Running post partum - like running through mud!!

[Northernmummyoftwo2026]

4 months pp and have been doing very short runs since 2.5/3 months pp. Ebf. Very fit pre pregnancy. Kept up running until week 20 and lots of walking and light weight training after until birth.

Why oh why does it feel like I am running through mud!! My body is so heavy I have never felt anything like this before.

Only running 3km at a pace of 7km per km! (Could run at a pace 4km per km on my hay day not so long ago). It’s not getting any easier either

any one else?

All I see is posts where people say they trained for a half marathon post partum….

It’s still very early days. You are likely sleep deprived. I would also be mindful of vitamin deficiencies. I developed a vitamin D deficiency and this is exactly how I felt just walking. The worst of it didn’t hit till about 18 months.

I think it really depends on the person and the pregnancy, and also your sleep and how well you’re looking after yourself in terms of nutrition/water etc!

When I started running again after my first baby I felt a bit like you describe, it felt HARD despite having ran right up until 39 weeks. Looking back the reasons were quite obvious- I wasn’t getting much sleep, I was eating rubbish really lots of toast/crisps/snacks rather then meals just out of ease while breastfeeding, I wasn’t drinking anywhere near enough water and I was just a bit aimlessly running.

I’m currently 11 weeks pp with my second baby, started running again at 7 weeks pp, EBF again and I feel so much different this time. Partly because this baby is a better sleeper than my first has ever been but also because this time I am really prioritising eating and drinking properly. Batch cooking lunches on a Sunday for the week so that I’m eating a good balanced lunch every day just ready to grab from the fridge, prioritising getting some protein with every meal, snacking on fruit/flapjacks (and biscuits and chocolate I’m only human😂) and drinking a LOT of water! I downloaded the Runna app this time and started one of their plans which has been a real gamechanger because I’m someone who if left to my own devices when I’m tired and cba will just do the bare minimum, with the app you choose a plan, set your level and it builds you gradually and it has been really good! They have a postnatal plan to build you back into running, I didn’t do that one personally but have friends who did and found it great! If you have a running watch some of them have free plans I know my Garmin does and I did find even just having a plan to be really helpful as rather than just constantly running which can be hard pp & in general, it breaks it into run/walk which helps you recover and build more gradually.

Give yourself some grace though, you are doing fab!

I loved the Runna post natal plan it really mixed things up but I was always a runner who needed a plan!

It’s taken me an age to get into any kind of routine/rythmn of running and I still struggle……. I even entered the ballot for London just before mat leave as I thought it would be an ideal time to train for my final marathon- how wrong I was…… luckily I didn’t get in!!

Just take each run a it comes and enjoy it your bodies done something amazing and will take time to bounce back!!

How are your iron or ferritin levels? Low in either can make you feel like you’re running through treacle

Thanks all

hmm wondering about iron @Magicmagician as I was on iron tablets during pregnancy until I delivered. No idea if I was meant to continue taking them

@Jellybunny56 sounds like you’re doing amazing!!! But yes. Water. Good point…. I need to drink more.

Could well be worth asking for both iron and ferritin levels to be checked then if you were on them in pregnancy (do get the numbers from them not just a ‘normal’ - sorry if that’s obvious and you know that but the ‘normal’ can still be really low and making you feel terrible!)

you’re doing amazingly to be getting out running though with such a young baby, hats off to you!