You can run while pregnant* (*with fun disclaimers!)

So I wrote for awhile, and then, I shut up.

Why did I shut up?  Well, I had lots of posts I wanted to write but then decided to save them.  This is because, 7 weeks and  1 day ago I became a Mum or, as they call it in my country, a Mom.

Currently the light of my life is squeaking lightly in his incredibly cool Mamaroo (more on that some other time).  He’s squeaking, because, well, he lives with a dog and the dog squeaks so he squeaks instead of cries.  (The blog is called Orange Squeaky for more than one reason.)  I found out I was having a baby the same time I found out about my entrance into the London Marathon.  Considering that I’m not as hard core as most I medically deferred and decided instead to just run a Half Marathon.

That’s right, people, I wrote “just run a Half Marathon.”

I’m only 1/2 Hard Core.  The request of me is made up of soft squishy fondant.  I’m the Cadbury Creme Egg of runners.

Fact is (really, it is a fact) if you ran BEFORE you got pregnant you can run AFTER you get pregnant.  Some people can run more than others, some taper it down, some walk.  And, so long as you aren’t pitching yourself into logs, jumping fire pits or ravenous alligators (amongst other dangers) – YOU CAN RUN WHILST PREGNANT*.

*Disclaimer Time:

I am not a doctor, sports medicine expert, or other credenialed individual.  I have a BA in Classics and took up running at 26 because I wanted a big Disney medal.  Pretty, pretty Disney medals of which four are in my possession.. If you have any questions at all about whether or not you can or cannot run – GO SEE YOUR DOCTOR.  I found that, like snowflakes, every pregnancy is unique.  Some people have no issues, others have lots.  But if there is one thing I do know exercise in pregnancy of any kind is good – I will write about my experiences so long as you realize they are my experiences and not your experiences.  We aren’t Being John Malkovich here.

So I ran a Half Marathon at 17 weeks in my pregnancy.  It’s the perfect time, as I vomited and was ill the first bit, and then reached that lovely point in the middle where I wasn’t too big and I wasn’t ill.  I ran with my husband who carried about 10x more food and drink than normal, and accepted that I wasn’t going to break any records.  I did my normal run commuting to and fro as training.  I Made no list of expectations except to finish. Had there been a point where I didn’t want to I would’ve stopped.  But, as most runners will tell you, once you start you finish. We finished in under 3 hours, which, as a sloth runner that I am, is pretty darn good.

Plus I can tell the kiddo that he earned his first medal in utero.

Running continued for me until week 20, when I realised I was just doing  glorified walking. After that I switched to biking, which ended at 28 weeks due to illness and overall concern that I was potentially pushing my luck and some car, somewhere, would wack me. I finished off with yoga.

Now that London is less than a year away the running shoes are starting to call out to me again. Because I worked hard to be in shape I have already lost quite a bit of the baby fat, though I still have to learn how to balance working, baby, and training over this next year. For instance, I am typing this one handed on an iPad and completely understand why the site Damn You Autocorrect now exists. Babies require balance. And nappy changes. Lots of nappy changes.

So if you have stumbled across this blog when searching for “Can I run when pregnant” the answer is YES. If you still aren’t sure talk to your medical professional. If you aren’t sure after that I really don’t know what to tell you. Perhaps something witty or rude will pop up in your autocorrect and solve all your problems.