Everyone’s talking about it so now I will too, the woman who gave birth after the Chicago marathon. I’ve read people making jokes, being outraged, and some people I guess just plain don’t care, they’ve got bigger things to occupy themselves.
I did read a really funny one that I will cite from our own TX Runner Girl, “running a marathon = your uterus falling out.”
Here is where I stand. My mom has had four kids and ran up until the day she popped for all of us; she was lucky in that all of her pregnancies were relativley ‘easy’ and she didn’t get any bad morning sickness or other issues. I’ve had friends who were runners and hard-core fitness folks who also were able to run, even train through theirs.
Kara Goucher is one example and she goes into plenty of detail in her book and has talked about it on her blog. There is also Paula Radcliffe who has been open about both of her experiences. The thing is, I feel that if you can and are willing, why not exercise or run? Of course take the necessary precautions, but if your doctor gives you the green light, I’m all for it.
That said, none of them ran a marathon while pregnant. I know there is the exertion level to take into consideration. I’ve never been in the situation myself, but I feel that it’s probably not a good idea to go for broke or empty the tank in hard workouts in the final stages of pregnancy…just a thought.
If I were her this would count as recovery...bath with the kiddies tied up.
So running the marathon? I read she did it somewhere over 6 hours, so she wasn’t blazing…that said she was on her feet for 6 hours and that takes a toll. Apparently she ran two other marathons while pregnant with her other two kids, this one was just the closest to the actual delivery…contractions just past the line and 7 hours later, welcome new baby.
Seems like all is fine and healthy…maybe she was just tired of being pregnant and figured, “What the heck?!” Some choose spicy foods, she chose a marathon. But I guess I just ask, “Why?”
I love running as much as the next person, but couldn’t she get the same kind of endorphin rush off of a ‘regualar’ run? Maybe she signed up a long time ago and just couldn’t stand to see all that entry race money go to waste. Heck, actually, that right there could be it, take that race directors and your insanely high costs! 😉
1) This is a rather extreme case, but I’ve done some pretty crazy things to get a workout in too. Do you have any funny/embarassing/quasi-ridiculous stories where you just had to get that workout in?
Quite a few, but some I don’t even want to put out there…haha. I guess one I will say is sneaking out during my ‘break’ for a quick run in the wee early hours. I got back and one of my siblings had woken up in the middle of the night and noticed the door unlocked so they locked it. Locked out, I was caught. 😛
2) Running with a second person in you seems very odd to me (having a second person seems odd), if you have been or are pregnant did you run or workout? If not, do you think you would?
I would.
3) Everyone’s about Taco Tuesday, I love Mexican food, so what is your favorite Mexican place?
Don’t hate, I know it’s not ‘real’ Mexican, but I love Chipotle. 🙂
Woah… I haven’t heard about this yet. Crazy, she had contractions on the start line?! I’m all for running during pregnancy… shoot, I plan on doing that when the time comes… but marathon? Prolly not so much.
I don’t know whether to give that lady props or get her head checked…but I guess all runners are a little crazy. Glad her baby was okay and heathy and all that good stuff.
Favorite mexican joint: Costa Vida! I love that place and I don’t love mexican food all that much, so that’s saying something!
oh man, sorry, my bad, i meant she had contractions at the FINISH line. lol…that woulda taken crazy to a whole new level! and i’m so with u, i’ll be running up until i pop, but i don’t plan on any marathon distances!
okay, so i have yet to be to Costa Vida, but SO many people are in love with that place, they didn’t have one close to me in OR, but i’m thinking a trip there is a must in my near future. 🙂
i honestly think she is pretty incredible and far stronger than me…i mean i have enough trouble pulling my own body weight 26.2 miles 😉 i dont need anyone else tagging along. ha!
mexican: lately its cafe rio. so good.
that’s exactly wat ran thru my mind!! those people who run with running strollers are beastly as well!! no excess baggage/weight will i be toting around for that long!! 🙂
I’m not sure how I feel about this. Pregnancy is by no means an excuse not to run – unless there are other issues. For the most part, you can do anything you were doing before…the baby is snug, protected, and safe. That being said, a marathon is HARD on your body, and the baby depends on the mother for proper nutrition, etc. She had the dr.’s OK, and she was running throughout, so I tend to think that it was fine for her. However, I could not even imagine running 26.2 (or 10 or even 3) miles when I was 9 months pregnant. I could barely get up from the couch!
i think that’s more my thing, what in the heck is the appeal of running a marathon when u’re toting a tot! haha…like u said, to each their own and if i were pregnant i’d run unless their was a concrete reason i couldn’t.
I read that she found out she was prego after registering for the race. I say, more power to her for going for it, even if it wasn’t a PR. I have no intention of having kids, and if I did I would probably be sick as a dog with my propensity for nausea, but I think I would try to run as long as possible. I’d probably gain a million pounds otherwise. lol
hahahaha…oh my gosh, me not running = obese sumo-esque proportions!! u crack me up. but honestly, if she had PR’d with a baby in tow, they should have thrown her a party and named some street after her!