Half marathon 6 months after C-Section?

[Anonymous]

I would wait a year.

[Anonymous]

I haven't read all the responses, but I would seek the advice of physical therapist before you start training for a half-marathon. Pregnancy can do a number to your pelvic floor muscles, and the high-impact of running long distances can do some major damage (look up pelvic prolapse). A physical therapist can tell you if your pelvic floor is up for running.

Don't rely on what your midwives say. Mine missed a grade 2 prolapse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it is not safe. Maybe you will be completely fine but if your pelvic floor is not back in shape you risk more long term issues.

As a French person I am appalled by how little attention doctors here are paying to this. In France you never get clearance to exercise before completing PT for your pelvic floor (5-10 sessions minimum depending on your first assessment). Having given birth in the US I didn't pay much attention and bragged to my French friends about being back in the gym 6 weeks after giving birth. I thought they were acting the proverbial anti-gym frenchiness...

Well, I am the one who can't jump on a trampoline now without leaking . 2 years after my daughter's birth and I am finally trying to change this with a proper keggel and pelvic floor routine. I wished someone had told me that rushing into running after giving birth was not a priority: keggels were..

+1000 I'm currently trying to get my insurance to pay for pelvic floor physical therapy after two babies have wrecked my pelvic floor muscles. Why isn't PT standard care for all post-partum patients???

[Anonymous]

Why rush it? The half-marathon will still be there next year.

And I say this as someone who ran up until early in my 9th month and started running again about a month after my vaginal delivery, and went back to running 10-milers the following year.

You're probably going to need a slower ramp-up than you think; why put so much pressure on yourself?

One note: buy a good running stroller, and start using it for running when your child is about 6 months old. Do a lot of your training with the stroller, and then when you are not running with the stroller, you will be unstoppable. Plus if you are anything like me, your back and arms will get super toned and you'll feel good about your body.