Postpartum training - intro

The first time I was pregnant (2022), I scoured the internet for information on how runners structure training, both during pregnancy but most especially after, and found surprisingly little. There is of course no template, because every pregnancy and birth is different. I appreciated pro runner Molly Huddle's week-by-week training summaries on Instagram, and I had the idea of contributing to the overall literature on the subject of postpartum training by writing a week-by-week blog. So here I am, six years after my last blog post, reopening the blog to document the long, slow journey to running fitness.

Lifting weights, about two weeks before giving birth

I thought I'd start by sharing a little background and my goals, just to put things into context. I am a sub-elite ultra trail runner located in Trondheim, Norway. I've been competing since 2014, seriously since 2018, but have always had a full time job. I had my first daughter, Ellen, in June 2022, after running Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (175 km / 10 000 meters of vert) in September 2021. I was in the shape of my life going into that pregnancy, finishing 16th at UTMB on a day I consider sub-par. 

After my first pregnancy, I spend about a year rebuilding fitness and strength, and then raced trail and ultra races for two seasons (2023 and 2023). Some of the highlights were running Dolomyths Skyrace in Italy in sub 3 hours, qualifying for UTMB races again at the UTMB Nice 100k, and then setting a course record at the Nøsen 50k in June 2024. I then started CCC (the 100 km distance at UTMB) in August 2024, but unfortunately chose not to finish when it was clear my body wasn't going to give me what I wanted that day.

My husband and I then decided it was time for a sibling. I ran my last race in September 2024, at Fyri Trail 50k in Hemsedal, Norway, just after testing positive on pregnancy test. 

Participating in a study about the impact of high intensity exercise on fetal wellbeing, in week 36

My second pregnancy was active, as was my first, despite nausea and fatigue in the first trimester. Some days exercising was the only thing that actually felt good, so I did that. Running slowed down and became more uncomfortable (Braxton-Hicks contractions, etc) until I finally decided to stop in week 30 of my pregnancy. In last 10 weeks of the pregnancy, my training consisted of hiking, biking (especially stationary biking on Zwift), weight lifting 1-2 times per week, and prenatal yoga. I averaged about 10 hours of activity per week. I did have some pelvic pain if I did too much towards the end, but not worse than could be mitigated by taking a rest day. 

My second daughter, Iris, was born on May 23rd, 5 days before her due date. I had a vaginal birth with no complications - this is of course an important disclaimer when it comes to postpartum training. I also live in Norway, where there is a generous amount of maternity leave, which allows me time to prioritize my fitness in addition to my daughter.

A late pregnancy hike with my daughter Ellen and dog Zorro

So what happens now?

I like to say I am playing the long game. My overall goal is to get back in shape to race 100k in the mountains by the summer of 2026. If my body allows it I might consider some shorter trail races this fall. I plan to write a weekly training summary documenting the ups and downs which hopefully might provide some other mother runners with inspiration and information. Tune in for more to come!