ChambanaMoms.com

The Top Online Resource for Champaign-Urbana Area Families

You are here: Home / Things To Do in CU / Activities / Marathoning Mama: Running after Baby in C-U and Beyond

Marathoning Mama: Running after Baby in C-U and Beyond

By

By Daniele Frerichs

So maybe you won’t run a marathon after baby, but a vast majority of new moms seek out exercise routines post-baby in order to shed the unwanted pounds. I struggled with this after my first daughter was born, and it wasn’t until I started a running routine the pounds disappeared. Although, I started running again for this reason (I ran religiously in my youth), I discovered the amazing benefits and sanity a regular exercise routine has brought to my new life as a mother.

Champaign Urbana Chambana Marathoning Mama Daniele Frerichs
Daniele Frerichs ran the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon eight months after giving birth to her daughter. Credit: Bruce Frerichs

Now, I did run the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon when my second daughter was only 8 months old, but it does not have to be a marathon or even running that you add into your daily grind. While I encourage new or veteran moms to add ANY exercise routine into your schedule, this article focuses on running.

Be sure to check out the local resources that you can take advantage of this summer to start or enhance your running!

Never run before? Start with the Couch to 5K, otherwise commonly known at C25K! This is a program that a handful of my new mom friends have started and conquered this spring by successfully completing the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon 5K after never running before. It literally allows you to go from sitting on the couch to running 3.1 miles. You start out by running one minute and walking one minute, and you ease up from there. Get a group of friends together and train on the same schedule. I don’t mean you have to run together — you can, but you could schedule to run a 5K together at the end of the training session.

In C-U and surrounding area, there are 5Ks weekly to pick from and run. I have posted a brief list below. This is a fun way to start exercising. Plus, signing up for a race and having a date on the calendar to work toward — Race Day — keeps you accountable.

For the more experienced runners, I know you know what it is like to work and train for Race Day, but challenge yourself to a half-marathon or marathon this summer. Experienced runners are disciplined and dedicated, so no need to instruct you on training, but I posted some longer races below for you all to check out and challenge yourself to train for this summer. And, of course, some of you C25K beginners will soon find yourself in the experienced runners category.

Lastly, keep in mind that you can make this a family event. Make running or any exercise routine something you can do with your family. And you might just find that once you start running, you kids might want to run with you?

Happy running!

Running clubs

  • Kennekuk Road Runners. This is my running club, and I would like to highlight the Wednesday evening runs at Kickapoo State Park near Danville. They are free to anyone. You can run 1, 2, or 3 miles, every Wednesday in the summer at 6:15 p.m.
  • Second Wind Running Club

Upcoming 5Ks/3.1 Miles

Up for more than a 5K?

Daniele (Cox) Frerichs is the proud mother of two beautiful girls: Lyla, 3, and Isabella, 1. She and her husband, Bruce, have been married for five years. Frerichs grew up outside of Rantoul, has lived within a 30-miles radius of Chambana her entire life, and now calls Royal home. She was educated at and now works full time for the University of Illinois.