Running Tips for Women During Pregnancy

Being pregnant doesn't mean nine months of lounging and eating deep-fried brownies. The other day, I came across an incredible story of a female runner named Sue Olsen in an old fitness magazine, which has inspired me to dig deeper into the topic of pregnancy and running. In 1995, Olsen ran a marathon in St. Paul, Minnesota about 2 weeks before giving birth to a perfectly healthy son of 7 pounds and 3 ounces. Yep, she was 8 1/2 months pregnant while completing that race! Although what Olsen did might not be recommendable for all pregnant women, the story has at least proved that the old wives tale about physical activities being bad for a mother-to-be is totally unsound. If you have been an avid runner, you don't need to stop doing it completely after getting pregnant. You just have to know your personal limit and how to stay safe on your run.
Adjust your speed
A lot of female athletes and marathon runners can run at their usual pace throughout their whole nine months of pregnancy. For amateur runners or women who are not perfectly fit, it is better to run at a slower speed or opt for walking after sixteen weeks of pregnancy, as overly vigorous running could cause painful tightening in the womb.
How much is too much?
Every pregnant woman's level of fitness is different. Some can run every single day while the others can do it only a couple times a week. If you're not sure about your proper limit, there is a general guideline. According to Karen Bridson, the author of Nine Months Strong, it is safe for average mom-to-bes to run for about one hour at a time, as often as three to four times a week. So follow this guideline in the beginning. If you feel fine with this frequency after about three weeks, maybe you can start running a little longer each time or a bit more often. If it turns out to be too much, lower your goal a bit. Don't try to match your running to your pre- pregnant days.
Drink for the baby!
Make sure you drink enough water before and after running. Sometimes dehydration can lead to preterm labor.
No more morning glory
Avoid running in the morning. Many studies have found that regular morning runners are more prone to minor injuries than afternoon or evening runners, due to the fact that our muscles and ligaments tend to be less flexible in the morning. Even with a proper warm-up, sometimes it can still be hard for the body to get ready for a "wake-up run." While being pregnant, your ligaments could become even more fragile than usual, thus a morning run is not ideal.
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