Um….I’m pregnant! It’s fun to finally talk about this - because it was (mostly) kept secret for at least 10 weeks. While we did tell our immediate family basically as soon as we found out - let’s be real, in this covid pandemic, people need some good news - we didn’t tell many others until we had our first doctor’s appointment, which wasn’t until 11 weeks.
Mostly I want to document this journey for my own record keeping, but also for the handful of women who might stumble upon this blog when they have their own questions about running through pregnancy. I have no idea what the heck I’m doing, but with guidance from my doctor, along with a logical brain, I’m confident that I can navigate these waters.
Peter and I knew going into the Trials that afterwards we’d like to try to start a family. So that we did! We found out in early April that we were pregnant and, a few weeks later, through a teledoc appointment with our RN, found out the due date was roughly 12/12/20.
If you had asked me at 6 weeks how I was feeling, I would have told you that I felt mostly the same. Besides a few cramps, morning sickness hadn’t settled in yet, and I was still running pretty quick times in workouts. However, by week 7, things went down hill rather quickly, and full on pregnancy symptoms hit me hard. Nausea, fatigue and vomiting were all part of my life for weeks 7 - 12, but came and went in spurts. I’d typically be wiped of all energy by 3PM! Running was the only thing that made me feel the best.
What’s pregnancy like during a COVID pandemic, you might ask? The main difference is that our first appointment to “confirm” the pregnancy was via video and that Peter cannot come to any of my appointments. So, when we heard the baby’s heartbeat for the first time, Peter was watching the ultrasound from a FaceTime video. Of course, my social interactions have been drastically reduced so I do miss the fulfillment that comes with being able to see my friends freely. Additionally, we can’t easily see my parents and there is a very real chance that we do not see them at any point during the pregnancy. Other than that, nothing else is much different!
Below, I outlined what I was still able to accomplish from a running and lifting perspective throughout this first trimester. I’ve prioritized lifting still so that I can stay strong and maintain some flexibility / mobility as I prepare for labor and delivery in 6 months.
Week 5 (4/10/20)
72 miles | 3x Lift sessions | 0 off days
11M with 10x 2 min fartlek
11M with 5M tempo alternating 623/602/624/556/618
15M hilly LR
Weight: 133
This week felt just like any other normal week. At this point, the only symptoms I experienced were minor cramping and sleeplessness.
Week 6 (4/17/20)
61 miles | 3x lift sessions | 0 days off
11.5M with 3x1KM @ 324-328 with 75s rest, 3M tempo ~603 average, 1Km in 327, 600m in 2:06
14M with last 5min of every 20min @ 600-610 pace
Weight: 134
Week 6 symptoms included increased hunger, which prompted me to be more diligent about eating something before every single run. I also started to feel really tired, and began taking naps on the weekends.
Week 7 (4/24/20)
55 miles | 2x lift sessions | 1 day off
10M with 8 x 800m @ (250-253, 30s rest, 240-43, 90s rest)
easy 90 min long run
Weight: 138
Week 7 was definitely the worst. I vomited twice this week, once in the morning before a run, and once at night while I cleaned my cat’s vomit (which became a trigger for me throughout the first trimester). Additionally, I gained ~ 4-5 pounds of bloat and nausea hit me hard. Cooked vegetables, once a daily staple in my diet, now were off limits and I struggled to find ways to keep vegetables on the plate. I found myself eating simple meals fit for a toddler, not a 34-year old woman. My main meals this week: sweet potato fries, a few slices of carrots or broccoli, and two eggs or a smoothie with greek yogurt, mango, pineapple, banana and peaches.
Week 8 (5/1/20)
55 miles | 2x lift sessions | 1 day off
10M with 14x200m in 34-37 with 60s standing rest
easy 1:42 long run for 13.1M total
Weight: 139
Week 8 was an improvement from last week by a landslide. Changes to my schedule for this week included daily hourlong naps and reduced weekly running mileage. For the remainder of the pregnancy, I decided to place some caps on my training - no runs over 13 miles in distance, no more than 1 hard running effort a week and no weekly mileage over 55 miles. Of course, I will continue to adapt based on my how my body feels as I continue to gain weight. Additionally, I figured out a mini meal schedule that kept me feeling mostly fueled, although I noticed that more often than not my stomach would growl throughout the day. Easy runs slowed considerably this week, and anything under 8:00 pace was a rare sight these days. Other than throwing up in the middle of my long run after running past a gross smell, this week I felt best while running.
While most non-athletes gain on average 2.5-5 pounds in the first trimester, I’ve already gained 5 pounds and I’m just at 8 weeks. My runner mommy friends said that they gained ~10-15 pounds in the first trimester. Perhaps it is my body’s way of getting me to my non-athlete weight?
Week 9 (5/8/20)
55 Miles | 1 day off | 2x lift sessions
11M with 2 x (1600m-1200m-800m-400m) with 2:30-3:00 rest between. Paces were 604/422/247/78/600/424/238/73
12M long run with 33 min easy, 30 minutes at 650-625, ~25 min easy
Weight: 139
Week 9 continued to be a drastic improvement! While the nausea seemed to be on a gradual decline in regularity, the mid-afternoon exhaustion remained. All things considered, physically I felt mostly like myself through daily life activities. Two new activities that very much wipe me out are walking or hiking up very steep hills and running sustained efforts faster than 630 pace without any stops. Surprisingly, if you asked me to run 200m or 400m intervals on the track, I’d much rather do that instead of a continuous 4 mile tempo. I guess it only took pregnancy for me to find my inner mid-distance runner! I’ve also developed a super-nose. This might sound like a great power to have. Don’t be fooled; it’s most definitely not. If Peter cooks any type of meat, I’m out of the house in an instant, trying my damnedest not to vomit en route.
The highlight of this week was getting away to Pinnacles National Park for a night of camping. For 24 hours, the pandemic seemed faraway, in another world, and all the pain and uncertainty was forgotten. We slept under the stars and, in the morning, hiked up to see California condors scour the Pinnacles for carcasses to eat. Not gonna lie though, it was really tough to hike up a steep mountain trail, and I’m only 9 weeks pregnant.
Week 10 (5/15/20)
51 Miles | 1 day off | 2 lift Days
12x400m @ 83, 78, 73 with 60s, 90s and 120s rest
11 mile long run
Weight: 140
The best news this week was that this lifelong vegetarian was finally able to eat raw vegetables and salad again! I was so happy to move past the pretty bland diet, that was remarkably similar to my pre-marathon meals, with rice, avocado and crackers features as my mains. Beyond feeling tired and taking naps daily, it certainly feels like I am moving past the worst of the nausea!
On the subject of running, I’ve had several family members and friends question why I am even running 50 miles a week. You, the reader, probably are questioning it too. Heck, even I’ve asked myself similar questions. Is it safe for me to run right now? By running, am I jeopardizing the healthy of myself or the baby? Even if it’s okay, won’t giving birth just completely reset my fitness anyways? …So what’s the point?
As fellow Olympic Trials qualifier Teal Burrell writes, running through an uncomplicated pregnancy is beneficial to the mother and not harmful to the baby. Rest assured, my doctor also advised that since I’ve been running at an elite level for 20+ years, I should continue training, albeit at a reduced level of intensity and with the condition of always listening to my body. And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. I reduced my weekly mileage by at least 30% and anticipate that percentage to only continue to drop as my body grows. I’ve cut out long runs entirely, and placed a cap at 90 minutes for my longest run. If I feel like crap, I cut the run short. As I gain weight, I’m sure there will be more walking than running. And I’m okay with that and prepared to make further reductions.
Week 11 (5/22/20)
50 Miles | 1 day off | 2 lift days | 1 Yoga Session
4 x 1600m @ 543, 540, 541, 538 with 3:00 jog or walk rest
11M long run at 750 pace
Feeling good continued to be the trend this week, as most common first trimester symptoms seemed to be on their way out. I’ve returned to eating my normal diet, full of veggies, fruits and grains. So far, I haven’t experienced any pregnancy cravings and, instead, have found joy in eating as I regularly do.
Prior to this week, I admittedly did not feel that excited about pregnancy, just because it didn’t feel very real yet. Is there really a baby in there? I don’t see one! I hadn’t gotten a blood test absolutely confirming the pregnancy. I hadn’t seen a doctor in person. I obviously couldn’t see or feel the baby in my belly. But, our first ultrasound on Wednesday completely changed all of that. I was absolutely mesmerized by the ultrasound video, showcasing this teeny tiny human with a powerful heart just beating away. Seeing all of this on the screen suddenly made it all VERY real and I was immensely grateful to be able to get pregnant and to have made it this far.
Week 12 (5/29/20)
50 Miles | 1 day off | 3 lift sessions | 1 yoga sessions
9M with workout of 6x2 min on / 1 min off and 5 x 1 min on/off
9M with 3 mile tempo in 622, 620, 613 with Victoria
9.6M longest run
Woohoo! It’s officially the last week of the first trimester! I’ve been feeling pretty normal at this point, but also can tell that my body is beginning to change, which has made running longer a bit tougher. Not impossible, but I can tell that I’d be much more comfortable running a pace that’s about 30 seconds slower per mile than what I actually end up running. Because of the pandemic, my runs with Hannah, Marissa or Victoria really keep me feeling sane and motivated, and I’m dreading the day when I won’t be able to keep with them any more.
While my running has decreased, I’ve maintained doing some sort of strength work three times a week — something that I’m really quite proud of!