How soon after baby #2 did you (or your wife) do an Ironman? I did my first Ironman in Dec 2013 (Cozumel), I am due in Sept 2014 and plan on doing Ironman Mont Tremblant in August 2015. I know I will have limited time in terms of training, but that is nothing new since I was able to pull it off with a full-time job and a small toddler. I will have one full year of maternity leave. My main concern is, how quickly does the body bounce back into a decent fitness level after baby #2 (and a pregnancy very light in training) if before getting pregnant I used to be a very competitive age grouper (qualified for world championships 70.3 and ITU and used to win my AG in local sprints all the time). My goal for the ironman would be just to finish.
Congrats on #2 and hope you are having a healthy pregnancy!
There are simply too many variables to put a definitive time line on ‘bouncing back’. in General - it is recommended that you avoid excessive exercise for the first 6 weeks. This may vary based on how easy or hard your delivery is, how much weight gain you’ve had, did you have any complications from the first delivery, are you breast feeding, are you getting rest.
I am biased, but I would recommend that after delivery you have an evaluation by a physical therapist who works with female athletes. This person can likely set you a plan to strengthen muscles that are naturally compromised by the pregnancy, work on an initial training plan with you, and ensure you start this process pain free.
I have no doubt you will return to competitive form. I have no doubt you will complete the IM. Just give yourself some breathing room if #2 is a little different than the first time around.
I don’t have any advice for you. I just wanted to write that it’s so amazing you did an IM with a toddler. And, the fact that you’re planning on doing another is equally as cool.
My husband and I are going to start trying soon (Gotta finish IM Wisco and an ultra trail race this year first!) I love hearing stories about women still training and racing after kiddos.
Well, I’m no help, I’m a guy. But I will say that I’m really impressed with the Ladies I see who are able to do a triathlons, of any distance, after the massive body changes they’ve gone through. Add to that the Hormonal effects (we have 6 kids so I’m quite familiar with those :)) and if I were in your shoes I’d likely just “give up”.
In any case, especially based upon your history, I’m sure you’ll be able to complete, in a decent time, your IM.
BUT, do remember to take time to enjoy your new one (and the other one(s?)). When you have them, they can be a real pain but when they finally do move out you miss them a lot and as they grow up you’ll keep lamenting about them growing up.
I have never done IM but have 4 kids. I think for sure you can do it. Congratulations and enjoy your baby! I found that delivery and recovery were all incrementally easier with subsequent pregnancies.
I am biased, but I would recommend that after delivery you have an evaluation by a physical therapist who works with female athletes. This person can likely set you a plan to strengthen muscles that are naturally compromised by the pregnancy, work on an initial training plan with you, and ensure you start this process pain free.
I’ll be very interested to hear how you go and may drop you a PM from time to time if thats ok, unless you’re going to update us here on the forum.
As Tridana has said, be very careful in terms of the muscles compromised during pregnancy. I’d be seeing a Chiro/muscle skeleto balance and making sure you get some attention to having everything back functioning optimally before putting too much load on the body.
We had our first in 2012 and my wife got back into training relatively quickly after (in fact she never really stopped). All was well and as others have pointed out there is a ‘window of opportunity’ in terms of the hormones / physiology / blood plasma during that first 6 months whereby chronic training load can benefit, my wife was running quicker than she’d been for a couple of years 4-8months postpartum. However a ‘butt niggle’ as she described it at the time soon developed into a hamstring tear - and has taken the best part of 8 months to rehab.
Will be interested to hear how you go. Best advice (that she didn’t listen to!) - hurry slowly
