Deena Kastor Returns To Racing After Pregnancy

She’s in New York City this weekend to kickstart her racing career again.

The American record holder in the marathon and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist, Deena Kastor, is back in action. Three months ago, she gave birth to her daughter, Piper and had been taking time away from racing in order to focus on her family.

In fact, the last five months of her pregnancy, Kastor didn’t run at all due to painful stitches in her side. But once Piper was born, Kastor took to the roads once again. Doctors told her to wait until her six-week checkup before lacing up her running shoes.

Kastor only made it to two weeks.

She first started out with the intention of only running a mile, but she kept on going.

“[I] ended up going on a four-mile run and felt fantastic,” Kastor recalled. “I thought it was just going to be this clumsy stumble, and it ended up being this exhilarating — sprint is what it felt like.”

This Saturday, Kastor will toe the line at the New York Road Runners’ Mini 10K. Piper will be there to watch her mom race for the first time

For More: USA Today