There are plenty of resources out there that give a great overview of recommendations for exercising while pregnant. (The March of Dimes, for example, has a pretty good one.) But most of those resources are fairly generic and not specific for runners. Below are some tips that you might find useful as you figure out how to keep running safely while your body is busy growing a little human.
1. Listen to your doctor. If you have any complications or risks throughout your pregnancy, exercise – especially vigorous exercise as defined by the CDC – is likely the first thing to go. Please, please don’t go against medical advice. Further, I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on the Internet. So if anything your doctor says contradicts anything I say below, your doctor wins – no contest.
2. Slow it down. You’re not going to be breaking any records when you’re running for two. Trust me, there’s no Pregnant Lady racing division out there (although to be honest, I kind of wish there was.) Keep your runs at a pace that feels comfortable and allows your heart rate to stay within a reasonable range. A lot of sources cite the maximum heart rate for pregnant women as 140 bpm, but depending on your fitness level, that’s not necessarily a universal rule (see the Mayo Clinic’s response to this question here).
3. Keep the distance reasonable. Don’t shoot for a distance that’s longer than what you’ve done as a recent non-pregnant person. This isn’t the best time to sign up for your “first” ANYTHING. Stick to distances that your body knows and is comfortable with. Remember the crazy Chicago Marathon Lady who, in 2011, went into labor immediately after finishing the marathon? For her, 26.2 WAS normal. For most of us, that’s not the case.
3. Listen to your body. Pregnancy is not the time to persevere through the pain. Starting to feel cramping or discomfort? It’s time to walk. Start up again when you feel normal. Once I reached the third trimester of Pregnancy #1, I could finish a 5K by jogging and walking in half-mile increments. You may find you can go for longer spurts without walking (see Marathon Lady above, who ran and walked in two mile increments) or maybe you need to walk more often. Find what works for you.
4. Bring a water bottle. Hydration is kind of a big deal. Make sure you’re not allowing your body to get too dehydrated. I carry a bottle similar to this one, but there are tons of options out there – handheld bottles, belts, and backpacks. There’s sure to be something that works for you.
5. Don’t go it alone. This is for safety as well as sanity. If you do have an emergency out on a run, it’s important that you’re not alone. (I generally feel this way about running all the time, pregnant or not. But I digress.) In addition, it’s nice to have someone to chat with along the way. Now is a great time to make a new running buddy! Your pace is likely to match up with someone who couldn’t keep up with you before – reach out and invite them for a jog!
6. Be proud of your accomplishments. At 33 weeks pregnant, I was nervous to participate in a small local 5K race. I was sure to record my all-time slowest finish time to date. What if I finished dead last? That had never been a possibility for me before. And what if people made negative comments or gave me sideways glances?
I tell you what – I’ve never felt so supported at a race as I did that day. Not in high school, when I had a family fan club at every event; or even in college, when I actually won a race once in awhile. No matter how slow you trudge along, complete strangers will be proud of you for getting out there – so you should be proud of yourself!
See? Two years later, I’m STILL so proud of my 39 minute 5K that I’m thrilled to share this unflattering picture with you.
Get out there and do what you can. I must confess that my second pregnancy was not nearly as successful, running-wise. 15 weeks was about as late as I was comfortable running. The seasons were wrong, and quite frankly I just didn’t feel up to it. So I stuck to yoga instead – but there’s nothing wrong with that. Nor is there anything wrong with taking it easy for 40 weeks, if that is what your pregnancy requires.
Do what’s best for you and your baby, and be proud that you are doing your best to grow that little nugget in a safe and healthy way.
Mommy Jogger 