morning runs

I managed a morning run today, for the first time in what feels like ages. The sun is starting to appear early enough so that when my alarm went off at 6, I didn't burrow under the covers because it was too dark. Reminding myself how beautiful it is to see the sun rise over Lake Merritt, I laced up my shoes and headed out for an easy lap (~3.5 miles).

At 14 weeks, I am not feeling like being pregnant is making a difference in how I run, at least not a discernible one. It seems mostly mental; I am more aware of how I'm breathing and attribute shortness of breath to typical pregnancy shortness of breath. Not sure if this is right or has more to do with my laziness re: running lately. It's definitely a familiar feeling.

Other than my breathing, I notice that I spend more time thinking about my form than usual. I am waiting for the changes in my body to impact my running form, as the distribution of weight shifts, etc. Will this happen as I get "my bump"?

Morning on Lake Merritt

Heartbeat, heart rate

On Monday we heard our baby's heartbeat for the first time--surreal! It was a tense wait while the doctor looked for it. She made a remark about bringing in the ultrasound if needed, but then: there it was. 130 beats per minute. One of the coolest sounds I've heard.

David's comment? Sounds like lactate threshold rate. (Bet our kid will avoid running like the plague.)

First Trimester "Training"

When I realized I was pregnant, my running came to a standstill. I didn't feel that great and I wanted to be cleared by my doctor before I tried anything. Once I actually was cleared, I still didn't have advice beyond: "just do what you're used to, it should be okay. Oh--and nothing too strenuous".

Since we weren't seeing any risk factors, and I AM very active, I read this as "proceed as you see fit" as long as I pay extra attention to how I feel, and don't do anything totally off the wall.

Over the course of those first couple months after I knew, here’s about what I managed:

• Short walks around the neighborhood
• 2-4 mile trail run/walks, with 25-75% of the distance walking, about 90 seconds off my typical pace per mile
• 3-6 mile easy runs, about 60 seconds off typical pace
• track workout (once! Week 11!) 2 x 800, 4 x 800. Intervals were about 20 seconds off my typical pace per mile for speedwork. Skipped the final "power 1000" that others did.

My mileage, pace, whether I ran or walked, were all based purely on what felt okay at the time, day by day. There was no formula to how I figured out what to do. I definitely dragged myself out of the house a few times even though I didn't want to because I thought it was good for me--but I also stayed in bed (or got back into bed for yet another nap) when that seemed right.

After that one track session, I was reminded of a conversation I had with a woman last spring at my weekly track workout for beginning(ish) runners. Brand new to speedwork and running, period, she was using a run/walk method, opting to walk when she would start to get out of breath. "I don't have a clue how hard I'm supposed to be breathing," she explained to me. Such a dramatic change in the demand on her cardiovascular system was a new (and frightening) experience.

I am used to demanding a lot from my body over years of running, and am also comfortable pacing by feel a majority of the time, rather than using a heart rate monitor, Garmin, etc. I rarely wear a watch and am confident about the feedback I get from my body. Helping others start to develop their "runner's sense" is an important goal for me as a coach. But now? I don't quite trust this unfamiliar body. Do I read its feedback the same way? What other factors should I pay attention to?

My general approach is to prioritize listening to that runner's sense even more than usual; to not push harder than feels okay physically, even when mentally I feel capable; to remember that running goals are not what's on the line right now. I am staying active to be happy and healthy, but I am not training--except maybe for my Oct due date.

How much is too much?

This past February I found out I was pregnant-whoo hoo! With that news came, and continues to come, a whole host of changes which I won't bore you with in most cases, except when related to running.

Running has been a huge part of my life since I was a 14 year old wannabe punk, and my father told me I needed to "get involved." I joined the cross country team because you didn't need to try out, and have been running ever since. It has kept me sane through stressful jobs, relationships; introduced me to some of my closest friends including my partner; and eventually brought me full circle back to coaching high school cross country. The idea of not running, or even slowing down because I'm pregnant, freaks me out. It is such a central part of who I am.

So while I am trying to avoid sucking too much of my life away online reading mommy-to-be blogs/commentary, I have made an exception for any and all information I can find about running while pregnant. Unfortunately, the pickings are slim and of course do not all point the same direction. General consensus however seems to be:

1. Keep on doing what you did before and you should be fine
2. Pay attention to what your doctor says
3. Pay attention to what your body "says"
4. Don't get your heart rate or body temperature up too high

Easy enough, until you get to #4. Does that rule out speed work? Hard workouts of any sort? If your body is used to a high rate of exertion, can you handle more than someone else may be able to take?

I'm continuing to troll the internet for evidence that significant training can be fine during pregnancy. What I want is a sense of what a fairly, but not too, competitive runner should expect from her body. Somewhere in between how Kara Goucher and Paula Radcliffe trained, and the "easy running is just fine" approach. This will help me figure out what to try myself as well as how to better advise the adult runners I coach who come to me with similar questions.