The baby started fussing bright and early, signaling another day of juggling 2 kids, business, and miles. My baby wasn’t even one yet, and my oldest was just two and a half. Training for a marathon during that season of life didn’t look like waking up before the baby (because your girl needs her sleep) or hitting high mileage weeks. It looked like fitting it in whenever I could.
After my second baby, postpartum anxiety hit hard. Running a business? That I could handle. Designing websites in one day? No problem. But navigating the endless needs of two toddlers while trying to keep a sense of myself? That was a different kind of endurance race.
I wanted a goal that kept me accountable to myself, to movement, to consistency, to joy. So when my sister-in-law mentioned she was thinking about running her first marathon, I told her, “If you sign up, I’ll help you finish it.”
She chose Grandma’s Marathon because it was her family’s favorite race. Her mom, dad, and two brothers had all run it, and she’d grown up cheering from the sidelines.
This may have been my slowest marathon out of ten, but it was one of the most impactful and meaningful. Running my first marathon postpartum alongside my sister-in-law, who was completing her first 26.2, was emotional in the best way. We crossed the finish line with huge smiles on our face, exhausted and proud. That race reminded me that I can do hard things, even in the middle of motherhood and messy seasons.
Why I Chose to Train (Even When It Felt Impossible)
I wasn’t chasing a personal record this time (my 3:02 PR was completely out of the question). I was chasing something much deeper, my sanity.
Before kids, I used to run 60–80 mile weeks when training for marathons. Now I was happy to get a 30-mile week in. And that was okay.
After becoming a mom, I learned that motherhood has a way of stripping you down to your rawest self physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It exposes every limit and then asks you to keep going anyway. Running became the one space that reminded me I was still me.
It was my breath of fresh air when the house felt too loud and my mind too full. My therapy when words failed.
Balancing Marathon Training, Business, and Babies
Let me be honest: I didn’t have extra time. Every run had to fit around nap schedules, client calls, meal times, and whenever my husband wasn’t coaching.
Here’s what helped me make it work:
1. Fitting It In (However It Looked)
Some days it was a stroller run with a fussy baby. Other days it meant splitting my run into two shorter chunks. I stopped comparing this season to the ones before and celebrated whatever miles I did get in. Consistency mattered more than perfection.
2. Accepting Help
This was huge. My husband and I worked out a schedule so I could fit in longer weekend runs while he watched the kids. Sometimes our friends stepped in, too. Learning to accept help didn’t make me weak, it made marathon training possible.
3. Boundaries in Business
Running a business while training meant I had to protect my energy. I batch client work, focus on website in a days, plan projects in advance, and give myself permission to adjust timelines when needed. Some weeks the business took priority, other weeks running did. That’s balance in real life.
4. Grace Over Guilt
There were missed runs, messy mornings, and moments where I questioned why I signed up in the first place. But I reminded myself often: missing a run isn’t failure. My worth wasn’t tied to the mileage I logged or how fast I finished.
Race Day Recap
Grandma’s Marathon wasn’t about speed. It was about finishing something that, at one point, felt impossible.
Crossing that finish line with my sister-in-law was the most meaningful 26.2 I’ve ever run. It was proof that I can do hard things even when life feels like chaos.
The Mindset That Changed Everything
Training through motherhood taught me that self-care doesn’t always look quiet or polished. Sometimes, it’s lacing up your shoes even when you’re exhausted. It’s saying yes to yourself when it would be easier to say no.
For me, that’s running.
Whatever it is for you, don’t wait for life to feel calm. Do it through the chaos.
Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned through running, business, and motherhood, it’s this:
You can do hard things one step at a time.
If you are interested in following my journey to qualifying for New York at Grandma’s Marathon in 2026, follow me (and my husband) on instagram at ReadsRun!
Bekah Read
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Favorite Grandma’s Marathon Memory: Running my first marathon postpartum alongside my sister-in-law, who was completing her first 26.2. We crossed the finish line and I was completely exhausted, so proud of her, and full of emotion for what I had accomplished with a 1 and 2 year old. That race reminded me that I can do hard things, even in the middle of motherhood and messy seasons.
Three Words to Describe Your Training: Scrappy, Purposeful, Faith-Fueled
Advice to Other Runners:
You don’t have to wait for life to calm down before chasing a big goal. Whether you’re running between nap times or late-night deadlines, every mile matters. Keep showing up, give yourself grace, and trust the process, you’re stronger than you think.
Quote That Guides or Inspires You: “Progress over perfection.”