotation changes the tension throughout the pelvic floor from one side to the other.
Instead of one area constantly absorbing force, the workload becomes distributed across the entire system.
For many women, simply allowing a more relaxed upper body significantly decreases feelings of pelvic heaviness while running.
Stay Stacked Instead of Leaning Back
Another common compensation postpartum runners develop is running with their ribs flared and chest lifted.
Often this happens subconsciously while trying to “stand tall.”
The problem?
A flared rib cage places more pressure downward through the front portion of the pelvic floor.
Instead, think about stacking:
- Ribs over pelvis
- Head over shoulders
- Shoulders relaxed
- Gentle forward lean from the ankles rather than arching through your back
This position allows pressure to be managed much more efficiently throughout your core.
Rather than forcing perfect posture, think of creating balanced posture.
Sometimes Running Faster Actually Feels Better
This sounds completely backwards.
Many runners experiencing pelvic floor symptoms instinctively slow down.
Unfortunately, slower isn’t always easier.
When we artificially shorten our stride and try to shuffle along, we often become much bouncier.
More bounce means:
- More impact
- More ground contacts
- More loading through the pelvic floor
During the Asheville race, Roxanne noticed exactly this.
On the downhill sections she initially shortened her stride because she didn’t want to go too fast.
Ironically, that made her pelvic floor feel worse.
Once she relaxed, opened her stride, and let gravity do more of the work, everything felt smoother.
She actually felt:
- Better breathing
- Less pelvic pressure
- Less overall effort
Of course, this doesn’t mean sprint every downhill.
It simply highlights that efficient movement often matters more than slower movement.
Should You Walk Hills?
One interesting observation from the race involved uphill running.
Many runners automatically walk every hill.
But postpartum, hills can sometimes feel surprisingly comfortable.
Why?
Running uphill naturally:
- Reduces impact forces
- Encourages greater knee drive
- Shortens stride naturally
- Decreases braking forces
For some runners, uphill running actually produces fewer pelvic floor symptoms than fast downhill running.
Again, every body is different.
Rather than assuming one strategy works for everyone, experiment during training.
Notice:
- Which terrain feels best?
- Which terrain creates symptoms?
- How long do symptoms last afterward?
Your body will usually tell you what it needs.
Recovery Starts Before You Finish the Run
One lesson Roxanne took away from the race was that recovery doesn’t begin after you get home.
Recovery starts during your cool down.
Looking back, she believes one thing would have helped reduce the heaviness she felt later that evening:
Diaphragmatic breathing immediately after finishing.
After that final fast mile, she realized she had probably been clenching her pelvic floor without realizing it.
A few minutes spent lying down and reconnecting with her breath may have helped restore normal pelvic floor movement much sooner.
Simple recovery ideas after longer runs include:
- Five minutes of diaphragmatic breathing
- Gentle walking before sitting down
- Hydration
- Light mobility work
- Prioritizing rest for the remainder of the day when possible
Recovery isn’t a sign of weakness.
It’s part of training.
Pelvic Floor Symptoms Are Feedback—Not Failure
Perhaps the biggest lesson from this race is that symptoms don’t automatically mean you should stop running forever.
Instead, they provide valuable information.
Ask yourself:
- Did symptoms appear during the run or afterward?
- Were they mild or severe?
- How quickly did they resolve?
- Did they improve compared to previous runs?
Progress isn’t measured by having zero symptoms overnight.
It’s measured by seeing gradual improvement over weeks and months of consistent training.
Returning to running postpartum isn’t about proving your body can ignore discomfort.
It’s about building a body that becomes more resilient with every mile.
You Don't Have to Run Every Day to Become a Better Runner
One of the biggest misconceptions in endurance sports is that becoming a stronger runner requires running every single day.
For many moms, that’s simply unrealistic.
Between work, school drop-offs, sports practices, meal prep, and everything else that comes with raising children, finding time for daily runs isn’t possible.
And honestly?
It doesn’t have to be.
Throughout her postpartum training, Roxanne often only completed two dedicated runs each week while consistently prioritizing strength training.
Those runs each had a purpose:
- One longer endurance run
- One faster workout focusing on intervals or tempo
The rest of her training week focused on building strength, mobility, and overall athleticism.
That combination allowed her to line up at the starting line feeling prepared without accumulating excessive fatigue.
For recreational runners, this is often a far more sustainable approach than trying to squeeze in five or six runs every week.
Why Strength Training Makes Running Feel Easier
Running is essentially a series of single-leg hops.
Every step places multiple times your body weight through one leg while your core and pelvis work to stabilize your body.
If those muscles aren’t strong enough, something else has to compensate.
That compensation often shows up as:
- Knee pain
- Hip pain
- Low back discomfort
- Pelvic floor symptoms
- Fatigue late in a run
- Feeling like your form completely falls apart
Strength training improves your body’s ability to tolerate those repetitive forces.
Instead of simply surviving each step, your body becomes more efficient at absorbing and producing force.
This means:
- Better running economy
- Less wasted energy
- Improved posture
- More power
- Greater durability over longer distances
In other words, getting stronger often makes running feel easier—even if your cardiovascular fitness hasn’t changed dramatically.
The Pelvic Floor Is Part of Your Strength Program
One of the biggest mistakes postpartum runners make is separating pelvic floor training from strength training.
In reality, they should work together.
Your pelvic floor doesn’t function in isolation.
It works alongside:
- Your diaphragm
- Deep abdominal muscles
- Glutes
- Hip muscles
- Hamstrings
- Adductors
- Back muscles
When those larger muscle groups become stronger and more coordinated, your pelvic floor often has to work less to keep everything supported.
This is one reason why many women notice improvements in leaking or heaviness after beginning a comprehensive strength program—even if they aren’t doing endless Kegels.
The goal isn’t simply creating a stronger pelvic floor.
It’s creating a stronger body.
Prioritize Compound Movements
When time is limited, every exercise should count.
Rather than spending an hour doing isolated exercises for individual muscles, prioritize movements that train multiple muscle groups at once.
Some of our favorites include:
Squats
Squats build strength through your hips, glutes, quadriceps, core, and pelvic floor while improving the ability to produce force during running.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts strengthen the posterior chain—the muscles responsible for propulsion, posture, and absorbing impact during every stride.
They’re also fantastic for developing hip strength that transfers directly to running.
Step-Ups
Running is essentially repeated single-leg work.
Step-ups closely mimic that pattern while improving balance, hip stability, and lower-body strength.
Split Squats
Single-leg exercises expose strength differences between sides while challenging pelvic stability in ways that closely resemble running.
Hip Thrusts
Strong glutes are one of the best friends a runner can have.
Hip thrusts improve hip extension power while helping reduce the workload placed on smaller stabilizing muscles.
Rows and Upper Body Strength
Running isn’t just about your legs.
As fatigue sets in, your upper body posture becomes increasingly important.
Rows help strengthen the muscles that keep your shoulders back and your rib cage positioned well throughout longer runs.
A stronger upper body also contributes to more efficient arm swing, which—as we discussed in Part 2—can positively influence pelvic floor mechanics.
You Don't Need an Hour
One of our favorite takeaways from this conversation is that consistency beats perfection.
Many moms believe they need an uninterrupted hour before it’s “worth” exercising.
The reality is that meaningful progress can happen in much shorter sessions.
Fifteen focused minutes is infinitely better than skipping your workout because you couldn’t find sixty.
This is exactly why we designed MamasteFit workouts to be completed in circuits.
If life interrupts you after one circuit, you’ve still accomplished meaningful work.
You can always come back later to finish the remaining exercises—or simply move on with your day knowing you invested in your health.
Exercise doesn’t lose its value because it was completed in smaller pieces.
Building a Home Gym Doesn't Have to Be Expensive
One of the biggest barriers many moms face is simply getting to the gym.
By the time you’ve packed snacks, loaded everyone into the car, driven across town, and unloaded everyone again, you’ve already spent half your workout time.
That’s why having even a modest home setup can make such a difference.
The good news?
You don’t need an elaborate garage gym or thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment to get an effective workout.
A simple home gym can include:
- A light, medium, and heavy pair of dumbbells
- Mini resistance bands
- Long resistance bands
- A sturdy bench (optional but helpful)
- A plyometric box or sturdy step
With just those few tools, you can perform the vast majority of strength exercises needed to support running, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and general fitness.
Over the years, Gina has built a much larger gym, but she was quick to point out that many of those additions weren’t necessary—they were simply nice to have.
Don’t let the idea of a “perfect” home gym keep you from starting with what you have.
Strength Today Creates Freedom Tomorrow
One of the most powerful moments in the podcast had nothing to do with racing.
Instead, I reflected on why I train so consistently.
Yes, I’m preparing for an ultramarathon.
But I’m also preparing for the decades beyond it.
My goal isn’t simply to finish a race next year.
My goal is to be the kind of 70-year-old who can travel, hike with grandchildren, explore Disney parks without pain, and continue saying “yes” to adventures.
That perspective changes everything.
Exercise stops being about burning calories or chasing a certain pace.
Instead, it becomes an investment in your future health span—the years you spend living well, not simply living longer.
Every strength session, every run, and every workout is a deposit into that future.
Schedule Your Workouts Like Appointments
One of the most impactful habits we’ve developed is treating workouts like any other important commitment.
Doctor’s appointments go on the calendar.
School events go on the calendar.
Birth center shifts go on the calendar.
Your workout deserves a place there too.
One of the reasons I have been able to train for increasingly ambitious races—including preparing for a 100-mile ultramarathon—is because every workout already has a designated time.
That doesn’t mean every workout happens exactly as planned.
Life still happens.
Children still get sick.
Unexpected meetings pop up.
Sometimes the scheduled run becomes tomorrow’s run.
Sometimes strength training gets swapped with a rest day.
The key is that the workout already has a place in the week.
Without that plan, it’s incredibly easy to reach the end of the day and realize there was never a “good time” to exercise.
As Roxanne shared in the podcast, if she doesn’t intentionally schedule her workouts, she’ll always find something else that feels productive.
Laundry.
Cleaning.
Gardening.
Answering emails.
Meal prep.
The list never ends.
There will always be another task competing for your attention.
Scheduling your workout is one way of reminding yourself that your health belongs on that list too.
Why the Treadmill Has Become a Lifesaver
If you follow my training, you may be surprised to learn that the vast majority of my marathon and ultramarathon miles happen indoors.
Not because I dislike running outside.
Because it’s practical.
When you’re raising four children, coordinating childcare for every long run becomes almost impossible.
A treadmill allows me to:
- Run before the kids wake up
- Run during nap time
- Stay close if someone needs something
- Avoid unsafe roads
- Skip the logistics of driving to running trails
It also removes another common barrier: weather.
No rain.
No extreme heat.
No icy sidewalks.
No wondering whether you’ll finish your workout before the next thunderstorm rolls in.
Many runners dismiss treadmill running as “less than” outdoor running.
We disagree.
The best running plan is the one you can consistently follow.
If the treadmill makes that possible, it’s doing exactly what you need it to do.
Finding Ways to Enjoy Indoor Running
Let’s be honest. Running on a treadmill can feel monotonous. But it doesn’t have to.
Technology has made indoor running much more engaging than it used to be.
Whether you enjoy instructor-led classes, virtual scenic runs, audiobooks, podcasts, or simply catching up on your favorite TV show, giving your brain something to focus on can make longer sessions much more enjoyable.
For me, that often means reading on a Kindle during easier runs.
For others, it’s listening to a favorite podcast or joining a guided workout.
Experiment until you find what keeps you coming back.
Consistency matters far more than where the miles happen.
Safety Tips Every Woman Runner Should Know
One of the most important parts of our conversation shifted away from training entirely.
Instead, we talked about something every female runner has to consider: personal safety.
While we wish this wasn’t part of the conversation, it’s a reality many women navigate every time they head out for a run.
One concept we discussed is becoming a “hard target.”
A hard target is someone who appears aware, alert, and difficult to approach.
Some simple ways to increase your awareness while running include:
- Stay aware of your surroundings.
- Avoid becoming completely distracted by music or your phone if you’re running alone.
- Let someone know your route before you leave.
- Carry your phone.
- Consider carrying personal safety equipment if you’re comfortable and trained to use it.
- Wear bright or reflective clothing, especially during early morning or evening runs.
- Choose routes that are familiar, well-lit, and populated when possible.
Your safety is always more important than sticking to your planned pace or mileage.
Key Takeaways
- Returning to running postpartum is about gradual progression, not rushing back to pre-pregnancy performance.
- Pelvic floor symptoms are feedback—not failure—and can help guide training decisions.
- Strength training is one of the most effective ways to improve running performance and reduce injury risk.
- Consistency beats perfection. Fifteen focused minutes can make a meaningful difference.
- Scheduling workouts dramatically increases the likelihood they’ll happen.
- A simple home gym removes barriers and makes exercise more accessible.
- The “best” workout is the one that fits your current season of life.
- Training today isn’t just for your next race—it’s an investment in lifelong health and independence.
Final Thoughts: Progress Is Built One Workout at a Time
Motherhood has a way of making us believe that everyone else’s schedule is easier.
That everyone else has more childcare.
More time.
More energy.
More motivation.
The reality is that every family is juggling something.
The moms who stay consistent aren’t necessarily the ones with the most free time.
They’re the ones who learn to work with the time they have.
Some seasons you’ll train for races.
Some seasons you’ll celebrate squeezing in two fifteen-minute workouts.
Both are worth celebrating.
At MamasteFit, our goal has never been to help you become the busiest athlete in the room.
Our goal is to help you become a stronger, healthier, more resilient version of yourself—whether you’re preparing for your first postpartum jog, your next marathon, or simply hoping to keep up with your kids without pain.
Because every workout you complete today is helping build the body you’ll rely on for decades to come.