First, I feel this blog needs a disclaimer:
I. AM. NOT. PREGNANT!
I'm not even a little bit pregnant (I don't think...just kidding.)
All right, moving on.
Even though I am not gonna be a baby mama in the next 9 months, I will be one someday, and I'd like to get some advice/suggestions from any moms out there who ran during their pregnancy. I know that everyone is different, and lots of factors can come into play (weight gain, health, illness, bed rest, doctor's orders, etc.), which is exactly why I wanted to post a blog, so that maybe, just MAYBE, I'd get feedback from different points of view. I know it's possible to run while pregnant, because I've read several blogs (maybe some of yours!) saying so. And I'm pretty sure I read an article about a woman who ran a marathon near the 40 week mark in her pregnancy? Yeah, I don't really want to give birth at the finish line, but more power to her. Of course, she had been running for years longer than I have, which I'm sure makes a difference.
Anyway, here are a few questions I have for anyone willing to offer sound advice:
1. How far into your pregnancy did you run?
2. How much did it slow you down?
3. Did you run to exercise or did you participate in races?
4. What distance(s) were you able to run?
5. How painful was it? (Don't say it wasn't! I won't believe you.)
6. What was your motivation for running throughout your pregnancy?
7. Did your doctor encourage running?
I'm sure I'll think of more questions when I'm actually in the situation, but these will do for now. I'd love to hear any stories (negative or positive - don't worry, you won't scare me) about your experience. Thanks! :)
Never ran before pregnant...but definitly weight trained. I lifted weights all the way up to 36 weeks!! Made my recovery from c-section so easy and I only put on 30 pounds. Of course the further along you get, you structure it different to fit your growing belly.
ReplyDeleteMy Doc did tell me of a woman who ran until she was 35 weeks, but I didnt ask how far. Trust me when I say, you will know what is right for your body and your will know your limitations. My Doc always told me to keep my heart rate under 145 and I was good!!
Jessica P.
Thanks for the feedback! :)
ReplyDeleteCheck out Hungry Runner Girl's blog- she blogged all the way through her pregnancy this year, and ran teh whole time! She ran 8 miles the day before having the baby.. Amazing!
ReplyDeleteHer blog is at www.hungryrunnergirl.com - you can find baby/ pregnancy specific posts under the "HRG Baby" tab, or if you go back in the archives of her blog from earlier in 2012, she blogged about it daily! I'm not expecting any time soon, but I loved reading all about her adventures while pregnant!
Thanks, I'll have to check her blog out!
ReplyDeleteHi Kayla, I ran during my pregnancy until I was 6-7 months - after that it began to hurt too much, so I had to stop. (I delivered at 8 months pregnant.) It didn't slow me down at all, but I was already a pretty slow runner (9:30/mile). I believe the most I ran during pregnancy was about 5 miles at a time, but I could do it every day without pain.
ReplyDeleteI did it for exercise, no races. I accredit only gaining 15 lbs during pregnancy to that, and the day after I had my daughter, I only had 3 pounds to lose to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. That was my motivation - to not have to do tons of work to get back into shape after pregnancy. I'm much too lazy for that. ;o)
P.S. Found your blog through your friend request on daily mile! :o)
ReplyDeleteOh, thanks! I'll keep all of that in mind. I think that would be my motivation as well - definitely too lazy to have to lose a lot of weight.
ReplyDelete