Eliminate the guesswork with a step-by-step plan to return to running with strength and confidence (and without any of the typical postpartum symptoms)!
Mama, I know you just want to run!
You miss it… or the way it used to feel at least. Maybe you are wondering if your PR days are behind you or if running will ever feel good so that you can fully enjoy it again. It’s a part of you - your me time, your stress relief, your main mode of physical fitness…. or all of the above.
You now find yourself in uncharted territory (or maybe you’ve been here before and realize you need more support/structure this time). You’ve just grown a whole human inside of you! You’re tired, scratch that, exhausted and probably a little (or a lot) overwhelmed. You NEED that run, that thing that makes you feel like you again.
…but you’re frustrated by the generic, contradictory, and not-so-helpful advice?
"At 6 weeks you’re good to go. Just jump back into what you were doing before... but go slow...listen to your body."
"Wait until 3 to 6 months before you even start back to running. Don’t do this, don’t do that…”
"The aches and pains and maybe a little peeing your pants while you run are just part of your new normal." You need and deserve better!
Your PR days are not behind you!
You do not need to accept pain and peeing your pants as the new normal!
Running can feel great again!
You can be a mother and an athlete!
Let’s be honest though, without a plan to follow, I’ve seen this go one of two ways, time and time again.
1- The athlete brain takes over and you just run. You could be one of those lucky ones and it feels great again from the start (I wasn’t that lucky myself). Or it doesn’t feel great – maybe it hurts (hips, back, SI, feet...), maybe you pee your pants a little (or a lot), maybe it just feels harder than it used to.
2- You're too overwhelmed and scared to start, so just you continue longing for it. I definitely don’t want that for you. I want you to be able to run, jump and fully participate in your life. I want you to hit your PRs and feel amazing doing it!
That’s why I created RUN Mom Strong: Postpartum Foundations!
Athletes have seasons! Let this be your season to build the foundations to run with strength and confidence for life!
Education and action steps
Fuel your inner athlete with intentionally progressed workouts that provide strengthening specific to the needs of your postpartum body and that are progressed intentionally building the strength needed to run with confidence week after week.
Empower yourself with education to help you better understand the needs of your body. It’s so much more than simple core and pelvic floor! Have confidence that you are taking the steps back to that thing that makes you feel like you, in a way that feels good in your body and builds the foundation for all your future performance goals.
My name is Alison Marie, Ph.D. I’m a Certified Personal Trainer and Running Coach, Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist, lifelong runner turned strength training advocate, and mother of 2 boys.
I've been right there with you and I've got you!
After having my first, I was so anxious to get back to running. My identity was so wrapped up in “being a runner.” It was my stress relief, my me time, the source of most of my friendships, my main mode of physical fitness…
… and in my mind, my ticket back to the “old me.”
I started about 7 weeks postpartum and went out for a slow couple of miles. To be honest, I peed my pants A LOT. I accepted it as my new postpartum normal and just kept running.
Side note: many women can get back into running without this particular issue. I was not one of those women. I also believe that if I followed the steps in the RUN Mom Strong: Postpartum Foundations Course first, my chances of having this particular issue would be a lot smaller.
I kept running, added in some non-specific strength training, and by many accounts "bounced back" relatively quickly - on the outside. I was running local races and seriously competing in my age bracket, finishing Spartan races with successfully completing all obstacles and coaching other strong mamas to do the same.
...buuuutttt....
I was still occasionally peeing with running, jumping, and sneezing - and just living with it. I had terrible back pain if I wasn’t regularly seeing a chiropractor - the chiropractor helped the symptoms but didn't fix the problem.
My shoulders and neck were constantly tense - massages barely helped.
It took me 6 years before I finally admitted I had a problem and sought to fix it! Through physical therapy and practicing what I learned through my Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist, it took mere months to come back stronger than ever before (and completely changed the way I coach moms)!
I can’t help but think where I could have been with my fitness level (because I’m competitive AF) if I had implemented this stuff from the beginning.
I was so caught up in getting back to the old me that I missed out on the OPPORTUNITY to become stronger than ever! Yes! I said opportunity!
I see both pregnancy and postpartum as a huge opportunity in our physical fitness. It took me a while to fully adopt this mindset, but it’s true. This is a time where we are forced to slow down (something that is extremely hard for many to do otherwise - I know it is for me).
It allows us to work on the foundations, perfect our movement mechanics, connect with our muscles - where we need more strength and what muscles may be overworking and build a better connection with our core and pelvic floor.
Working the foundations can make all your movements better, stronger, more efficient, and effective.
Building balance around your joints by strengthening where YOU need it and focusing on your mechanics can make all your movements better, stronger, more efficient, and effective.
Building a better connection with your core and pelvic floor...you guessed it… can make all your movements better, stronger, more efficient, and effective. THAT is what RUN Mom Strong is all about!
The Run Mom Strong: Postpartum Foundations System
Six weeks of workouts intentionally progressed from core/pelvic floor rehab back to the strength needed to run with confidence.
Yes, we start laying on the floor connecting with your breath, core, and pelvic floor, but we get you up and moving quickly so that you are building strength in movements that directly translate to running.
Six educational modules, each building on the previous, helping you to understand the needs of your body and put what you learn in practice in the workouts.
Did I mention I taught middle school science? If I can organize the material in a way that lead one hundred 11-year-olds to success, I got you mama!
Bonus content like “Postpartum Nutrition Considerations for Runners” from other leading experts to help support you throughout this journey outside of the physical movement I provide. And of course, I know you are busy. Each workout is only about 30 minutes, and most lessons are 10 minutes or less.
RUN Mom Strong: Postpartum Foundations is for you if…
You’ve had a baby (6 weeks, 6 months or 6 years ago).
You want to run with strength and confidence (and without any postpartum symptoms).
You’ve just been cleared for exercise (or are about to be) and want to strategically make your comeback as efficient as possible by systematically building strength and stability the way your postpartum body needs from the start.
OR
You’ve started back to running a bit but maybe doesn’t feel right or you are frustrated with your progress, and you want to feel more confident in your run by systematically building strength and stability the way your postpartum body needs. Systematically working through the exercises step-by-step, making simple adjustments in how you move your body, and building strength in those movements can make a HUGE impact on your running wherever you are in the process!
Natalie was almost 5 years postpartum with her twins when she went through this course.
So, what makes RUN Mom Strong different than all the other postpartum rehab programs out there?
This course is designed by a runner for runners!
It goes well beyond general core and pelvic floor rehab so that you build to back to running specifically. One on hand you have all the don'ts and cants and warnings. The other just says listen to your body and go slow.
Neither really work for the athlete! You need a plan follow because otherwise that athlete brain will take over and you'll just run and these foundations are important for your overall running success (whatever that means to you). The step-by-step structure of the RUN Mom Strong programming will give you the confidence that your body will be fully prepared to handle the impact of running and will empower you to return to running confidently as soon as possible.
How soon after birth can I start? Please wait until you are cleared for exercise by your provider (usually around 6 weeks postpartum) before beginning the workouts after week 1.
However, if you are not yet cleared for exercise, it's never too early to start educating yourself. You may begin with the lessons and wait until you are cleared for exercise for the workouts (you have lifetime access).
Does this work for after c-sections? While the program works for women who have had both vaginal and c-section births, you may need to progress a bit more slowly through the workouts after a c-section. The lessons include the information you need to decide what your unique postpartum body is ready for when it comes to core exercises.
What equipment is needed? The equipment “needed” for this program is listed below. Needed in quotes because, if you are doing the workouts at home without the full list of equipment, no worries! I’ll provide alternatives with things you can find around most homes. To get the most out of the exercises the following: yoga block, resistance band with something to anchor it to, dumbbells, mini band, foam roller and stability ball. I honestly recommend anyone who is committed to exercising at home eventually purchase most of this. Click here for my specific equipment is recommendations.
How long will I have to complete the course? While it is designed as a 6-week course, you will have access to the lessons and resources forever. Work at your own pace (we'll talk more about what this means in Module 0). You can even return following future pregnancies if you want.
I had my baby years ago but I'm still struggling, will this help? Absolutely! If you read my story above, I first implemented these strategies nearly 6 years postpartum with my first and saw significant and quick results. The exercises and education provided are foundational to effective movement. I believe it's best to put the foundations in place early on, but if you have not yet, it's not too late.
If you are experiencing ongoing symptoms of prolapse, diastasis, incontinence, or pain, I do recommend working with a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist
Why is this called 2.0? The research in this area of women's health is still new and ongoing. From 2019, when this course was first created to 2021, I’ve tweaked things here and there as new (and relevant) information has become available through new research and continuing education on my part, but decided it was time for a complete overhaul. I am continuing to learn more each day, staying up to date on the latest research, and will provide you with the most updated and useful information as it becomes available inside this course.