I am now officially 18 weeks pregnant, with a 'sweet potato' size bundle of joy tucked snugly away.
I currently weigh 10lbs over my typical running weight. During this past Sunday's long run and yesterday's speed workout - I felt it!
In the past, the subject of running while pregnant was taboo. Now, sticking to a routine and maintaining a healthy lifestyle has been strongly encouraged by my doctor. She assures me that because running was such a big piece of my lifestyle before it should remain so. However her advice to me has been to really listen to my body, 'the body knows best' and not to do more than what I was doing prior to my pregnancy. Part of my challenge is that I'm über competitive with my running and at times I've had to be cautious and aware of this.
So here goes...let's delve into the 'unexpected' moments I've had:
RUN TIGHTS Sunday were almost too tight to wear, and I decided to say good bye to them for the rest of the winter running season because they were digging into my belly too much due to the mid rise. I luckily have a pair that I hardly wear because they're stretched out, and now after trying them on they fit perfect in my new condition. My point here is...If something feels tight and uncomfortable in the first few minutes. DON'T wear it! It's not worth it. They were a distraction and took away from my run. When running pregnant either wear looser pants and/or buy run tights a size up.
PEE...At this point in my pregnancy my bladder isn't what it was. I could go almost a whole day without having to go pee (although not advised) and during long runs I now feel as if I should pop a squat every 45mins. During these moments I ignore my bladder and when I'm back from my run I go and what's funny is that nothing hardly comes out. What I tried differently at my speed work that helped was to not drink any water an hour prior and hit the washroom right before my workout started. This worked great and I didn't feel that pressure at all. Heads up though, my friend Katie who is a month ahead of me in pregnancy and is a seasoned runner isn't as lucky in this situation and needs to release much more often. She doesn't drink at all during her running and has to stop every few miles. In this situation I'd advise to plan a route where there are many washrooms, and to wear clothing that is easy to get on and off.
HYDRATION STATION is what every distance runner needs to carry with them. Usually if I'm doing a long run under 20k/12miles I will wear my running belt. Anything over I wear my camelback. With my belly now growing and waist increasing my run belt does not fit AT ALL on my body. Thankfully the camelback fits just fine and I recommend when purchasing one to choose one with adjustable bungee straps. This has allowed me to adjust my camelback as I grow.
TAMING THE TA TAS is now an essential part of my routine. Before pregnancy I could wear any low support bra running. I could honestly get away with wearing my bikini top if I chose. Now that my boobs have jumped from a modest B to a voluptuous D cup I had to step up my bra game. Good thing I work at a lululemon and I have many options. Before purchasing a new bra I tried one run with one of my normal bras and I was in pain the whole time. The main learning here is to invest in new bras that fit your new size so that you can run pain free.
WORSE THAN A RUG-BURN...CHAFFING. Yesterday at my speed training I sported my typical run bottom, my speed shorts. These are my favourite shorts and I live in them when weather allows. Unexpectedly, half way through my run a burning sensation started up in my nether regions (not what the majority of you are thinking I bet). I've seen many runners and athletes with this annoying rubbing on their thighs during races...To the point of blood. It's always left me concerned and thankful that I haven't had to deal with it. If like me you are experiencing this pregnant or not, I recommend using 'Body Glide' to prevent this and or Vaseline.
THE GAME IS AFOOT! The question that poses itself each run during this past week is wether or not I have the best shoes on for running. I've loved up my Nike Frees now for 2 years and haven't ran in anything else but now I'm experiencing lower back pain. Probably due to the extra 10lbs I'm carrying around. It's a tough decision because back pain is also a common symptom women experience around the 18week mark of their pregnancy. I'm not 100% sure if this pain is due to running or not. Something I will need to tread carefully.
That's all the unexpected I have for you tonight. Sleep well!
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