Monday, October 10, 2011

running while pregnant

You may have heard about 27 year old Amber Miller, the woman who ran the Chicago Marathon yesterday -- nearly 39 weeks into her second pregnancy -- and then hours later delivered a healthy baby girl.  Amazing.  Incredible!  Some say her actions were selfish and she should not have run (walk) the marathon because of the potential risks to her unborn child.  I disagree.  I think a pregnant woman understands her body better than anyone and only she understands what her limitations are.  What do you think?  Did you run during pregnancy?

I did not run at all with my first pregnancy.  I ran prior to conceiving but pretty much stopped all physical activity when I learned I was pregnant.  With my second, I ran until about 14 weeks -- when I began doing more walking than running.  My "running" pace had slowed to a fast walk and even three miles felt like too much (and took too much time!).  That's when I threw in the towel.  I can't imagine running through a pregnancy myself, but I think it's awesome when another woman can -- and does!

A running pal locally ran the Chicago Marathon yesterday.  She passed Amber out on the course and said she was amazed that this woman was out there running.  The story is on every website, but here's a link if you need one.  Chicago Marathon

3 comments:

Lacey Sue said...

I tried running through two pregnancies. I lost one, and the second I threatened to miscarry twice. I think if your body lets your run, then run. No one can tell you better than your OWN body what your capable of doing while pregnant. I was sad I didn't get to run during mine. It just didn't work for me, glad this sweet lady was able to do and achieve something she loves while being pregnant!

Katy said...

Agreed. Not to mention her husband was by her side the entire time, she followed doctors advice of only running half, she had been running her whole pregnancy and it was Chicago, judging from the marathon's website if she needed medical attention it was going to be easy for her to get. Good for her!

Anonymous said...

I love all of your wonderful posts! But can I put in a word of caution...I have two friends who lost babies when they were five months pregnant. Both ran during their pregnancies. I know it's too small of a sample to draw conclusions, but so much is at stake I think it is better to err on the side of caution for the baby's sake. I loved walking during my pregnancies. How we feel is not always the best indicator of whether it is affecting the fetus. I know the trend now is to run during pregnancies, but I don't think it's backed up by a lot of research. Seeing a relative with a disability struggle through life, I would do everything possible to ensure a healthy outcome. Exercise is good, but walking seems like a perfect exercise for pregnant women. I always thought I was getting out of shape during my pregnancies, but was amazed how I could rebound after delivering.