Our Modern Athlete Brand Ambassador ’ s Blog
KALMER ’ S CORNER kalmer ’ s corner by RENÉ KALMER
Back to Basics
With my second pregnancy , I stopped running ( or rather , shuffling ) at 28 weeks . At the time , running was becoming very uncomfortable , and certainly not fun anymore . I battled with the normal pregnancy ‘ culprits ,’ like round ligaments pain , SPD and a rapidly growing belly , but I was happy that I was able to keep running for almost three months longer than with my first pregnancy .
Ironically , my last jog of 2020 was in September , in Hartenbos , running with my sister-in-law , also Rene . We have been friends since pre-primary school , where I was Rene Nr1 and she Rene Nr2 , just because I attended the school first . ( In high school , our names changed to Black Rene and White Rene , due to our hair colour .) Rene was the one that introduced me to cross-country in standard one . In 2015 , I married her brother , Andre , and as they say , the rest is history .
That was in September , when we went down to Mossel Bay to visit the in-laws , as we weren ’ t planning to make the trip down to the coast with a newborn in December . However , two days after Ivan was born , Andre surprised me with flight tickets to George to surprise his parents on Christmas Day .
It was quite a ‘ different ’ December , not just because we were not allowed on the beach due to COVIDrestrictions , but also thanks to seeing Andre and his sister becoming the ‘ morning persons ’ by going out for runs , whilst I had to babysit and breastfeed . Running has always been a massive part of my December holidays , training hard for the year ahead , but my doctor prescribed no running whatsoever for six weeks after the birth , and I must admit it was quite frustrating not being able to go out for a run along the Mossel Bay coast , to enjoy the scenery and clear my head . Still , it was special spending precious family time together and just appreciating all the blessings in our lives during these challenging times .
Surprise holiday trip to the coast 12
ISSUE 137 JANUARY 2021 / www . modernathlete . co . za
Getting Going Again
Fast-forward to 4 January 2021 , and one of the highlights of the holidays , as that was exactly six weeks after Ivan ’ s birth , and I was therefore allowed to go out for my first ‘ run ’ in almost four months . Andre joined me for this special occasion . ( Take note : The last time he joined me on a run was at the Boston Marathon , and we all know how that turned out ...)
But special it was , even as I struggled through my comeback run , finishing 4km in approximately 30 minutes . Everything was hurting ... but it felt great to be back on the road again ! The air in my lungs , blood pumping through my veins , and seeing my heart rate going up as we jog / walked through the streets of Hartenbos .
I realise that it will be a slow and gradual process to get back to my best again , so I am literally taking it step by step . Most important will be to stay injuryfree , taking it day by day and listening to my body . I will also now have to juggle running , working and balancing our new family of four into a new lifestyle and routine , so expect to see me on the road with a baby stroller from time to time .
A Fresh Start
It is obvious that 2021 is my year to reset , add some new challenges , set new goals , and appreciate the beauty of running again . I might even consider some new adventures , like trail running , to spice it up again . ( I also have my Veteran age category tags now as well .) After years of professional running , I am not putting any pressure on myself , just looking forward to getting back on the road and logging those kilometres to get back to competitive running . As they say ... baby steps !
What about you , what are your goals for the year ? Is it running a new distance , or perhaps going for a PB ? Getting stronger ? How about joining a running group , or maybe you just want to find the joy in running again ? 2020 was a crazy year for all of us , and as I am writing this article , we are still not certain as to when things ( and races ) will be back to normal , but what I do know is that runners are tough ... not just physically , but also mentally . We runners are a special breed ! And whatever your running goals are , you can do it . See you on the road !
That long-awaited first postpregnancy run !
About the Author
René Kalmer is a two-time Olympian , having represented SA in the 1500m at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and in the marathon at the 2012 London Games . She has also won more than 40 SA titles in track , road and cross country at youth , junior and senior level , in distances from 800m to the half marathon .
Celebrating Ivan ’ s first Christmas
Images : Courtesy René Kalmer