Tag: postpartum

Austin’s Shoes and Rotary 5k Recap

Austin’s Shoes and Rotary 5k Recap

by Aimee Settlemires ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

My love hate relationship with 5k races continues. A 3.1 mile race should be easy and short to do, but in the middle of the run I hate that I have once again fallen into the trap that a 5k is anything but easy.

My last 5k race was back in October. I was only 4 months postpartum at the time, and I had only started back running after taking a year off. I was very pleased with the outcome of that race. I ran the whole race without stopping and kept a consistent pace of 10:52.

That was 6 months ago and, except for a small running break in November and December due to sickness, I feel like I have been putting in the work. I started incorporating consistent strength training in January. I have logged runs 3 times a week on the Tread with one long run on the weekends. I was excited to race and see if my training improved my 5k time.

I ran the Austin’s Shoes and the Rotary 5k back in 2023 right before my first full marathon. My finish time was 29.10 with an average pace of 9:14. I placed second in my age group. I wasn’t sure if my fitness level was quite back to that level, but I was ready to get out there and give it my best shot.

The weather wasn’t perfect, but decent for a run. There was a current tornado watch, overcast skies, and some pretty strong winds. Lining up at the start line I prayed the rain would hold off until after I finished.

The first mile is always the hardest. As always I took off too fast. With my pace somewhere at an 8:30 for the first half a mile. I am not an 8 minute mile girl. When I started hitting the first few hills I was already spent. I felt like my breakfast was going to make a reappearance. I listened to my body and took a minute walk break. Restarted my run at a slower pace. This course had some hills. I didn’t forget about the course elevation, but it does sneak up on you.

Somewhere in the middle of mile 2 and in between some terrible hills I wanted to quit all together. I was so hot. (Should have worn at t-shirt instead of long sleeve.) I was so thirsty. I was so done. I rounded a corner and, surprise, I saw the smiling faces of my husband and two youngest kids cheering me on from the playground. Then I remembered that it doesn’t matter if my time or pace is good, it is a gift to be able to run. I powered up the next hill and when I reached the bottom of that I was nearing the finish.

I rounded the last corner and sprinted toward the finish line. I crossed at 31:41. I was drenched with sweat and completely drained. I told my husband “I hate 5ks and I am never racing another.” After I got my official result. I found out once again I placed 2nd in my age group. I was a surprised that I placed and disappointed in myself at the same time that I didn’t get first. “Next year I will get 1st.” My husband: “I thought you weren’t running anymore 5ks?”

I got my trophy and we finished the morning with an early lunch from Chick-fil-a. The frozen lemonade was the perfect ending to a near perfect race.

Why I Love Peloton, and So Should You

Why I Love Peloton, and So Should You

by Aimee Settlemires ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The Backstory

After nine years I found myself a new mom again. I had spent the last of 2020 working bedside nursing, being pregnant, and just trying to survive without getting sick. Fortunately, I went through my pregnancy and labor without any major complications. I also stayed healthy and avoided getting sick with COVID. In 2021 I was still living the COVID-quarantine nightmare, I was taking care of a new baby. I had a new job as a nurse practitioner. I was working night shifts 7 on and 7 off. Prior to grad school I was an avid runner. I went to the gym daily. I lifted heavy weights. I ran 5ks for fun (Actually, ran one on my birthday as a present to myself.) I allowed my hectic life to become an excuse to let my healthy lifestyle slip away. I needed a change, but starting is the hardest part. I had no desire to start back at square one. Peloton got really big during the pandemic, but it didn’t hit my radar until five months postpartum. Not only was I at my heaviest weight, but I was at my laziest. I just didn’t move like I used to. I let the complications of life and graduate school immobilize me and now I didn’t really care for who was looking back at me in the mirror. Enter Peloton.

He actually bought me a Peloton!

It started as a joke with my husband. I would tease him about buying me a Peloton knowing good and well it was too expensive. Plus where would we even put the darn thing? I wanted to loose weight and get my strength back. I started doing at home work outs with Youtube videos. Going on walks in the park with the baby. Slowly started moving in whatever way my body allowed. I continued to scroll, seeing reels (I was not on the TikTok bandwagon yet.) of Peloton bike in action. I was drawn to the energy of the instructors, the music, and the insane of amount of different classes available. I kept telling my husband I didn’t really want one all the while doing research. I listened to testimonies of users who swore it changed their life. Lots of people compared its members to a cult they were so dedicated to the brand. Any available downtime at work I had was spent drinking the Peloton kool-aid. I was hooked and I hadn’t even taken a class yet.

When my husband surprised me on Mother’s Day 2021 with Peloton shoes I was speechless. I actually believe we were having a slight argument about whatever married couples bicker about. I remember wanting to stay mad out of spite. I wanted to be petty and simmer in my anger. I wasn’t even sure I was in the right. It didn’t matter because it all melted me when he handed me that box with the Peloton logo on it. I can literally see every woman’s eyes roll at this part. Hunny! It’s an exercise bike- it’s not that SERIOUS. It was more than that though. At least to me it was. It meant that he knew me. Clint gifted me something I didn’t actually ask for. He saw through all my “I don’t need it.” and “It’s too expensive.” He wanted me to have this because I wanted it.

The Peloton Hype is Real

Okay, so my incredibly sweet husband got me the Peloton. Did that make me more susceptible to really love the bike? Maybe. Probably not though. If I told him I hated it he would have sold it in a heartbeat and got the money back. I had to wait a few weeks for delivery. The anticipation was horrible. It finally came in July of that year. When I finished that first beginner ride I signed away my soul to the cult known as Peloton. Not really, but I did really love it. To feel that exhaustion you only get from pushing yourself – it had been such a long time. I forgot how much I truly loved movement. I forgot what my body was capable of. It sounds silly and such a self help move, but after the ride I set out to reclaim that version of me.

I had stopped running in 2016 for several reasons, number one being I had no time. I was in graduate school, I was newly divorced, and I was working full time. I had also gained a lot of weight in the last several years. Running was difficult for my knees with the added weight. I attempted to stick with it and one afternoon I fell, twisting my ankle and lacerating my knee. I needed stitches and crutches. Maybe it was the easy way out, or maybe it was what I needed at this time. I allowed this injury to be my excuse to exit the running scene. When Clint and I met, I talked about how happy running once made me and how unfortunate it was that it wasn’t feasible anymore. Maybe he knew then what I didn’t even know, that one day I would return to running.

First Peloton ride. (Very emotional.)

As my Peloton journey continued I started to gain my strength back. My post baby/post grad school pounds slowly melted away. The great thing about Peloton is that they offer classes in anything you can think of. Running, walking, hiking, pilates, barre, even sleep meditation. The variety in classes and the endurance that I had acquired through consistent bike rides had me moving more in the few months of owning the bike than I had in the last few years. I still remember I was pushing my youngest in the stroller at the park, enjoying a walking class through the Peloton app, when I suddenly got the urge to run. I hadn’t ran in five years. Who did I think I was? I am going uphill with a stroller with a pretty healthy-sized chunk of a baby and this is the time I am going to be like “Huh? Let me just pick up the pace a little bit.” That is exactly what I did. I did not go fast. I did not go far. I did run though.

Once I knew I could start running again. It was like relearning the sport all over again. I had to start with run walk intervals, but Peloton had a class for that. I kept at it. I kept cross training with the bike. Weeks passed, and I had worked myself up to running a mile. How humbling that was. I remember a time I could run 8 miles without stopping. Once I could run a mile I thought maybe I should sign up for a race. Nothing raises the stakes like signing up for something with a deadline. In May of 2022, a year after my surprise of “I got you a Peloton”, I completed my first 10k.

The Full Circle Moment

Running is pure joy to me. I am a runner. It’s an essential part of who I am. I almost lost that part of myself without realizing how important it really is to me. If it weren’t for Peloton I am not sure if I would have found it again. Peloton changed my life. Gosh, I sound insane. That’s the truth though. In the short time of being a member I have returned to running and have come so much farther than I even could have imaged. Have I mentioned I ran a freaking full marathon? The classes, the instructors, the achievements, the music options, the programs. All of it. It keeps me turning on that bike and opening up that app. It makes me show up everyday. It’s a community that I am so thankful for. If you are reading this I hope you’re inspired to either join Peloton, and if so add me to your leaderboard, or, if not, I hope I have inspired you to at least find your version of what Peloton is for me.

Waking up at 5 am and getting PR.

The Peloton Tread

I recently grew my Peloton collection with the Peloton Tread. I love love my bike for cross training days, but as a long distance runner – running is sort of important. I was running all my runs outside. I would wake up early in the morning usually around 4 am and be out the door by 5 am. I ran in all types of weather. Rain, sleet, snow. I lived in town so with some additional safety lights that I would wear plus the street lights this was pretty doable. Recently I have moved to a more rural location. I am living in the sticks. It’s dirt roads and moonlight at 5 am. I attempted several times to run in the dark – after all it’s just dark. I would never get past our drive way though. It was just a different type of dark out here. Which lead to the purchase of the Tread. Mornings are the only time I have to run. With a preschooler we are attempting to homeschool and very mobile infant, if I don’t run in the morning, I don’t run. I am not an afternoon runner. I get sluggish and lazy and end up just vegging out on the couch if I wait. I am not a professional treadmill user. So this is just my basic overview of what I love about the Peloton Tread and my not so favorite things. Anyway, don’t want to spoil the ending but keeping up with the theme of the day, I love my Tread.

Perks of the Tread

  1. The number one perk of the tread is the convenience and the control. I don’t have to worry about weather; hot, cold, rain, shine. I am able to run in a comfortable temperature. The ease of having it right in our basement is awesome. I just have to get up and get ready and walk downstairs. No out and backs. No driving to a track. I have less excuses why I can’t get my butt up and go run.
  2. I love the screen. It’s the perfect size. I am not squinting. The touch screen is very responsive. I don’t usually watch shows when I run, but with this screen I may have to binge some Netflix on a long run.
  3. The width of the belt. I have been on some narrow treadmills in my life. It’s ridiculous. I am not a petite girl. I am about 5’7″ and most of me is legs. Narrow treadmills make me feel cramped and confined. At any moment I might misstep and fall right off.
  4. The dials on the railings. On each side of the handrails is a dial. The left is for incline and the right is for speed. How many people hate having to push the button repeatedly when increasing or decreasing speed? Especially, on an interval training day! With the dial you just push it forward to your desired speed or incline. The tread doesn’t miss a beat. The is no delay and no pause in your pace waiting for the treadmill to catch up.
  5. It’s built very well. It’s not light or flimsy. It’s probably never leaving my basement because there is no way we are going to be able to carry it out. You don’t bounce around at high speeds. As someone who isn’t so light-this was a must. I don’t want to feel like I am going to break it by just running.
  6. It requires a passcode to start. I have four kids, and, while I don’t see them jumping on the treadmill and going for a run, I do see them trying to play around with it. It brings me comfort that it can’t just turn on. It requires a person to put in a passcode and to have the safety key in place.
  7. The aesthetic of the machine. It’s just sleek and pretty. 🙂

Cons of the Tread

  1. I think you know what I am going to say first. PRICE! The Tread is not cheap. The most basic option package is 2,995 dollars. For the Tread+ you are looking at spending 5,995 dollars. It is quite an investment. Is it worth it? For me, yes. Though it did make me take pause before deciding I wanted to buy it.
  2. It’s really, really HEAVY. This isn’t exactly a con, because it is sturdy and makes me feel safe while running. It just makes it difficult to move and where it can be located in your home. We choose our basement. We wanted an area with a solid floor and away from the kids. It took my husband, father in law, and son to move it downstairs. It is staying put for sure.
  3. I don’t have a third. 🙂

In Conclusion

I love all things Peloton. I don’t have a rower as it has never interested me, but at this point who knows. Let’s not rule it out. Being a Peloton member I get everything I need. A sense of community, motivation, options, the list goes on and on. Do I miss going to an actual gym? No. I have a whole gym at the tips of my fingers. I look forward to being a lifelong member of the Peloton community. I hope this gives you some insight into what Peloton is all about. Maybe even connives you to drink the Peloton kool-aid. 🙂

Rediscovering the Joy of Running After Motherhood

Rediscovering the Joy of Running After Motherhood

by Aimee Settlemires ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This last weekend I was able to run in a way I haven’t be able to run in a long time. For the first time since having my son, I ran a whole 5 miles. I won’t say I was forgetting what running meant to me. However, I did find it easier to make excuses to skip runs. Then I finally pushed myself to get out there and run. While I was on a half a mile walking trail next to my work, I suddenly remembered how much I love this sport.

I have four children. With each child life as a mom looked a little different for me and priorities shifted. This last baby was no different. My whole focus is now a demanding little chunky baby with the bluest eyes and the chubbiest thighs. I understand that this is completely normal. After having a baby, jumping back into getting fit is the last thing anyone wants to do. From 2022 to 2023 I did more running then I have ever done. After training and successfully running my first full marathon I was drained. The pregnancy and the birth of my son was a welcomed break to do absolutely nothing.

After I had my six week check up and got clearance from doctor. I was ready to get back to running, though it felt differently now. I knew I couldn’t just go out and run ten miles like it was nothing. I hadn’t run in over almost year. I felt so defeated all my hard work was just gone. I was starting all over. I was back at square one, and it was overwhelming. Doubt and negativity crept into my brain. I began to tell myself, “Maybe you just had that one good year of running. Perhaps that was it.” I ran a full marathon. I proved to myself that I could do it after feeling like that was something I could never do. I can cross it off my bucket list and move on, though the thoughts of returning to running stayed with me.

I started back with cycling on my Peloton, yoga sessions, and light strength exercises even though things were hard, which just put more fear into me about lacing up my beloved running sneakers. No one was pushing me except me to get back to running. The thought of starting over was horrible. My mind kept returning to “I will just have to start.” I was not going to allow myself to give up running. It may look different after pregnancy, but it wasn’t something I could give up. My first run was a mile that my husband joined me for. Toddler, infant, and puppy all in tow we started down our new drive for our walk/run. A week after giving birth we moved into the house we had been working on for eight plus years. New baby plus moving? It was a hectic, but a blissful, time.

So, I traded out paved city streets for red dirty country roads. The first mile on a different terrain felt tough. The roads had a lot more hills and rocks. It feels more like trail running out here. It was a fun time because my little three year old was running besides me. My three year old was keeping pace with me. That was where I was starting at with running. Granted, he is a pretty fast three year old with actually good form. Possibly a future running partner.

Over the next couple of weeks I went on a handful of runs. A mile or two here and there. Each left me with a feeling of accomplishment of getting out the door. However, I also felt sadness that I was struggling with such a short distances. The entire time I am running I am thinking this is so hard. I am counting the minutes until it was over. I wasn’t enjoying myself.

Then there was the whole getting back to a consistent running schedule and finding the time to run. Before, I would wake up early and run before anyone gets up. Now, I live out in a heavily wooded area with no street lights, no houses gently lighting my path. Just pure darkness. I am thankful for the distance from town. I appreciate the quietness of country life. However, the darkness out here is just different. I have lights but it is still terrifying to run out on these pitch black back roads. If I ran in the afternoons I would take my toddler in the jogging stroller. Now, I have an infant plus the toddler hates the jogging stroller. Afternoons are a no go. Evenings I want to spend time with my family. By the time they are home its again pitch black. Time is a currency that I currently broke in.

I have no time, no consistency, and felt difficulty on runs. It was starting to feel like running is no longer for me. I started questioning my decision. What did I get myself into signing up for a marathon? Before I really started giving running a chance again. Before my body felt like mine again.

I had worked all night. During the hours leading up to 6:30 am, I went back and forth about running after work. I was so tired from working all night. I texted my husband with complaints of feeling sleepy. I missed him and didn’t want to be away from him. He only simply replied “You need to run.” This was not the text I wanted him to give me. I was looking for an out. Give me a reason any reason, just to come home. He knows that after I slept I would be beating myself for not going. I changed out of my work clothes into my running clothes, and nibbled on my graham crackers. Then I finally said all the thoughts I have been having out loud to my co worker. I wondered if it would be okay if I just quit? Would I like myself if I gave up running? Would it be okay if I didn’t run another race or marathon? I asked myself these questions. I didn’t have an answer.

The walking trail near work is just a half mile, but it’s close to work and populated. As a woman, if you know you know. This is what I have to do when I am on shift. If I drove the hour commute home to run, I would just go straight to bed. Despite all the negative feelings. The overwhelming urge to just sleep. I stepped on to that running path that morning with the goal of running 54 minutes. Can I do this? Could I still be a runner?

The first lap does not feel good. I am out of breath and my hips hurt. “In through the mouth out through the nose,” I repeat to myself over and over again. No way I can keep this up for 50 minutes. It’s half a mile, and I am dying. Somewhere between 2.50 and 3 miles I start to find that comfort that feels familiar. By mile 4 I am smiling and it doesn’t even feel like I am running. I am mouthing along to the music lyrics in my ears. I smile at the walkers I pass by, and enjoy watching the sun climb up in the sky. My watch alerts me 54:00 minutes run over, but I am at 4.76 miles and I can’t stop so close to 5 miles. I sprint the last bit and finish right at 5 miles. My average pace for the run was 12.21/mile. When I finished, I was struggling to catch my breath, my heart pound. I grabbed a sidewalk railing to stretch and laid my forehead down on the cool metal. Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes and I could feel the smile on my face. This was the feeling I chasing. I can still run. Running still brings me happiness.

I am still a runner. I will always be a runner.

my favorite running partner and me.

Cash joins me on my short runs of 30 minutes or less. He is still a young puppy, only 5 months. Even so, he runs right beside me. He keeps me company on the days that feel extra hard.

Finding Motivation for Marathon Training as a Busy Mom

Finding Motivation for Marathon Training as a Busy Mom

by Aimee Settlemires ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

It’s been exactly one week since I filled out my application to run the Chicago marathon for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Shall we reassess the progress that has been made? Honestly, no progress has been made. I wish I could say I got a solid training plan drawn up, but I didn’t. The first wave of excitement that came from confirming my commitment to the race faded pretty quickly. I got off work Thursday morning and fell right back into the day to day race of being a mother, one who was severely behind on laundry.

Motivation waxes and wanes. Consistency is what produces results. Isn’t that what they say? (Who is “they” exactly?) How am I supposed to become consistent if I am not motivated? I trick myself into becoming motivated. I did watch Legally Blonde this week. I did it just to see that one scene where she really starts to apply herself at Harvard Law. If you are a millennial woman, you recognize the exact scene. I was still hitting the snooze button and letting the day fall into place with no wish to “start”. No amount of watching inspiring movies was going to generate enough motivation to separate me from my bed. Early mornings are just plain hard. My bed is just not a place I want to leave in the morning. My body is smashed between two sweet baby boys. Their fingers are tangled in my hair. It’s their guaranteed move to make sure I stay put. Their warmth radiates off their small bodies. The soft sounds of their breathing lull me back to sleep after I hit the snooze. Pure bliss.

.

I want to start jumping into marathon training right away. I want to download a marathon plan and have a guiding light lead the way. This is my second marathon, and, while my first one went awesome because my only goal was to finish, my training was less than perfect. My longest training run was 15 miles. I went into that race not knowing if I could even run 26.2 miles. My finish time of 5:30:13 was a blessing. This time around I want to be stronger, more prepared for the miles.We are still 49 weeks away. Most marathon plans are 16 weeks or 22 weeks long. I could train for one twice if I wanted to. Perfect right?

I am struggling to get anything in and there’s no sense of routine or focus point. It’s just whatever I can get in with whatever time I have free. Which isn’t a lot especially if I am in the middle of a work week. I will try and get thirty minutes of something, whether it is yoga or cycling. I haven’t found a consistent routine for my training. It just feels like I’m floundering with the physical part of marathon training. I don’t have a program to guide my daily activities. It’s also really early to be starting one of those programs. Besides I am not ready to even start a program like that because I haven’t been running. I sound like a broken record I know. Starting is overwhelming though.

I work night shift at the hospital as a nurse practitioner. My work weeks start Thursday night and end the next Thursday morning. Seven nights in a row, twelve hour shifts, no consistent sleep. During my “on” week I have to choose between getting more sleep or working out. I can’t just fall out of training every other week. When I trained for my first marathon I would run when I got off or run before going in. We have added a new baby to the mix since that last race. I need to get home to him as soon as I get off. I am still his main source of nutrition. I need to work out because I need to get stronger. I need to sleep so my body can recover. I am stuck in this endless cycle. Should I get some sleep? Or should I get in a quick workout? It can be maddening. If you have made it this far in reading my blog I bet I can read your mind. “Why on earth would she decide to run a marathon when she clearly has too much on her plate already?”

Short answer, because I want this that bad. There is never going to be a good time in my life to do this. There will always be something in my life that is taking up too much of my time. My kids will be this age or that age. They will still need me just as much as they need me right now. There is always going to be work. Maybe not the same schedule, but I am not going to quit. (Unfortunately, there is no chance of me becoming an endorsed marathoner.) My husband and I moved into our newly built house that we (he) built on our own. It’s not finished. We live in what I like to call “construction chic.” This house is a lifelong project that will fill my weekends up for the rest of my life. When is a good time to start training for a marathon? I want to do this so badly. There is no time like the present moment. I will have to make it work.

Now, I have finished thoroughly complaining about the situation. Only I can control it, so what am I going to do about it?

Create a Routine

Routines and consistency produce results. We know this. I know this. It may take time, but eventually, just like before, running will become easier to me. Most days I hope my love for physical activity will be enough to get me moving. I know some days I won’t feel motivated. I won’t feel inspired everyday to leap from my bed and hit the pavement before the sun rises. On those days my routine will hopefully save me. I will select my workouts at the beginning of the week and have them all written down. I am a girly who loves a list. Even more I love crossing things off that list.

Develop a Training Plan

Right now I don’t need a training plan for a marathon. It’s too early and I am no where near ready for that. I need to just be running in general. I don’t need to worry about how many miles I am getting in weekly. Don’t need to stress about how many miles my long runs are. I need to be strictly focused on just running. My goals should be time-focused. Running for thirty or forty-five minutes at least three times a week. I need to incorporate cross training days as well. I basically just need to move and do work outs that I enjoy. I love yoga, cycling, and strength workouts. Doing any one of those a day will be a step in the right direction.

Let Things Go

I cannot do it all. Despite my amazing efforts trying to be everything to everyone in my life. It’s just impossible. Some things are going to have to take a backseat and that’s OK. Laundry will have to pile up. Household chores will have to be outsourced to my two teenagers. (I am sure they are going to love that.) I will miss coffee dates with friends. I won’t make it to every event that I am invited to. I am not a super social person so those last two things won’t really be a problem. 🙂

Set Small Achievable Goals

Reaching a goal feels so rewarding. When I reach my goals I feel successful and it drives me to continue to work for the next goal. If I set unrealistic goals like running a 3:30 marathon, I will feel defeated. I will give up quickly when I realize that goal is unachievable. (At this MOMENT!) If I set smaller more realistic goals I will keep returning to feed that desire I have to achieve. Right now my goal is just to start running more. It’s a simple goal. I haven’t run for 9+ months. Running one to two times a week is goal completed. Another of my goals is to run a race. I signed up for a 5k last month with no goal time in my mind. I wanted to just run a race. It felt fantastic.

Don’t Be So Hard on Myself

I started writing this post a week ago. I forgot my charger for my laptop at work and didn’t write during my entire week off from work. It’s been almost a month since I signed up for the marathon and my routine is still in shambles. I have only ran once since I ran that 5k in October. What can I say? I am a mom! My life stays busy. I have constant interruptions that cause me to rearrange my plans. This is why I am blogging this journey. I want to show anyone who has a life, a career, or a family that even though it is hard to train for a marathon, it’s doable. I will have setbacks, but I am going to keep showing up week to week. Not every training week will be perfect, and that’s okay. There will be some weeks that will be amazing, and that will be great. I just need to keep running. It will all be worth it in the end.

Running for Hope: Breast Cancer Awareness Race Experience

Running for Hope: Breast Cancer Awareness Race Experience

by Aimee Settlemires ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I hate running 5k’s. I loath the distance. It’s too short to fall into a good running groove. I basically feel like I am sprinting the entire time. By the time I do feel warmed, and I can start holding my paces the race is over. Go figure. Every time I sign up for a 5k I forget I dislike running them. Then I reach the starting line and remember I hate them. I only love them when they are over. I would rather run a 10k or even a half marathon. I love the feeling running a race gives me. The surge of achievement as I across the finish line. In between large races I like to do smaller races because it helps me keep focus on the larger goal. The 5k is the most common, frequent race available to the average runner like myself. So, I continue to sign up for ones in my area whenever possible.

I have not ran a race since the local Rooster Run 5k in June 2023. It was unbearable. At the height of summer in Mississippi. In heat you can’t breathe in and your clothes immediately stick to your skin when you step outside. Basically, it was like I begging to have a heat stroke to run this race. As you could have of guess I didn’t do very well and was happy to have finished. Next race on the schedule St. Jude half marathon in Memphis. In September 2023 in the middle of training, I found out I was pregnant.

We had just started trying for our 4th child. We were beyond excited with the news that we had conceived so quickly. I continued to run during the early months of my pregnancy. I fully expected to manage to run the half come December. However, I developed a severe hip/pelvic pain known as Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction. It felt like my pelvis would fall apart with the slightest of movement. It was a struggle to even turn over in bed. I didn’t want to stop running, but I decided at that point to listen to my body. I dropped from the half marathon, and focused on my pregnancy. It was a hard decision for me to make at the time. Running had brought me so much joy, and I was finally good at it! I promised myself I would not lose my fitness. I would cycle and continue to strength train. (I was seriously delusional.) Between morning sickness, trying to build a house, work, and taking care of three kids already, I was exhausted all the time. I allowed myself to put staying strong on the back burner, and let myself truly enjoy my last pregnancy.

Here I am almost a year later with a beautiful four-month-old, blue-eyed baby boy. I am wondering when my first race will be. I can sign up for a 10k in May that is held every year (Several months away.) This will give me time to regain my strength and my endurance. (Most likely what I should have done.) Instead I signed up for Hope Continues 5k to support breast cancer awareness that was scheduled two weeks away. Perfect. The night shift Aimee who signs up for these races is different. She is not the same Aimee who has to run them on race day. I knew when I signed up for this race, I would be working the night before it. I also knew I would be working again the night of the race, though I have done this many times before and knew it was manageable. Not smart in any sort of the sense, but manageable.

The morning of the race I was exhausted from work. I had worked all night, the day before I didn’t sleep well due to the fact my son is still frequenting breastfeeding. He does not go to daycare and is with me on the days I work. During my work week consistent sleep is not a thing. This set up works for our family, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s just a challenge that I work with, and have come to know. I arrive to the race. I watch the tents get set up. The racers in their pink gear gathering in the park near the starting line. You can tell who takes their running hobby seriously by the type of shoes and gear worn. Who is doing warm up exercises, several of them taking laps around the block. Runners don’t come to play even in a local charity 5k. My head is begging me to lay back and close my eyes, but I knew that would be a mistake. So, I sit in silencing and eat my pre-run graham cracker. Helpful tidbit; don’t run fasted. You will struggle, feel heavy, and sluggish. Give yourself some energy-EAT something! I am a firm believer you should never run on an empty stomach.

The race begins and we are off. I start out strong with a 9:50 pace. I hadn’t made it to the first mile when I found myself repeating “I can do hard things.” and “Just don’t stop moving.” I knew running these 3.1 miles this morning wasn’t going to be easy, because I hadn’t consistency run in over a year. This was my first race back. Did I really think that I would PR? With my delusional brain, maybe. I joked with my husband and coworkers about winning in my age group. Secretly thinking “It’s a local race. Small. It’s possible.” Running that first mile quickly humbled me. My expectations of this race, and my goals quickly shifted. Runners of all types began to pass me as I struggled to hold my 10:45 pace. I didn’t quit though I just kept looking ahead and putting one foot in front of the other.

At the last curve a young girl sprints of head of me, joy on her face as she turns around smiles back at her mother. I remember in this moment that running is such a joy. Anyone who is a runner will tell you that. Others may find us strange, but the ones who get it, get it. It’s so much more than a just a hobby. I push myself to pick up my knees to finish strong. I see the finish time clock 33:00. I will finish in this minute.

Overall, the energy of the race was unmatched. Breast cancer survivors lined the streets, ran or walked alongside of me. Mothers, daughters, sisters ran in support of the women affected by breast cancer. Lost loved ones were remembered. Survivors were celebrated. It was an amazing race to run. I stepped back into the running world to find myself again as a runner.

Everyday women are being diagnosis with breast cancer and starting their fight. Early prevention and detection is key to survival. To learn more about breast cancer or if you want to donate to support breast cancer research visit: https://www.komen.org/

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