Featured today on Fit Mama Friday is Australian mama, runner, blogger, personal trainer & altogether awesome lady, Jenelle. Currently a stay at home mother to her two adorable children, her son Little A, who is 2 and a half, and her daughter Miss E, who is 6 months, Jenelle describes herself as a workout opportunist. Currently recovering from an injury, Jenelle is aiming to come back strong and race her way through 2015.
Meet Jenelle.
You didn’t run while pregnant – on purpose! For a mother-runner and personal trainer, that had to be one of the most difficult decisions you’ve made. Why did you feel it was important and are you glad now that you made that choice?
I chose not to run in my first pregnancy as I truthfully didn’t have the confidence. Everything was new about pregnancy and I honestly didn’t feel comfortable in my changing body. However, I kept active by walking 7 – 9 km each morning instead (4 – 5.5 miles). I felt great for it. When I fell pregnant with number two, I honestly thought I would run through the pregnancy…but as I got past the worst of the morning sickness and started to build up again I felt a lot of pressure and discomfort in my pelvis and groin. After only a few pregnant runs I decided to not continue running pregnant. (You can read more about Jenelle’s decision to stop running through pregnancy here).
While I put the discomfort down to pregnancy (everything being relaxed and stretched), I have since learnt I am suffering adductor tendonitis. Regardless of the cause I am glad that I had the courage to listen to my body, especially when it was performing such an important job – growing a little person.
What was it like getting back to running after having your gorgeous babies? I know most runners while tapering start panicking they’ve forgotten how to run – did you have any weird mental blocks, or did you just feel like you were reuniting with an old friend?
Anytime I have returned to running be it after pregnancy or resting after a race or injury it has always felt like reuniting with an old friend. Of course the loss of fitness can be disheartening, but it always comes back after consistent effort and seeing those gains is always so rewarding. I do enjoy a good comeback! When you are at peak fitness you work so hard for those improvements to just shave off the seconds. But coming back from a break the improvements from week to week are much more impressive and motivating – it is all about the journey and not the destination after all!
I hear you! I called those improvements my postpartum PRs! 🙂 Since you weren’t running, what exercise did you focus on while pregnant? Was it just your daily walks, or were you doing anything else?
Pilates, spin and walking… truthfully I had a horrific second pregnancy and running around after a very active toddler was exhausting for me on most days. My second pregnancy was a very humbling experience especially in contrast to my text book unremarkable first pregnancy.
You’re a personal trainer as well as a runner. What’s your current workout routine like?
As a personal trainer, I have always been passionate about physical activity but six years ago I started some distance running and I have never looked back. Running is my therapy and through running I have found the best version of myself. At the moment I am rehabbing the groin injury that I ignored through pregnancy thinking it was pregnancy related, so my current weekly training includes strength classes, Pilates, spin and of course my rehab exercises. Even though there is not much mileage at the moment this training still helps to keep me sane and feeling strong in the chaotic and demanding life of a stay at home mother.
How important do you think working out is for your role as a mama – especially because you’re currently a stay at home mum?
Working out is all about stress-relief and keeping myself sane. Working out is about little blocks of time that belong exclusively to me and my thoughts. Honestly, I don’t know HOW people parent without the daily dose of adrenaline from physical activity??? I firmly believe that taking one hour for me makes it a MILLION times easier to give for the other 23 hours.
With a husband that travels a lot for work, a toddler that no longer naps and a young baby I still nurse, it is a total juggling act to fit in my training. But there is never a workout that I regret, so I continue to be a workout opportunist and jump on any chance I can to fit a session in. Sometimes it means a workout on the lounge room floor with a toddler aboard, sometimes it means pu
shing both kids in the double stroller, or sometimes it means a child-free session at the end of the day when I am completely exhausted and would rather hit the couch! Whatever it is – it all counts and helps to set a healthy example for my children.
I know you’re currently focusing on rehabbing that groin injury – do you have any specific goals coming up that you’re working towards?
Whilst there are no epic goals for the rest of this year, I am still being very dedicated and committed to recovering my groin injury and building back some good base mileage to set me up for a strong injury-free and race-full 2015!
Jenelle, it was a pleasure featuring you on Fit Mama Friday! I love that you listen to your body about what’s best for you. Good luck with that injury and I wish you lots of great races & PRs in 2015! 🙂
Want more of Jenelle? Check out her blog, Mummy Loves To Run. You can also connect with Jenelle on Instagram and Twitter.
Fit Mama Friday – Fit Dad Friday
Every Friday on Fine Fit Day I feature a Fit Mama or a Fit Dad story of how and why a fit and healthy mama or dad ensures fitness is a priority in her or his life. You’ll read about all kinds of parents and their fitness stories. Some are stay-at-home parents, some are single parents, some juggle more than one job on top of parenthood, but they are all committed to a fit and healthy lifestyle. As you’re getting ready for your weekend, I hope you’re inspired to be active after reading about these kick-ass mamas and dads on Fit Mama Friday – Fit Dad Friday! Do you want to be featured on Fit Mama Friday? Or do you know someone you’d like to see featured? Please contact me for details!
Awesome! Nice to meet you Jenelle! It is interesting about not running during pregnancy, and how it can be compared to coming back from an injury. I have never thought of it that way, but thats exactly what it is. Your body is in a state of stress, and you are allowing it to recover. I have not decided what I will do when that happens, right now my running is just too important to me, but Jenelle has given me something to think about for sure 🙂
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You’ll decide when you get to that point and you really never know how you’ll feel or what the pregnancy is like – just take it as it comes!
Awesome feature! Jenelle, I love what you say about looking at exercise as a block of time for you, so that you can be a better mom and wife the rest of the time.
I gave up running about a month ago at 8 months pregnant (and was only doing 2-4 miles the entire pregnancy). I just went out for a short one, came back, and was like, well, that’s it until after baby gets here! It didn’t feel good, it wasn’t fun, and there wasn’t a reason for me to force it since there are myriad other ways to stay fit for now.
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You’re so close now Jessica!! Amazing job getting through 8 months before your body said that’s it. It’s funny how you just feel that moment where you know it’s time to let it go.