Many of you have probably seen the story of Alysia Montaño, but in case you haven’t, I am compelled to share it. Montaño is an 800m runner who recently ran in the USATF championships while 34 weeks pregnant. She was only 31 seconds off the leader–a lot closer than I would have been at 34 weeks! Montaño continued her workout regimen through her pregnancy, and she consulted with her doctors before competing in the USATF championships. They gave her the okay (awesome), and away she went.
I love her quote when interviewed after the race: “That took away any fear of what the outside world might think about a woman running during her pregnancy…what I found out mostly was that exercising during pregnancy is actually much better for the mom and the baby. I did all the things I normally do. I just happened to be pregnant. This is my normal this year.” By competing in the championships at 34 weeks, I think Montaño helped all of us mother runners to even further dispel the myth that women shouldn’t run during pregnancy.
Obviously you should consult with your doctor, but if you get the green light–go for it! I think I bounced back a lot faster this time because I stayed active while pregnant. Even though I had to stop running at 22 weeks due to pelvic pain, I continued to walk. I am convinced it helped me have a smoother labor and get back into shape quicker.
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