Pregnancy Running - OOF!

I haven’t broadcast this much because I frankly don’t like to share huge life updates on social media. But yep, I’m pregnant! Collin and I are expecting a little boy, due August 15th! We are thrilled, terrified, and ultra aware of the upcoming changes in our lives.

Baby Junior, all cozy and precious. We love him so much already!

Speaking of changes, pregnancy brings with it physical, mental, and emotional shifts. Physically, there is of course a requirement to put on weight in order to carry a healthy baby. And truthfully, I’ve been down with that. It has been good for me have an excuse to do less, to lay aside the need to always be improving at my running, and to allow some necessary pounds to find a home on my frame. Bring it on!

I’ve been struck how so often pre-pregnancy I didn’t allow myself the same kind of permission to rest, to try different kinds of movement that energize (rather than deplete) me, and to eat more dessert, or eat the whole burger. I’ve been open about my struggle with body image during college and my mid-twenties, and even though I feel as though I have walked away from many of the habits that were so bad for me, the world of health, food and exercise is a slippery slope, and it has taken continued self-awareness to keep from backsliding. I’ve been thankful because I feel like pregnancy immediately highlighted what I needed to focus on: giving my child the nourishment they deserve, and giving MYSELF the nourishment I deserve. The simplicity has been really freeing for me.

Nevertheless, my body has changed, and it’s made running feel like a whole different kind of challenge. Collin and I ran Goldy’s 10 mile on April 1st, and I thought it might actually kill me. At that point, I was 5 months along. Here’s a quick play-by-play of how the race panned out:

Miles 1-3: “Whee! This is fun! Got some pep in my step. This’ll be a piece of cake.”

Mile 4: Throbbing in my psoas and round ligaments.

Mile 6: Psoas went numb; couldn’t catch my breath even on the downhills. At 4 min per mile slower than my PR pace, this was humbling for me. I’ve since learned that pregnant women have a ton more blood volume, which means their heart has to work much harder to circulate it.

Mile 8-9: Struggle bus on the hills. Collin had to coax/pep me up the elevation changes until we made it to the final mile.

I felt like I was the driver / sole proprietor of this bus.

Mile 10: A switch flipped and my primal racing instincts kicked in. I may not have been moving very fast, but there was no question about me finishing and I forgot about any discomfort I was experiencing. Sprinting to the finish line in the stadium made me feel so proud of myself!

After we finished I felt extremely massive, heavy and inept. I managed to waddle my way into Hazel’s for brunch, but OW! Was I ever sore!? And in places I’d never been sore before. I think because pregnancy shifts your center of gravity, all your mechanics are thrown off. Once we got home, Collin had to help lift me onto the couch for the afternoon where I ate popcorn, sipped electrolytes and napped until bedtime.

Since race day I have run maybe a handful of times, 2-3 miles maximum each time. I can’t figure out if it’s enjoyable or not. I love the feeling of the sun on my body, breathing fresh air, and the comforting rhythm of my feet on the pavement —- but physically, it just feels very different than it used to, and I think my body is more energized right now by lifting weights and barre classes.

And so, I am happy to put running on the very back burner for the foreseeable future. There are days I miss the training grind, but I also see how hard it was on my body. When I do return to distance running, I think I will approach things a little differently. More rest days. Sleeping more (likely not in the cards with an infant around, but one can hope!). Running my easy runs even easier. More mobility work, fewer miles. Not being afraid to run just for the enjoyment, not because I need to be improving.

Race day buds!

I look forward to continuing to coach my athletes as my tummy grows ever-larger and baby’s due date draws near. Watching athletes realize their potential (not only in running, but in life) lights me up!