Running Through Pregnancy
I trained throughout my entire first pregnancy, running 5k the day before I delivered. I’ve recapped my journeys here in hopes it might help you train through your pregnancy.
Please feel free to comment and share your personal experiences!
Pregnancy #1: Gretchen (Greta) Margaret, 5 lbs 12 oz, 10-15-14
I always knew we wanted a family but always had something “else” I wanted to achieve first — my MBA, career development, promotions, training/racing goals. Something changed in me during the fall of 2013, when all of a sudden I was totally ready!
It took us a while to get pregnant. I’m assuming that was because I was as lean as I had ever been in the fall of ’13 after coming off of an OTQ attempt at Chicago and racing in the Professional Women’s Division at NYC. 6 months later, though, we found out we were expecting. We couldn’t be happier!
At the time I wanted to re-qualify for the Olympic Marathon Trials post-delivery. I ran throughout the pregnancy, but became less and less motivated during the last trimester as I battled with constant nausea and vomiting. It wasn’t pleasant. Towards the end of the pregnancy I couldn’t keep down much at all and often times would vomit blood.
Despite that struggle, the pregnancy went as well as we could have hoped and I delivered a healthy baby girl via scheduled C-section (breech) on 10-15-14!
I wish I would have taken better notes on how much I was able to run, paces, etc. I don’t think it was much at all towards the end? Here are recaps I did capture of weekly mileages, thoughts on training, baby preparations. Read on!
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| Announcing we were expecting |
Finding out I was pregnant! So exciting!!: link here
Week 10: A temporary no-running order!
Weeks 11-12: Extreme nausea, but still managed 42 miles/week
Week 13: Giving myself “options” for workouts
Weeks 14-15: A 6:39 mile at the GAC Alumni meet, and baby’s first win at the Faribault Nature Center’s 5k race!
Weeks 16-17: the mental struggle!
Week 18: starting to show! Paces are becoming slower…
Weeks 19-21: Still undefeated in Doggie 5ks! 20 week ultrasound measurements as well!
Weeks 22-24: Heartburn, body image, and growing!
Weeks 25-26: Two 5ks!
Weeks 27-28: Cravings, baby prep, and more nausea…
Weeks 29-31: The “Baby Olympics”! Plus, motivation!!
Weeks 32-34: My version of P90x’s Ab Ripper X and a 29:04 5k at the Gustavus Alumni XC meet!
Week 35: LOTS of nausea and vomiting, Talking with Olympian Carrie Tollafson about post-delivery training and a 28:10 5k
Weeks 36-37: I still have a breech baby after an attempted version 🙁
Week 37.5: That’s one big belly!
Week 38: Body image…
Week 38, Day 6: One last day!
Week 39: Meet baby Greta!
