Hi SHelby I just read your baby is 4 months old. Is he sleeping through the night? Are you breastfeeding?? Are you working FT? YOu deserve a pat on the back. You are going to be tired at times(read unmotivated). Don't be so hard on yourself. You have to start running again with no memory of what you did before. If you try to push yourself to where you think you should be based on what you did before you were pregnant you will end up injured. YOu know it's only going to get better when you get more rest. Let's look on the bright side you ran 2 miles start from there. How many days do you think you could run a week? What about swim and bike? Are you unmotivated for these sports too? I would run first before the other two sports and when you get closer to your race you can throw in some t runs. If you are fresher you will enjoy it more and there is less chance of injury that way.
YOu have about 6 weeks before your first race is that right?? Is it a 3 mile run? Look at 2 miles you are almost there. So if you could run 3xweek until then you will be fine. Can you write out a plan and post it where you can see it everyday? Post it here we can motivate you. Tell people about your plan and what you plan on doing. Also I find sometimes when I don't feel like running I make myself go out and tell myself I can stop after 10 mins if I want to but I have to start. YOu know what happens sometimes I have my best runs on those days. Good luck and enjoy your baby!!! Patty

I don't have kids, so I can't advise on the post-pregnancy component, but BOY can I help out with the "running-enjoyment-impaired" part of your post. I've always had a hard time with the running component of tri-training. I VERY rarely have that great running workout where I'm actually glad to be out there the whole time, but at least when I first started there was that "I can't believe I ran a whole mile without stopping" series of small goals to keep me motivated. Just before we moved (2 years ago) I had a stress fracture halt what was the best running season I'd ever had. The combination of the move and the recovery process totally derailed me, without my training partners, coach and running routes I just stopped running and basically took a year off. This last fall, I started picking up the pieces and trying to rebuild that base and it has been so much harder than it was the first time around. It is so hard to be happy with getting out there and doing it when it's slower/harder, etc.

So here are some of the things that have worked for me:

1.) FORGET that you ever ran before, just don't think about it. Force yourself to focus on the fact that you are doing it now and find SOMETHING to be proud of, even if it's "I got off of the couch." (That little phrase really helped me out this winter... )

2.) I have the "ten-minute" rule - (Now it's expanded to the 20-30 minute rule if there's a longer workout on the plan) The basic principle is that if I'm having a crappy run, I only have to keep running for ten minutes and then I'll re-evaluate. After ten minutes, I can take a walk break or whatever will help. Very rarely have I ever quit the workout ten minutes in, but I have made it a walk/run workout, if that will make it better.

3.) Find someplace special to run, there's an amazing park that's not at all conveniently located to my house that I initially would drive to so that I could run someplace really gorgeous. It definitely helped motivate me to have something new to look at, and be on a route that I didn't know how far I had yet to go.

4.) On the same theme, I would make special playlists on my i-pod that I only got to listen to when I ran. If you can find something that you only get to do on a run, even if it's peace and quiet, emphasize that. Anything to make it more special/fun/motivating.

5.) Let yourself do run/walk workouts. You just had a baby, you are a freakin' rockstar, so if you're struggling with a run workout, modify it. There's no shame in it, especially if you plan it from the get-go.

Consistency is my biggest struggle as well, so I really feel your pain. I have the same issue where I'll be really good for a while and then get totally derailed, so the above tips have helped me dust myself off and get back out there. Ultimately, that's really what it's all about - getting out there and having a good time.

Good luck!

Michelle

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The beatings will continue until morale improves

     Hi Shelby.
There are many things you can do to get yourself back in the whole running game but for you right now the most important thing is what is going on inside your head.You need to realise that you are not where you once were and accept that fact.You then need to set some really easy mini goals in your training so that you will achieve them and get some tangible rewards for your efforts.Too many people set lofty and unattainable goals only to be discouraged when they eventually fail.Break you goals down into weekly programs,for example,this week I will get out the door and run/walk for half an hour three times.Next week one of those sessions will be fourty minutes and a couple of weeks after maybe I will add a half day pushing I my new baby around the neghbourhhod and so on.Find a little hill and run up it once to see how it feels,walk back down and if you feel like it run up it again.Find a short flight of stairs during one of your little outings and start walk/running them slowly.Think outside the box instead of grinding out ever slowing,repetitious miles day after day. Really, at this stage it is about getting yourself out the door and being happy with where you are at in your life.No amout of super-guru, high-tech coaching will make you get out the door and make those first few steps up your street.That has to come from within and only you can find the reason you need to get your motivation back.I would think though that making yourself the healthiest and happiest mom for your newborn is all the motivation you need.Forget about being a triathlete who is out of shape for now and focus on being a new mother who needs to be strong and fit for her kid.Once your motivation is back you can work on making your little one proud of his/her cool triathlete mom.

I empathize completely Shelby. In 2005 I had knee surgery and now have arthritis in my knee. I have gone from averaging about 8 miles a day to about 20 miles a week. At first it was so discouraging. Then I really had to take a step back and do what two posters have advised you to do, start from the here and now and stop beating myself up because I wasn't running like I used to. I think if you do that, and take into consideration that having a baby is a traumatic event for your body, you'll feel alot better about your runs and it will be easier to get out there. Once you are more consistent, I think you'll find it easier as well. But in order to be motivated to be more consistent you are going to have to go easier on yourself.

Most of us do all this to relieve the stress in our lives. Remember it is supposed to be a fun thing that you do for yourself.

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Nor do I use punctuation in the way a child sprinkles glitter over a ribbon of glue on construction paper - Trash Talk

Thanks for your replies, you have all made me feel better. And you're right, this is completely different now and I need to remember that. I've only been doing triathlon for about 5 years now, but I've been a swimmer my whole life, in college and all, and I am used to being in pretty good shape. Even when things have been tough they haven't seemed this tough! I even thought about quitting all this for a while and just focusing on swimming again, but then I decided that for me that would be copping out, I would just be quitting tri because running is hard. I really want to do this and I will take all of your advice and keep going. I love swimming and I love my bike, but running does give me a certain satisfaction because it's so hard for me, it's a great feeling when I'm done! ha ha...

So I do feel better today, I'm going to take all of your advice, I especially like that 10 minute rule, I will remember that one. My neighborhood is extremely hilly, so I will also start thinking of someplace else, at least for a few runs, that will be flatter and easier so I can feel a little better about myself. And I can't wait till I can put Will in the jogging stroller, he loves going for walks and I love taking him, so when he can go in there that will be fun for both of us.

Thanks again, I really appreciate it!

I do the "ten-minute" rule too and I agree with everything that Michelle wrote. Every time you get out there is a good thing. There are always going to be days you can't do a workout now that you have a little one in your life. Don't worry about that. Just get out there whenever you can.

One other thing I try to do is to give myself at least 30 minutes a day to do something active. Some days that's a real workout. Some days, it's just a walk or some sit-ups and push-ups. But, I try to get in at least 30 minutes every day for myself regardless of what that is.