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This photo of a mom breastfeeding after finishing a triathlon is going viral

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Photo via Facebook

At only 28 years old, Katrina Bolduc has already completed a total of five triathlons – but the triathlon she completed this past Sunday was by far the most rewarding. After introducing her son, Grayson, into the world in December, Bolduc had a difficult time maintaining her active lifestyle. Finishing her first triathlon as a mom on Sunday was a token of her strength and dedication, despite all the demanding responsibilities that may typically hinder her “me” time.

Bolduc is a yoga instructor who was previously told she couldn’t have children. But this difficult obstacle was not the only one she surmounted. After having Grayson, she realized getting in shape after having a baby is not only a physical, but also a mental challenge. Inspiring all mothers, Bolduc completed a series of races to prove that even with a newborn, moms can still find the time to be active. “I think all of us as new moms are a little body-shamed by people everywhere. I’ve always been active, but even I found myself kind of in that rut, and it was a little bit harder to get back into the endurance shape that i was used to,” she tells Self.

For motivation, Bolduc entered in a series of races, including three 10K races and a sprint triathlon. By committing to these events, the supermom wanted to shatter the stereotypes associated with being a mother, specifically those which associate motherhood with being a housewife and not working out.

“I think sometimes society kind of pushes [new moms] aside and expects us to stay at home and not work out and just be a mom. But I believe—and I think I’m proof of that—that we can be so much more. We continue to be part of a fitness community and have goals and we can still get our training in.,” she said.

The training for her races was not easy, especially with Grayson in the picture. “Before Grayson, Bolduc could just hit the ground running when it was time to log miles or head to the pool when she needed to get in laps. now, she had to adjust her training around Grayson’s schedule, including his regular breastfeeding sessions,” reports Self. Although she had to make several adjustments to her training sessions, Bolduc was determined that she would reach the finish line in all four of her races. Her most recent, and perhaps the most memorable success for her, was finishing the sprint triathlon on July 24. This included a half mile swim 12.4 mile bike ride, and a 3.1-mile run. Up for the challenge and with no regrets, Bolduc breastfed her son before the race. After “she triumphantly completed the triathlon, the sweaty but proud mom was greeted by a familiar sight: a hungry baby.”

Soon after Bolduc crossed over the finish line, she was back to mommy duties and breastfed her son again after grabbing her medal and a drink of water. “I had an easy-access top on. We were right there at the finish line, and I unzipped my top. He latched right on, and he was as happy as can be. he looked up, smiling at me,” she says. Other athletes were also very supportive, making an effort to congratulate the mother directly. “The fact that people chose to say something like, ‘congrats mama,’ versus just walking by made me feel really good. I think it’s an acknowledgement of, ‘wow, you’re a mom and you just finished this race and now you’re feeding your child.’ It was so much more than, ‘oh good job you finished a race.’”

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Photo via Facebook

The moment was captured on camera by her husband and after posting it to the Facebook group Breastfeeding Mama Talk, it went viral online. Since there has been so much scrutiny around public breastfeeding, Bolduc wanted to “show women that there are good breastfeeding stories out there.” Bolduc hopes that the photo not only serves as a motivating piece for mothers to stay active, but also to empower all moms in believing that “whether it’s train for a triathlon or breastfeed in public,” they can do anything.

What do you think about this mother’s story? Are you inspired to become more active as a mother? Let us know by tweeting to @YahooStyleCA.