Setting the Stage: From Pregnancy to Running Marathons
February 2023 was the month I found out I was pregnant with our last planned child. While that news was exciting, it came with a wave of responsibility. I had an important decision to make: I knew I wanted to do whatever it took to ensure I could have a healthy pregnancy, but more than that, I wanted to prevent the struggles I faced after my daughter was born in May 2021 during the height of the COVID pandemic. Postpartum wasn’t something I was prepared for, and I felt like I wasn’t supported the way I needed. That experience made me realize that if there was anything I could do differently to make my pregnancy and postpartum journey better this time around, I was going to give it my best shot.
That’s when the walking journey began. I challenged myself to walk a mile a day.
In 2021, my husband, knowing how much I struggled with staying active after my last pregnancy, graciously bought me a treadmill as a “push gift.” While I wasn’t fully committed to exercising regularly at first, the treadmill gave me a soft start. It wasn’t until 2023, though, that things really began to shift. In April 2023, after battling severe nausea for the first few months of pregnancy (I’m talking serious nausea), I found my groove. Once that passed, I committed to walking every single day. I started putting in miles, and something magical happened. Not only did it help me physically, but walking also became my mental health reset. My heart rate improved, my stress levels decreased, and I just felt good.
I began documenting this journey on Instagram—not to show off, but to hold myself accountable. Seeing the progress, tracking my distance, and sharing it with others gave me the push to keep going. I wasn’t doing this for anyone else; I was doing it for myself.
In the middle of all this, I was also preparing for a major milestone: walking across the stage to accept my Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration. For years, I’d worked relentlessly toward that moment, and my oldest kids had witnessed the grind. From earning my Bachelor’s and Master’s to my Ed.S., and finally my Ph.D., it was all worth it. But what most people didn’t know was that, under those academic robes, I was rocking a pretty sizable baby bump. I had been putting in the miles, not just physically, but mentally, too. And while I might have waddled across the stage, my Peloton and my daily walks kept me moving and gave me the strength to cross it.
What I didn’t expect was how those early days of walking would set the stage for facing some major life challenges. I was about to take risks I never imagined: a huge job change at seven months pregnant, stepping out of my comfort zone to run in public, and even putting on shorts and a sports top—stretch marks, loose skin, and all. These things terrified me. Yet, they also brought me a newfound confidence I hadn’t experienced before. I went from walking on my Peloton in my self-care room to running races in public. And after three C-sections? That was a big deal.
Now, I find myself at the precipice of something that, quite honestly, scares the life out of me: preparing for a marathon. But here’s the thing—I know that journeys like these are meant to teach us. They’re meant to challenge us, push us, and help us grow. And as much as the idea of running 26.2 miles terrifies me, I know it’s the next step in my story. It’s the next chapter where I get to discover, learn, and, hopefully, come out stronger on the other side.
So, as I continue to set the stage for this marathon journey, I’ll keep reminding myself: It’s not just about the finish line. It’s about everything that happens along the way.
