Running Through Pregnancy

"How long are you going to do this?" I'm often asked...and my response is usually the same. "Until I can't, until I get to the point where it just doesn't feel right". And although I completely believe this I'm also secretly hoping that I'll be able to run right up to the point of going into labor.

This is my first time being pregnant so all of these new feelings of discomfort are new to me. Overall, I feel okay, not great, not bad but okay. Now that I'm getting bigger I definitely feel slower and a bit more sluggish out on the trail...heck, I'm feeling more sluggish just walking around! But when I'm out running, I'm taking it easy, I don't push too hard and I listen to my body. My frequent stops to 'pop a squat' allow me to take micro breaks and even though I wish I could run more than a mile without having to stop to pee it doesn't usually work out that way. If I get the occasional pain in my lower abdominal, I slow down or stop for a second until it passes. I don't ever feel like I'm putting myself or my baby in harms way and it makes me happy to still be out there running...er, I mean, plodding ;)

Right now my training really isn't "Training", it's more along the lines of "Maintaining". But, I can't wait to get back to racing and to have my little girl there to cheer me on will be very special!