Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nurse of midwife. The information expressed in the series “Mom on the Run” should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult your doctor before running during pregnancy and postpartum.

Welcome to “Mom on the Run!” A blog feature that shares a mom-on-the-run and her story of running during and after pregnancy. My hope is to provide a resource for women who are thinking about running during pregnancy. The overarching theme: everyone is different. No two pregnancies are the same and of course no two stories of running during pregnancy are the same. In this series you will find a wide range of experiences that both inspire and comfort runners who are pregnant or have recently given birth. To read about other “Moms on the Run” click HERE.

I'm excited to introduce April's Mom on the Run is Isabel from the Running Teacher. Isabel is currently pregnant with her second baby boy and has had a radically different experience during this pregnancy compared to her first. Here's her inspiring story:

Tell me a little bit about your pregnancy and your little ones:

We currently have a little boy, Alejandro. He will 4 before little Enrique makes his appearance. :) My first pregnancy was difficult. I thought I was eating healthy at

the

time, but I clearly was not. I gained 68 pounds, had gestational hypertension, and preeclampsia! I was also placed

on

bed rest three times, with

the

final time being at 29 weeks up until I was induced at 36 weeks.

Enrique’s pregnancy came as a shock and surprise. We weren’t planning for another child for at least two more years. I was in

the

midst of training for my first 24 hour race, when I decided to

run

a half marathon. I expected to place, but instead, found myself struggling from

the

start. For

the

next week, I suffered nasty headaches, nausea, and felt overly fatigued, to

the

point I just stayed in bed. I went to

the

doctor proclaiming I had Lyme Disease, as I had a tick bite at

the

time that kept flaring up for three months. He humored me and told me

the

tick bite was infected and that, chances were, I did not have Lyme Disease. He ran full labs, which came back clean, except for one surprising results. I was pregnant! Enrique’s pregnancy is picture perfect. I credit my pre-pregnancy fitness level and change in eating habits.

Did you

run

through your pregnancies? If not why not?

I ran through both pregnancies, except when

on

bed rest with my first child. I did not

run

near as much as I do now though, distance-wise. Two years ago, I started testing

the

waters with ultrarunning and got hooked. My long runs go up to 20 miles with my races being longer.

Prior to pregnancy about how often were you

running

?

Before pregnancy, I ran 50-55 miles a week.

How would you characterize your pregnancy, labor and delivery?

It’s currently low-risk, thank goodness!

Once you found out you were expecting did your

running

change? Did you consciously drop mileage or ease back

on

pace?

I didn’t cut back

on

purpose; however,

the

constant and unrelenting nausea and fatigue forced me to cut back during my first trimester. Luckily, my fitness level was high, so despite

the

time lapse, I was able to pick up right where I left off, albeit much slower.

What was your

running

like during

the

1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters of your pregnancy?

First: I ran

the

first five weeks not knowing we were pregnant. After that,

the

nausea and fatigue sidelined me for a solid 1.5 months. From there, I picked up

running

sporadically, depending

on

my energy level that day.

Second: With

the

nausea mostly gone, I picked up right where I left off, albeit slower. I didn’t want to risk

the

chance of injury by trying to pick up

the

pace, so I ran at an easy-pace every

run

.

Running

was a cinch throughout my second trimester, smooth as butter!

Third: My pace has definitely slowed more, but I’m still going.

The

fatigue is coming back, so my mileage varies week to week, but I’m still pulling an average of 30 miles a week. I also have round ligament pains now as well, so I wear a maternity support belt. It doesn’t take away all

the

aches, but it does help. I’ve found that my body needs longer to warm-up now, sometimes up to 25 minutes, before I can really

run

comfortably and pick up

the

pace. I also use Galloway

running

religiously to help stay injury-free and to help my body recover faster!

The

walk breaks also give me a chance to eat

on

long runs as well.

Did you incorporate cross training into your weekly exercise routine? If so what did you do? and what did you find most enjoyable?

I do basic lower-body, body weight exercises and strengthening exercises at home, along with upper body exercises using dumbbells…oh, and planks. I have a love-hate relationship with planks, but they’re quite useful, seeing as I was asked not to do my other core work. Planks are awesome because not only do they work your core, but they work your entire body in just one move!

Did your attitude towards

running

change during pregnancy?

Definitely. I’m competitive by nature, but with pregnancy, I had to learn to let go, if I wanted to safely continue doing what I love. I

run

for pure enjoyment now, and every

run

is done at an easy-pace. To me, each

run

is a blessing! I hope to continue up until

the

day I delivery, but I know that things can change quickly during pregnancy, so I take it day-by-day and week-by-week.

Did your

run

any races during pregnancy? If so what was your approach to racing, was it different than normal?

I ran Tortoise and

the

Hare 13.1 and

the

Women’s Health Run10Feed10 Atlanta Fun

Run

during my first trimester. From there, I ran Miles for Maria 6 hour in November, although I had to sit out after 15 miles, due to an angry hamstring. Most recently, I ran

the

6 hour race, A Stroll in Central Park, where I pulled 26.8 miles in

5:55

, just shy of

the

6 hour mark. JWith my OB’s blessing, I’m in

the

last few weeks of training for

the

Running

Dead Ultra 50k, followed by Maria’s Spring Fling 6 hour Race. [At the time of this post Isabel had completed the Dead Ultra 50K. You can find her

race recap

on her blog.]

My racing approach is simple now. I

run

for pure enjoyment, and I always make sure I can talk comfortably while

running

. Basically,

running

is like a walk in

the

park for me, nice and relaxed, no pressure.

What was

the

most challenging aspect of

running

during pregnancy?

The

most challenging aspect of

running

while pregnant is trying to stay hydrated and trying to eat enough in terms of what I need to keep little Enrique healthy and to keep myself fueled for my runs.

When did you stop

running

during pregnancy? Or did you

run

right up until your delivery date?

So far, I haven’t stopped and don’t have intentions of stopping until I POP! I have races set up through May 9

th

, ending with

the

80’s Rad Retro 10k, which is 4 days before Enrique’s due date.

With my first pregnancy, I ran throughout

the

entire pregnancy, except when

on

bed rest. They took me off of bed rest a week before being induced, in

the

hopes that perhaps it would relieve my stress levels. I started

running

three miles a day immediately up until they sent me to

the

hospital to be induced for high blood pressure.

What was your return to

running

like postpartum? How soon did you start

running

and did you feel your attitude towards

running

was different?

With my first pregnancy, I attempted to return four weeks after delivery, and it was too soon. I had absolutely no energy for nearly a week and was quite sore. After that, I waited another month before trying again. My return was S-L-O-W. It was a humbling experience to start all over again.

This time around, I don’t have a plan set in place for postpartum

running

. I’ll start off walking, and then, if all feels O.K., I’ll cross-train

on

the

bike or do pilates.

The

rest of my pregnancy and

the

birthing process will determine how quickly I return to

running

, whether that’s a month or more. I honestly can’t tell you what will happen this time around. My main concern is getting back my strength first, as I don’t want to risk injuring myself.

[Tweet "Sometimes returning to running after pregnancy can be humbling @therunningteach shares her story. #MomontheRun #motherrunner #fitpregnancy"]

What advice do you have for

running

during pregnancy?

Do what feels comfortable. If you need to back off, then take a rest day. Definitely incorporate cross-training to stay injury-free. It’s especially important for your ligaments and joints.

Run

at a pace comfortable for you, and remember to fuel properly.

Where can readers find you? If you don't have a blog or social media accounts you may leave blank.

Web: The Running Teacher

Twitter: @therunningteach

Instagram: @therunningteacher

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/therunningteacher

Check out Isabel's Running and Pregnancy Posts:

Featured

on

For Two Fitness