In the past, running while pregnant was always a definite no as it was not considered safe to run while pregnant, but in recent years, doctors have told us it is ok to run during pregnancy. Not only can you continue running during first trimester and keep going as long as your body can handle it, but you can run faster after baby, as our guest Meredith Mikell, explains.
This is one topic that many female runners will need to consider at some point during their running careers, and that is pregnancy.
Whether planned or unplanned, pregnancy can absolutely have a huge effect on your training and workouts.
Many doctors will support a woman who is planning to run throughout her pregnancy (as long as it is safe for her in particular, of course!), so taking a nine-month hiatus is not often necessary.
Today we’re talking to Meredith Mikell, longtime runner and author of Faster After Baby: Field notes from the crossroads of competitive running and pregnancy, and Sarah Brown, a professional New Balance runner since 2009 who trained through the pregnancy, then ran in the Olympic Trials last weekend, just months after giving birth to her daughter.
Both women have had babies recently, and they are chatting with us today about the reality of balancing pregnancy with running.
Some of the topics you’ll hear about include:
- How the women felt during and after their pregnancies, including Sarah who was training for the Olympic Trials.
- How their training had to change during pregnancy.
- Why they didn’t give up their running during this time.
- Some tips for pregnant women who want to keep up with their training.
- Handling societal pressure and physical constraints after childbirth, especially criticism from traditional viewpoints about pregnancies.
- Their best advice for pregnant moms, favorite books, best pre-race meals, and the running equipment they use the most.
Questions Sarah and Meredith Are Asked:
8:00: Sarah, share about how you trained before, during and after your pregnancy.
10:35: Meredith, how did your experience compare to Sarah’s?
13:35: Would you both say that you could test your abilities daily or that you had to take off a week or more?
17:15: Did you both naturally know whether to slow down to stay safe?
21:25: Sarah, do you agree that your training wasn’t as hard as it usually was?
23:20: Sarah, why did you decide to keep trying for the Olympic trials rather than wait until 2020?
25:35: Meredith, would you say that running was a part of you that you didn’t want to give up during and after pregnancy?
28:15: Meredith, share some of your research about the safety and benefits of running during pregnancy.
30:10: Sarah, was your doctor supportive of you running from the start?
31:50: Meredith, why is perceived effort a better way to gauge exertion than other ways of measuring, such as heart rate?
33:30: Can you both explain the experience of recuperating after childbirth?
37:45: How would you both compare the experience of giving birth to your hardest workouts?
39:20: Sarah, have you had any training setbacks since your daughter was born?
45:00: What would you both say about guilt over leaving your newborns for training or racing?
48:55: Sarah, can you share about how you handled criticism you’ve received?
50:45: What would you both like your children to know about running?
53:20: Can you both share one piece of advice for pregnant or postpartum women?
[bctt tweet=”Interview with Pro Sarah Brown, who competed in the US Olympic Trials just months after giving birth!” username=”Runners_Connect”]
Quotes from Sarah and Meredith:
Sarah: “I felt like I was running through sand; running just wasn’t fun anymore.”
Meredith: “I felt no pain on the elliptical, so I had to wrap my mind around that.”
Sarah: “My pregnancy came first. Healthy baby, healthy mom.”
Meredith: “There’s so much change when you have a new little person in your life, and running was my constant.”
Sarah: “I got pregnant when I was at my peak of fitness, so my doctor said my body could handle it.”
Meredith: “If you’ve been running prior to your pregnancy, you can continue during pregnancy, provided you’re listening to your body’s signals.”
Sarah: “I’m a better mom because I’m a runner, and a better runner because I’m a mom.”
Meredith: “Society puts a lot of pressure on moms. Our culture says that if you’re not giving 100% to your baby, you’re not doing enough.”
Sarah: “I know I have a great ring of support around me, so I was able to ignore a lot of comments and negativity.”
Meredith: “Be open to what each new experience has to teach you.”
Sarah: “Enjoy the process as much as you can throughout pregnancy.”
Take a Listen on Your Next Run
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Links and Resources:
Last week’s episode with Phoebe Wright
Runners Connect Crosstraining Episode
Thank you so much for tuning in. Remember you can always email me
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Next week, we will be talking to Matthew Kadey, author of Rocket Fuel. He is a nutritionist with a lot of great recipes to share, so be sure to tune in!
