Teresa Stackhouse reflects on becoming a mother runner
Tell us about why you run!
Running is so integral in my life that it's hard to describe, but other runners seem to get what I mean by that. I've run since elementary school for a variety of reasons - conditioning for other sports, competition, mental and physical health, to challenge myself, to be in nature, to connect with friends and family, and to maintain structure in my daily life.
How do you stay motivated?
Training for races always helps with the motivation factor but I try to focus on showing up regardless of my feelings around motivation. Coming back from having a baby, I've really started to believe the old adage that mood follows action. I try to just show up regardless.
What inspired you to join RCTC?
Running with friends! The community of RCTC is so fun, I think our team is full of people that just love running and competition but don't take themselves too seriously.
How are you approaching postpartum running, along with parenthood in general?
Just show up! I had a physically demanding pregnancy and postpartum recovery period. I suffered a postpartum hemorrhage requiring a blood transfusion. This left me absolutely depleted for the first weeks after birth. I've been focusing on regaining overall strength, repairing my pelvic floor, and, mostly enjoying every run. As soon as my baby was old enough, she's been joining me in the stroller for multiple runs a week. Stroller runs are humbling from a pace perspective but I absolutely love taking the stroller out. It's a way for me to connect with my little one and do something I enjoy at the same time.
What's the biggest surprise of parenthood?
This is going to sound cheesy, but being a parent has made me so mushy... The biggest surprise is how connected my spouse and I have become! I always knew that we were a perfect team, but having a kid has really brought us so much closer and it is clear that we're meant to be teammates in this baby-raising situation.
Any goals that you'd like to share, running or non-running?
I'm very excited to race my first ever Boston Marathon in April and I have a goal to PR in this race. The silver lining of the pandemic for me is that my February 2020 marathon qualified me for this year's Boston. I think it's a special opportunity to race at Boston with an infant!
Favorite post run treat?
New Season's makes these really yummy Birthday Cake cookies with tons of rainbow sprinkles. I like to stop there on my way home from Saturday practice to snag a couple.