Any runners? Active mamas?

[judybean]

Hello, April 2012!!  :)

I began my running journey in February of this year, running my first continuous mile by the end of February.. I've run two 5Ks this year so far (including the Dirty Dash! not even realizing I was pregnant at the time... just 1.5 weeks ago!) and was training for a 10K in September, but thinking that might not happen now ;)

I've never been this active in my life and have no clue how pregnancy will factor into all of this.  I plan to keep doing what I've been doing (I ran two miles yesterday morning and felt A.MA.ZING!) and just see how it all goes!

Any others that are runners?  Bikers? Beyond?!  How has your pregnancy affected you thus far?  Any plans on how you'll keep up your training while pregnant?

[NCMtnMama]

I'm generally active, doing spin & boot camp several days a week, with running/jogging in there also. This summer I haven't been nearly as active as I usually am, and my weight really showed it at my first appt with the midwife yesterday. Alas, I can't blame any of those lbs on the teeny tiny 6.5 week old fetus!

I'm going to try to get back to spinning and maybe jogging some. I might add in swimming and some yoga (mostly just to de-stress). As a family we do a lot of hiking, and my job can be pretty active and strenuous at times (I'm a sports / music photographer), so it's important to try to stay in shape.

I'd say depending on how you feel, go for the 10k! My good friend ran a half marathon at around 15 weeks, and I don't think she suffered any ill effects.

[zenproof]

running is addicting isn't it??  i started last september and had never run in my life (except for the occasional jog on the treadmill at the gym).  started with couch-2-5k and skipped over doing the actual race and went on to run a half marathon in march.  doh!  i like to just get right to it apparently.  i overtrained though and wind up with one injury after another and was totally burnt out after the 1/2 - but i couldn't quit 'training'.  i needed to be in training mode.  so i took up triathlons - which i love even more.

i actually placed 3rd in my age group in my last tri of the season and turned out i was pregnant - so i was relieved i didn't find out beforehand, or i probably would have been a stress ball.  it was great though!  

trying to run in this Georgia heat has been killer.  i can only manage 3 or 4 miles and some days i have to walk some.  my pace has gone down by a minute at least and my heartrate is through the roof easily.  so its not been all that exciting lately.  lol.  but im trying to just keep at it no matter what.  luckily ive been spared from any bad naseau (i can never spell that word) so far.

i would totally continue to race while pregnant - just do it at a pace that feels comfortable.  i can not imagine a 1/2 marathon though while pregnant.  someone would have to pay me.  haaaa.

[loudmama]

I'm not a runner, but a pretty active mama who does some intense workouts 3x a week. I'm down 50lbs from 18 months ago. And this pregnancy is making me more tired & sore. I'm more fit now than I have ever been, but I just can't believe how my endurance is less now & how much more sore I am. I asked someone who does a pregnancy fitness class, & she said other moms notice the soreness more with subsequent pregnancies.

I plan on doing my exercise routine while my body lets me. I need to add some yoga & swim in soon though!

L

[flavorfull1]

I run too!  I didn't run last pg bc I am an RH- mama.  I have already done some running with this one and while my body feels a little off and sore, it felt pretty good.  I am not too intense about it because I have had a hard time keeping my calories up with breastfeeding and running.  I don't know how long I will be running but I will be walking swimming or using the ellipse if not running.  I will need encouragement, it gets cold up here (NY) and I am not a fan of that!

[zenproof]

the fatigue is crazy - my heartrate just skyrockets now with any exercise and i am so winded easily.  i hope that at some point that gets better.  i had forgotten with my son just how TIRED you get - only i wasn't nearly as active with him.  some days i feel i can barely keep my head upright.

how does RH- affect workouts??  i think my husband were both positive so we got out of the shot with our blood results.

[MrsKatie]

Hi - DDCC here - just want to say that I was an avid runner pre-pregnancy; I'd been running 7-9 miles most days, and as others have mentioned, I was totally hooked on it!  While going to bed I'd fantasize about waking up the next day and getting out there.

I was very sedentary my first tri, just cause I was so exhausted and got very depressed.  But I picked it up again at about 12 weeks, and I continued to run (much less mileage, much more slowly) up until the 27-week point, when RLP just got to be too painful.  And the whole time I WAS running, it was very tough for me, especially given the near-constant urge to pee, the RLP, and the tendency to feel fatigued sooner.  At this point (I'm 28 weeks), I'm sticking to walking and yoga.  Which KILLS me cause I love running more than anything.

I've heard a maternity belt can help with RLP and bladder issues, and I might try one out, cause I love to run so much!

This has just been my experience.  I think if I had pushed past the fatigue and depression of my first trimester and kept running, I might have had an easier time throughout, and would still be running now.  So if you can keep it up, I say go for it!  My midwife and nurse encouraged it with lots of enthusiasm.  They did caution, however, that pregnant runners are more prone to injuries of their pelvic symphysis, so DO NOT "run through" ANY amount of pain you experience.  An injury to this area can take years to heal!

Aah, can't wait for the PP period so I can start running again.  Good luck ladies!

[flavorfull1]

Originally Posted by zenproof 

how does RH- affect workouts??  i think my husband were both positive so we got out of the shot with our blood results.

The main thing is I didn't want to fall and possibly cause a silent or obvious bleed.  I waited on the shots until after birth and did a blood type for my son.  Turned out he was my blood type so I didn't need the shot anyway.  I had planned on if I ever injured myself, had any bleeding, traumatic birth, or if his blood type was positive, I would get the shot asap.  You have 48-72 hours to get it after exposure but sooner is better.  I am just being careful right now running and hoping I don't trip, I don't run that fast anyway 

[swiesz]

 I do crossfit.  Can be pretty intense.  I am only a little over 6 weeks and plan to continue thru the pregnancy with needed modifications throughout.  I have been doing it pretty consistantly for the past 2 years, so my body is pretty used to it.  This is my 4th pregnancy and the first time i will be working our really consistantly thru the pregnancy.  There is a lot of other women that have done the same.  I think that if your exercise is what you have been doing for some time to continue with any needed modifications is great.  If you are not used to running or working out much now is not the time to start.

[judybean]

I ran a 5K this morning and really, I felt *awesome*!!  Sometimes it's hard to get moving in the first place, but then when I got into a good, slow pace it was great!  I didn't push myself at all and took walk breaks if I felt like it.  Funny thing is, I *felt* like I was going sooooooo slow, but my time wasn't really *that* much slower!  I think the walk breaks really help in keeping me going at a good pace.  (which is what the Galloway method does in theory... and I had just gotten his book on training for a half marathon... looks like that will be on hold, but that's okay ;) ).

[Aletheia]

Oh yay!  So glad to find this thread.  I'll go see if I can delete the other one I started.

[Aletheia]

I don't have any idea how far I run, but I go for about 45 minutes so far.  I'm trying to build on that.  I started running consistently about three months ago, out of sheer joy for having SUMMER after living through my first Montana winter.  And now I can't stop.  Today I felt awful when I woke up, and could only choke down a few bites of mango.  Dang it, I thought, I wont' get to go running.  But my new vibrams were by the door, and I just sort of found myself getting my running clothes on... and after I dropped the boys off at school, away I went!

I ran cross country in high school, and while I was never fast, I loved it.  I've been out of it since the boys were born (turning 5 and 3 this month) but getting back into it now is just what I need.  That time with the wind blowing by, the freedom from needy kids, the feeling of light, airy, motion?  I am going to do all I can to stick with it as long as possible.

By the way, the vibrams I think were too small.  I'm going to exchange for a size up and try again.  I've been taking walks in them ok, but the run pinched my toes a bit much.  But I loved the feeling-- the lightness of running in them!  I will try again.

[piratemere]

I'm not a runner by any stretch of the word, but I want a pair of Vibrams so much it hurts.  I dream about them!

[judybean]

I <3 my Vibrams!  I started with the basic Sprint model, but now am head-over-heels for my Bikilas!!  I actually went with the men's ones for my Bikilas (I have huge feet... the women's 42s are VERY snug, but the men's 42s are perfect!!).  I didn't get to run today and won't again tomorrow (dh works early), but... *maybe* Saturday early?!  It's my ESCAPE!

I'm slow... quite slow... but I love running :)

[Aletheia]

Did 40 minutes today for the first time since Wednesday.  I've been feeling so sick and tired!  But getting out today actually seems to have helped.  Anyone experience that?

[flavorfull1]

Yes! and I always thought those women were lying!  I have been feeling awful and it seems like getting outside and walking a couple times a day really helps.  I honestly haven't run this week because I have felt so bad.  My problem is that while I feel better with walking or exercising, then I feel way more exhausted and sick within a couple of hours.  I try to eat a lot bc I am assuming that is part of it but it doesn't seem to help.  What is the best way to combat the nausea/fatigue and still get a run in? I miss it 

[judybean]

I eat a banana even as I'm heading out the door if I'm going to run... seems to help a bit with me at least!

[Aletheia]

Haha!  Immediately after checking in after my run yesterday, I went to my bedroom to find my slippers- I sat down, and decided just to "lay down for a minute."  I woke up after 1.5 hours.  What a lovely DH I have!

I ran this morning, and it was hard at first, but halfway through I felt great.

The eating thing really gets me, though.  As with my first two pregnancies, I crave junk food.  I actually got a slice of pizza and a root beer last night at 9:30. 

I'm afraid to eat too much, because it will make the running that much harder (and I do tend to gain a lot of weight in pregnancy)-- but I also don't want to eat too little!  Gar!

[judybean]

It's such a crazy balance with eating, running, etc!!  .. I struggle with eating in general during pregnancy (I usually *lose* weight in the beginning... and even by the end, at 41 or 42 weeks, I have usually only gained maybe 12 pounds... and then I birth 9lb+ babies ;) ).  This time around I feel like I'm struggling even more because 1) I'm running, 2) I'm pregnant, obviously and 3) I'm still nursing my 17-month-old.  That's a LOT of extra calories from what my body would 'normally' need to operate from.  I've eaten some junk and even justified it for the extra calories (blergh! ... McDs is NOT food... it's gross, but somehow sounded palatable).

I had a running date this morning with a friend for 5:30 a.m.  I woke up four times throughout the night and checked the clock to make sure I wasn't sleeping in... and... *grrrr* I SLEPT THROUGH THE ALARM!!  And, dh is busy with other activities in the mornings, I have some of my own, we have homeschooling with the girls, and the afternoons are too hot.  ... So, I'm hoping for a run tomorrow.  Shooting for three or four miles I hope....

[DeChRi]

Count me in.  This is pregnancy #4 here.  I am more of an avid weight lifter than runner, but run as one form of regular cardio.  I was able to maintain a pretty strong 4-5x week lifting program through all of my past pregnancies.  Bad SPD last time had me having to make some alterations.  I usually can manage a couple mile run up through my 7 or 8th month.  I love the way lifting feels when I am pregnant.  Something about staying strong is so good for my body.  I've found that when the fatigue is at it's worst, a trip to the gym, if I can drag there, helps.  Each kid makes it tougher to work in the exercise, but I figure it out. :)  Yea for exercising mamas!