Running throughout the second trimester of my pregnancy was really enjoyable and
because I had been injured prior to becoming pregnant and was forced to take a few
months off training, I actually built up fitness during this stage of my pregnancy!
With the return of road races this year, I was keen to target a couple of races and this really
helped to keep me motivated to train. My first race back from injury and since the COVID-19
pandemic cancelled events, was the Kew Gardens 10k in May, which I ran whilst 4.5 months
pregnant.
I achieved my goal of a sub 40-minute time, running 39:16 and placing 2 nd woman. It was so
fun to be back in an event environment running with other people but “racing” when
pregnant is quite different as I had to focus on containing my effort level rather than going
to my limit.
A month later and I also did the City of Norwich Half Marathon. It was a scorching hot day so
a few things I did to help keep cool was keeping to the shade wherever possible, ensuring I
was well hydrated from the day before and running in a visor, sunglasses and crop top
despite my 5.5-month baby bump!
I was racing for myself and was fully prepared to slow down to a jog or stop if I ever felt
concerned of overheating or working too hard, but as an experienced distance runner I was
able to stay in a relatively controlled zone. My finish time was 87:39, which I was delighted
with because my aim was to run inside 88 to secure a 2022 London Marathon Championship
qualifying time!
To put this into perspective, my half marathon personal best pace is 5:40 minute miles and
in this race, I was running at 6:39 minute mile pace. Despite being nearly 15 minutes slower
than my P.B, my legs took a battering and I had to have more recovery days than I usually
would after the race. I think this was largely due to the extra weight I was carrying cause of
my bump and the fact it had been 16 months since I last ran a half marathon.
It was great to have treatment from Sophie before and after the race and I think it’s really
important to do this, not just for feeling good on the start line but helping to recover
afterwards too.
I have now entered trimester 3 of my pregnancy and the focus is on staying strong and
healthy. My weekly mileage has come down to about 30 miles from 45 miles during
trimester 2 (when I am marathon training I do 70-90 miles per week). I am also doing
regular core work but the intensity of my running sessions is really reduced now. I’ve
noticed some discomfort towards the end of my run in my shoulders and pelvis due to the
stress on my posture that comes with being pregnant but it’s great seeing Sophie regularly
so we can focus on addressing these areas as I go through my pregnancy.