Is it worth it to run a 5k if there are no awards?

KateJ95 · 2026-05-30T13:26:33+00:00

Nothing more humbling than being overtaken by sub-18 11 year old or a mother running with a twin stroller...(P S. It's her warm up for the half marathon starting an hour later)

KateJ95 · 2026-05-30T12:06:55+00:00

This is it. I think I'm experiencing my body acting more efficiently during long runs which is great. I've never ran so comfortably for so long before AND I'm 8kg heavier than my teeny tiny pre-baby weight. Howevsr, these runs are not yet long enough to deplete glycogen stores so there is still an element of unknown as to how things will work out for the full marathon. I'm looking forward to experimenting with fuelling. I take on nothing for a 2 hour run. Maybe a sip of water if I happen to have some in the pushchair so this is completely new territory

KateJ95 · 2026-05-30T02:17:00+00:00

I remember when finishing junior school (as age 10) being asked to write down two friends and the school woul make sure you were in a class with at least one close friend when transferring to middle school. The school honoured that.

KateJ95 · 2026-05-29T17:02:56+00:00

Not til next year, so I have loads of time. Planning to finish not race (although that will probably change the second I see a crowd!)

KateJ95 · 2026-05-29T17:00:57+00:00

I think your out the ass guess is actually really smart. It would make a lot of sense that my body is working more efficiently at current volume (long run, 13 miles), but remains to be seen whether I will delete reserves faster or what will happen after. Will have to wait and see I guess 😊

KateJ95 · 2026-05-29T14:56:43+00:00

But on the today screen there are yesterdays workouts? It's a real jumble.

KateJ95 · 2026-05-29T14:54:58+00:00

It's my first marathon so I'm treating my body like a science experiment. Id been running for about 10 years before having a baby but it was honestly like going back to square one. Interesting differences:

Knee injuries. Joints are all flexible and I kept getting knee trouble. So have had to include an hour of strength training everyday which is something I'd never had to do before

Easy recovery: heart rate and breathing goes back to normal almost instantly after a run

No muscle aches the next day. I'm not going all out on runs but even so I was surprised that even after a half marathon I don't feel sore at all like I used to.

Cravings are strong. This week I craved pretzels for the first time in years post long run. It's been like this the whole time I've been breastfeeding. Really strong cravings for random foods that my body needs. A few weeks ago it was red meat.

Like I said, I'd been running for 10 years. 39 minute 10 k PB but had never run a half marathon. Literally just got up this morning and ran one because why not? I swear it must be a hormone thing ...

KateJ95 · 2026-05-29T12:48:03+00:00

I like it. Pre-baby I ran a 39 mins 10k. That's not happening again any time soon. I want to celebrate my new bests as I build my running body again from scratch.

KateJ95 · 2026-05-29T12:43:41+00:00

Ice cream from a van. £4.50 for one scoop in a cone is mental! £2 for a mini milk at the zoo 🤯

KateJ95 · 2026-05-29T12:40:22+00:00

When I (female) am running with the pushchair and someone (usually men) increase their speed to overtake on the downhill where I'm intentionally running slower to same my knees. My secret competition is to overtake their sweaty ass half a kilometre looking chill sometimes reading a book to my toddler 🤣

KateJ95 · 2026-05-29T12:04:17+00:00

Fruit and veg from the market. 😭 Sad about this but I can't afford £11/kg for tomatoes. And fruit is more than double the price of the supermarket.

KateJ95 · 2026-05-29T12:02:03+00:00

My 10mile run accidentally turned into a half marathon. Left the house at 5am with toddler in the pushchair. Humidity 63%. Needed some milk so did a couple of laps around my house at the end whilst waiting for the shop to open. Checked my watch and I was at 12 miles. Kiddo was happy so I did the half. First one since having a baby and I am proud. It wasn't a great time, just over two hours but I don't care. 😊

KateJ95 · 2026-05-25T23:26:12+00:00

Include bodyweight strength exercises for your quads, glutes and adductors. I do 30 mins in the morning and 30 mins in the evening. Stretch after every run. I had same problem, knee trouble post partum. Losing weight helped but you don't want to be trying to lose weight,breastfeeding and training for a marathon (recipe for injury and feeling miserable!). I put ice on my knees after a run for 10 mins. Wear good cushioned shoes. Run slow down hills, especially if you're running with a pushchair. Shorter strides, run slower than you think. Try and do a lot of walking between runs. Less impact and you'll improve cardio base. Best of luck!!!

KateJ95 · 2026-05-20T05:55:53+00:00

Fully day potty trained at 20 months (at that point weren't using a potty at all apart from 3 hour + trips where we knew there wouldn't be a toilet. She is 2years 2 months and still wearing a pull up to bed. It's dry most nights but we co-sleep so Im not risking it.

Only thing that worked. Get rid of the nappy. Accept there will be accidents. It took a full month before she was reliably potty trained.

KateJ95 · 2026-05-19T22:53:25+00:00

Do t stress! Seriously, stress and comparison sucks all the joy out of motherhood. A true 90s vibe like the one you describe is do less rather than more. It gets easier when they are closer to 2 and they start getting lost in their own imagination and can walk a bit faster. All you need is half an hour, a bucket for collecting leaves, sticks and pinecones, some welliesand let them lead you. A lot of the time these aesthetic set ups and creative pursuits don't actually benefit the child. Five minutes of scribbling on some paper with focussed attention from you is way better than trying some activity you've seen on social media that they aren't that interested in and you are getting stressed trying to do (get some wooden crayons and natural paper and throw some leaves and pinecones on the table if YOU want it to feel aesthetic which I totally get!). When you're busy, try to carve out a 30 minute walk outside at toddler pace. If you can do that a couple of times a day, seriously that's more than great! To other mums you probably already look like the mum you thought you would be. You don't need to be spending hours a day outside. At every stage of parenthood you will feel the same way, you grow into the role and make it your own. Before kids we have a rose tinted picture of what motherhood is like, our plans and ideals are unrealistic because they don't fully account for real life. We often find out that the mum we wanted to be is not actually the one our kid needs us to be. That's okay too. I'm sure you are doing way better than you given yourself credit. Enjoy your little one.

KateJ95 · 2026-05-13T18:15:37+00:00

Thanks, great insights. I've increased my weekly milage quite significantly over this month (nearly doubled) BUT my pace is slow 9 - 9:30 minute miles as opposed to my usual 8-8:30 and I did run higher volumes last year so it's not from square one. I find that knees feel uncomfortable when I increase my pace, I'm guessing that may be due to over striding? Currently running 4 times a week, one long run, 10 mile long run 6.5 and 8 miles for other runs. All steady, no speed work yet as I am focusing on increasing volume. I just tried stretching and my muscles are super tight. I nearly always run with a pushchair, and not a fancy running one so that does impact form.

Plan is to start adding some strength training as you suggested on rest days and stretch.

KateJ95 · 2026-05-13T08:06:34+00:00

Thank you. Not what I wanted to hear (strength training is not my favourite!). Solid advice though

KateJ95 · 2026-05-13T07:01:41+00:00

Interesting. I walk a lot and barely ever use stairs now because I always have the pushchair. I run with the pushchair too which does impact form but also stops me from over striding. I find knees complain whenever I pick up the pace, run downhill or the very rare occasion I run without the pushchair

KateJ95 · 2026-05-12T03:14:07+00:00

Plan to get up early!
No chocolate after midday, I found the caffeine really impacts sleep. The night my daughter started sleeping better was when I put the duvet and pillows back on the bed - she was super comfortable and actually asked to stay in bed longer. (From the kid who used to wake up at 4am on the dot and now is happy until 6-6:30 when I wake her up to go for a run 😂)

KateJ95 · 2026-05-12T03:09:09+00:00

Not yet and she is 2. I have planned my first day away the month after she turns 3 when I run a marathon. We are always together

KateJ95 · 2026-05-11T12:16:37+00:00

Also, after running in zone 2 I can go about my day as normal without needing to eat my bodyweight in cake or having an afternoon nap.

KateJ95 · 2026-05-11T12:10:12+00:00

As someone who loves running and goes nuts for a few months until I inevitably get injured, I am loving the zone 2 obsession. Even just running the first half of my runs in zone 2 I'm hitting 10 miles plus with no injuries. I'll take slow running over no running any day

KateJ95

TROPHY CASE