SAN ANTONIO – It’s a new year, and many people may be getting back into running or starting their running journey for the first time.
At KSAT, promotions producer Alyssa Medina is restarting her running journey after putting it “on pause” during her pregnancy.
Alyssa is in her second week of training and says she is taking it slow, focusing on a 12-week training program specific to postpartum runners.
“It’s been a struggle,” she said. “I used to just be able to just get up and go. I obviously can’t do that anymore. I have to plan for child care. And then, of course, physically, I’m totally starting over from scratch.”
Alyssa is a new mom to a baby girl, so she said she is in a different place with running and training than she was last year.
“Before I found out I was pregnant, I was up to running 10 miles multiple times,” Alyssa said. “And I was just a couple of weeks out from the half marathon, and now I’m back at square one. We’re running a mile today, and I’m struggling.”
For now, Alyssa says she is staying focused on the running milestones she achieved the first time around, while working to get there again.
“Definitely take it slow, no matter what point in your journey you’re on,” Alyssa said. “It’s you against you. And that is why I fell in love with running, because every day was just a new milestone that I could beat.”
In 2025, she’s still chasing her original goal but imagining a much sweeter finish.
“My end goal is to run the half marathon,” Alyssa said. “I was already signed up and ready to go, and I had my first doctor’s appointment and kind of scared myself into not doing it when I found out I was pregnant and just decided to rest. And now, my goal is to cross the finish line with my new baby waiting for me at the finish line.”
