I have countless pregnant running stories because I ran until my delivery day with all three of my children, and I have also trained many pregnant runners. These stories are meant to inspire you, but heed caution and always listen to your doctor first because every pregnant woman is different. Not all pregnant women can run and this depends on if you have a high risk pregnancy or any other health issues. But if you do get the green light to continue your running, it is pretty amazing. I will remember running pregnant for a lifetime. Here are several pregnant running stories that will inspire you:
Running the Boston Marathon, I just did not feel right. I was feeling morning sickness and the run only made me feel worse so I took it easy. I kept telling my husband I was pregnant for weeks but every pregnancy test told otherwise, testing negative. When I finished Boston with a time that was slower than my usual (over 4 hours), I took my 8th pregnancy test and it was still negative. This is the first of my pregnant running stories to inspire you.
I then decided to give it another try. I couldn't stand to look at a time that was anything but my best so I registered for The Flying Pigs marathon. In Cincinnati, Ohio, I ran a great race, taking 30 minutes off my time (running 3:36). And I still felt a little off. The very next day I took my 9th pregnancy test and guess what? I was pregnant with my second child! I visited the doctor, concerned I had ran two marathons, and he explained the womb is an incredible shelter. And all was well!
As I continued to run throughout my pregnancy with the support and guidance of my doctor, I qualified for the New York marathon but I was on the fence in doing this race because I would be almost 9 months pregnant on race day. After my doctor gave me the green light to continue, I decided to race easy, not push, watch elevating my heart rate and just have fun. I finished just over 5 hours but had a great time and delivered a healthy and happy baby girl a month later!
Getting pregnant with my 3rd child was very exciting, but as my marathon day approached I debated if I should even run. I was 6 months pregnant, which was early enough to run but not possible to be competitive. I decided to run and just take it easy. I managed to hit every bathroom stop along the course, but I felt great and finished with a 4:19. Three months later I delivered a baby boy with super strong lungs from my continued running!
In the beginning of my pregnancy, about 4 months in, I ran a race easy but still managed to win for the women’s division. This was several minutes slower than what I usually ran but this was still a respectable time, and no one really knew I was pregnant. Most people had assumed I had just gained weight along my midsection. After this month, my times slowed down as my belly grew.
The day I delivered all 3 of my children I ran, but with each pregnancy it was different. With my first child, I just ran a mile, to take it easy; by my 2nd pregnancy, I ran 3 miles; and on my 3rd pregnancy, I ran 4 miles, taught two Bootcamp classes, got my children on the bus and then delivered my son, Brent. Each pregnancy, people often did not understand but this is part of me and I took care of my health by exercising and eating healthy throughout each pregnancy.
You are usually supposed to wait until 6 weeks postpartum to exercise unless your doctor gives you clearance otherwise. In my last pregnancy I had an allergic reaction to medication that they give you to help you recover. Since I usually do not take any medication, to my body this was foreign so I became bloated and sick. The next day I had to run to eliminate bloating and remove this toxic medication from my body. Pretty crazy, I know! And this is completely not the norm but this shows you every person responds differently. I am a bit of an anomaly!
Hope you have enjoyed the stories that I have shared with you. Although these are all personal memoirs they are meant to show you that you can do anything. It is all within you. What personal running stories do you have to share?