Mama, if you've ever wondered whether there's still room for you, your goals, your strength, your calling, after your baby arrives, this one is for you.
When William was born on August 9, 2024, I didn't know what my racing would look like again. I just knew I wanted to keep showing up, for God, for my family, and for the woman He was still shaping me to be. Now, looking back on my 2026 season as a podium-finishing triathlete, I can see His hand in every mile. I'm not sharing this because of the results. I'm sharing it because these lessons are for every mom, whether or not you ever put on a race bib.
Where This Season Really Started
This season didn't start in 2026. It started with a stroller. For basically William's whole first year, I pushed him on my runs. And because he couldn't walk yet, I carried him across my finish lines. Those miles weren't fast or glamorous, but they were faithful, and they were ours.
Maybe your version is a stroller walk around the block, or ten quiet minutes with your Bible while the baby naps. That counts too.
My first race after William was the Castaic Lake Triathlon in 2025, eight months postpartum. I finished in 3:15:10 (swim 35:20, bike 1:40:00, run 50:27) and won my age group. I crossed the line as the 3rd female overall, but I had taken off my ankle timing strap, so officially I was 4th. Honestly? That little detail taught me something too. The win wasn't the number on the results page. The win was showing up and crossing that finish line with my son.
My second race was Malibu (Zuma) in September 2025, where I finished in 2:51:50 and placed 3rd in my age group and 9th female overall. Step by step, the comeback was becoming a foundation.
Lesson 1: Run the Race Marked Out for You
"Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." (Hebrews 12:1, NIV)
As a mom, it's so easy to compare my race to someone else's: their training hours, their sleep, their season of life. Maybe you do it too, scrolling past another mom who seems to have it all together. But God didn't mark out her race for you. He marked out yours, stroller miles, sleepless nights and all. When I stopped measuring myself against anyone else, I found a freedom I didn't have before.
That's the mindset I carried back to Castaic Lake in 2026. A year after my first postpartum race there, I finished in 3:05:17 (swim 28:29, bike 1:40:52, run 51:09), 1st overall female and 1st in my age group. Same lake, same course, a different woman. Not because I had it all together, but because I kept running the race God gave me.
Lesson 2: Grit Is Built in the Middle
"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14, NIV)
Grit isn't something that shows up on race day. It's built in the ordinary days: the early mornings, the workouts squeezed between naps, the days you don't feel like it and go anyway. Mama, that's your life right now, isn't it? The middle. Pressing on doesn't mean pressing perfectly. It means taking the next step.
At Cal Tri LA on October 18, 2026, I ran 50:55 (8:29 per mile), the 5th fastest female run of the day. That run reminded me that the hidden work always shows up eventually.
Lesson 3: His Strength, Not Mine
"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31, NIV)
My last race of the season was the Cal Tri Marina del Rey Olympic in October 2026. I finished in 2:46:02, a PR, and 1st in my 35-39 age group. Mile four, holding onto "The Lord is my strength," is something I'll never forget. But the moment I'll remember most from this season wasn't the run. It was crossing the finish line holding my son's hand. And when we got home, I watched William pull on my shoes, put on my helmet and my race belt, and then reach for my hand so we could cross the finish line again.
That's the heart of this whole season. I didn't get here on my own strength. I got here because God renewed it, again and again, through sleepless nights, early alarms, and every mile in between. If you're running on empty today, His strength is available to you too.
Lesson 4: Motherhood Is Not a Pause, It's Part of the Race
I used to think becoming a mom would mean putting my goals on hold. Instead, William became part of my "why." Every stroller mile and every finish line I carried him across was a reminder that motherhood and chasing what God puts on your heart aren't opposites. They belong together.
If you're a mom wondering whether there's room for your own goals in this season, hear me: there is. It might look different. It might be slower. It might include a stroller. But it counts.
Taking the Wins
If there's one thing I want you to take from my season, it's this: take the wins. The age group win and the PR, yes, but also the run you finished with a baby in the stroller, the workout you almost skipped, and the moment in the middle when you chose to trust God instead of quitting. Every one of those is a win.
Whatever race you're running right now, whether it's a triathlon, a season of motherhood, or a hard stretch of life, keep pressing on. Run the race marked out for you, and let Him be your strength.
(My husband Andy and I created the Christian apparel brand Lord and Armor for exactly these reminders.)
Want a small step for this week? Get my free 7-Day Taking the Wins Devotional for moms: https://www.rebekahvannatta.com/takingthewins
And if you want to go deeper in your walk with God, my book The Growing Christian is on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D36F14LT
With love and grit,
Rebekah Van Natta
Author of The Growing Christian
