A Day in the Life of a Marathon Mom

by Natasha Van Der Merwe on February 3, 2017 in Active Parenting, Natasha van der Merwe

It’s 5am on a Sunday. The baby is fast asleep after her 4:30am feeding, and all you can hear is the faint whir of my stationary bike in action. My next race as a professional triathlete and a new mom is four short months away, so I try to make the most of these quiet, early mornings.

This is just a sneak peek of what marathon training looks like for a new mom who is also working a fulltime job. Think that’s crazy? Here is a full day in my life:

4am – 4:30am: Wake up to pump for 20min

I am exclusively pumping, which means my breast milk is stored in bottles so Nadine can be fed even when I’m not there. I use pumping time to answer emails I receive from athletes and to go over their training plans. While I start the first session at 4am, I try to fit in around seven 20-minute sessions throughout the day.

4:30 – 5am: Pack meals for the day

I use Generation Ucan for my workout fuel, which keeps my blood sugar levels stable throughout my sessions. Trying to consume enough protein throughout the day is tough, so I have to pre-plan and prepare meals ahead of time.

5:00am: Feed Nadine

I feed Nadine around 5:00am, and put her down for about 3 more hours sleep. This stretch of time is when I get the bulk of my training done.

5:45am – 7am: Swim or coach cycling

I jump in the pool at Austin Aquatics and Sports Academy for a Masters Swim Session or I coach indoor cycling, where I cycle along with my class.

7am – 8:30am: Workout or coach again

I usually go straight into another short workout, unless I’m coaching another cycling class or have meetings with athletes post session.

8:30am – 7pm: Work, errands and baby time

I usually have meetings with athletes and administrative work for running the triathlon program at AASA. Any extra time I have, I spend playing with the baby, cleaning up the house and responding to emails.

Twice a week, we do have the luxury of a nanny, who comes to the house from 8:30am-12:30pm. I plan most of my work for these days, so I can enjoy my time with Nadine as much as possible the rest of the week.

7pm: Baby sleep time

Nadine usually goes down around 7pm. My husband and I try to have dinner and spend some quality time together, after which I immediately get back to work on my computer, while pumping as many times as I need to, to get seven pumps in for the day.

9:30pm: Go to bed

I go to sleep around 9:30pm, ready to start all over again at 4am the next day.

While it may seem like a daunting task to train for a race just 8 months after giving birth, I am so excited for the challenge and opportunity. It is true what they say–having a baby takes your motivation to a whole new level. So I’m excited to see what the future brings.