I am in this boat right now, I signed up to run the run the half marathon, but became pregnant in November. I am currently 8 weeks pregnant, I would be almost 10 weeks at the time of the marathon, but my I am not running it as my doctor advised me not to. I am not a new runner and I've already completed 4 half marathons and 1 full marathon. My doctor said there's a very good chance that I could run the half and the baby will be perfectly fine, but we both agreed that it was a risk I am not willing to take. There will always be other races to run, but if something happened to my baby because of something I had control over, I couldn't forgive myself.
There are alot of factors you have to think about when deciding to run (my doctor DID say it was perfectly fine to run 3-4 miles daily, he just wasn't sure about long distances) the half:
1. Are you going to be able to train the first trimester? You will find that you will be exhausted all the time your first 12 weeks. Right now I work from 8-5, get home about 6:00 and crash on the couch, too tired to do anything.
2. Morning sickness/nausea. Not everyone suffers from morning sickness, but if you do, can you run and puke at the same time.
3. The weather the day of the race. The weather in FL in January is CRAZY. In 2006 we started the race at 32 degrees, in 2007 it was 70 at the start. The hotter it is, the harder it will be for you to run. Stay hydrated, don't set any time goals, and most importantly, don't let your body become over heated--that's very bad for the baby.
4. The first 2 miles are very congested, watch the people around you and watch for things like curbs or dips in the road, you do not want to fall.
If you do decide to run here are some tips:
1. Wear 2 sports bras! The first change you notice in your body are larger breasts--even in the first couple of weeks. Trust me, it's painful when the girls bounce around.
2. Run on the treadmill or with people as much as you can, you don't want to be out by yourself in case something should happen.
3. If you notice any cramping stop--IMMEDIATELY. If the cramping stops when you start walking, that's okay, but if if continues after you stop, call your doctor.
4. Stop if you have any spotting or bleeding. Call your doctor.
5. Drink LOTS of water and Gatorade--don't let yourself become dehydrated.
6. Eat healthy and take a prenatal vitamin before you get pregnant!
7. Of course, talk to your doctor about running/racing and see what he/she has to say.
Good luck with your upcoming pregnancy!!!
for a quick and healthy pregnancy.
for your DH in Iraq!
Krista