After running for so long I always had an image that I would carry on running as normal for most of my pregnancy, maybe getting a bit slower, but continuing to do what I love and get those miles in as long as possible.
Generally medical advice says if you have ran or exercised pre-pregnancy, doing what you usually do should be fine. I’m not a medical professional, so if you are considering exercising during pregnancy, check with someone that knows that they are talking about.
During my first pregnancy 3 years ago my running was impacted instantly! I felt tired, short of breath and generally unfit, despite running a 1 hour 33 half marathon a matter of weeks before I fell pregnant.
This instant change in how I felt really knocked my motivation levels. On top of not feeling myself, I wasn’t able to keep up with others that I usually ran with from very early in my pregnancy. To top it off, I took part in a couple of handicap races (staggered start based on ability to ‘level the playing field’) and pretty much came last! It was then that I hung up running trainers at 22 weeks. Not what I had imagined pre-pregnancy.
Fast forward 3 years to lockdown 1. I had a great spring/summer of running, doing on average of 30 miles a week from lockdown starting, progressing from solo runs to getting out in small groups of running friends, my fitness felt good, I was keeping a good pace and I think if there were some races to test me, I might have been close to PB fitness.
Now here I am at 22 weeks of pregnancy number two, and I almost felt myself going down the same path and giving up. It was then I realised I needed a new mindset when it comes to running.
Early pregnancy - socially distance Dalton Park 10k (this was a struggle)
Change in focus...
I was getting upset that I couldn’t keep up with my usual running group, even in my first trimester when I hadn’t told anyone I was actually pregnant. I was running with a pretty fast group and slowing them down. This made me really fixate on my pace, I was always thinking what pace am I running, constantly looking at my watch trying to keep my ‘usual’ speed. Anyone with a running watch knows that this is a slippery spiral that can destroy your enjoyment for running. So I decided to forget about my pace completely and use a ‘any run is a good run’ mindset. This wasn’t easy and it took me a while to get my head around it. I tried not using my GPS watch, not putting my runs on strava, mixing up who I was running with and gradually I got there. Now, every run I do is a good run, simply because I am still running.
Why I run...
I’ve realised that running is so important to me, the current pandemic helped me understand this more than ever. Running gives me something that I can still do despite everything that’s going on. So, as my running changes, remembering why I actually run is important.
So why do I run? There are loads of reasons. Fitness, friends, a shared interest with my other half, but one of the biggest reasons is for my mental well-being. Running helps me de-stress, refocus, relax, and make me appreciate life and forget the little stresses that aren’t important.
Once the gyms re-opened I got into a habit of doing a couple of my runs a week on the treadmill as it felt easier. However, getting out with my friend for our weekly run made me realise I can’t replace the feeling you get from running outdoors, fresh air, scenery and enjoying running with others. All things that now more than ever can’t be underestimated.
A friend and I even renamed our weekly run based on our initials (M and H) to be our weekly Mental Health run. I use this as a reminder when I’m feeling slow and unfit, and tell myself, I’m going out for a mental health run!
Just keep moving...
My garmin keeps telling me to move! How annoying are smart watches that remind you of your inactivity.
It’s really important to stay active during pregnancy as it has so many benefits including reducing some of the common discomforts, lowering the chances of gestational diabetes, and keep you fit enough for the biggest fitness challenge you will face...labour!
I thought I was doing enough exercise, but after agreeing to do a month long 10,000 steps a day challenge with some colleagues I realised that despite the ‘fitness’ sessions I was doing, some days I just needed to move a little bit more.
Those of you working from home may have noticed a dramatic drop in your movement throughout the day, I know I certainly have. Noticing that if I didn’t run or go out for a walk I was lucky to hit 2,000 a day.
Agreeing to this step challenge has made me realise that just moving more throughout the day is a good thing, forcing you to take breaks and make time for yourself. I’ve been out walking so much more than I normally would, as well as running more. Yesterday I went out for a 1 mile run before I done some weights, I would never usually do such a short run. But now I don’t find myself thinking going for a really short run is not worth it, instead I’m thinking steps, steps, steps as I try and hit 10,000 a day.
My motivation levels have certainly increased now I have a new way of thinking about running. I know that as my pregnancy progresses I will have to keep making changes to what I do, but for now as my garmin keeps reminding me I just need to move!