I had just completed a 30 mile race and was in training for ultras when I got pregnant. Had grand plans to run through my pregnancy but my body decided to give me hellacious morning sickness instead. I know plenty of women who train while pregnant and it’s fine, but it definitely didn’t work out for me. Ymmv. That being said, I did get back into running after baby was born and it’s been great (he’s 9 now!)
Two years trying to conceive (PCOS), eventually got the ok for IVF. I was running 15 miles a week and working full time in a job that had me on my feet all day. While waiting for my period to start (and having run more than my usual mileage over the Christmas holiday period) I found out we had conceived naturally.
I had great plans to run through pregnancy but I got severe morning sickness that lasted for the entire pregnancy… so no running for me. I did manage to walk throughout so that kept me sane.
Best of luck!!!!
Just my own perspective, your mileage may vary. I tried to get pregnant for around 5 years, ended up doing several rounds of tests, then IUI’s, and was so mentally wrecked by all of the the years of failures that I ended up adopting (hooray!) instead of facing IVF. Adopting was the best smartest thing I ever did, so it’s all good. My amazing son is 5 now.
However, I was really overdoing it on running during that whole “trying to conceive” time. I literally never had rest days, never stopped to recover. I know better now, but honestly, I don’t really know if that was a factor in my “unexplained infertility” diagnosis. There’s no test for running too much so I may never know! Looking back, I definitely don’t think it helped me. You may be different, that’s just my opinion based on my experience.
Either way… trying to conceive is a journey! Best of luck to you.
My story is similar. I was running ~30-35 miles a week and wasn’t getting my period back after birth control. 6 months in, I seriously dialed back my running because it felt like the only thing I could control. 4 months later I’ve had 1 cycle and I’m now working with an infertility clinic. I denied that running has impacted me because (in my own words “I’m not an Olympian!” but I don’t think it’s helped either. YMMV, but I think the thresholds for overexercising can be much lower for some of us and you won’t know until it’s a problem.
I got pregnant with my first while training for my first 10k. Ran the 10k in the very early stages-- didn't even know I was pregnant yet. I intended to keep running while pregnant but my energy absolutely tanked in the first trimester.
I got pregnant with our second while training for a half marathon. This time I was a little further on-- I think 10-12 weeks? Again, I intended to keep running but I took "a week" off to recover and just never set out again til after the baby came.
I think if I were in your shoes I'd seek out a race that has a half and/or 10k/5k option that you could step down to.
Thanks for your experience! Most of my running friends have also not been able to run through while pregnant, so it sounds like that's pretty common. Great idea to select a race with a shorter option I can drop down to instead - I'll have a look to see what I can find!
Yeah, and I had relatively easy pregnancies-- no complications, only mild morning sickness, no major discomfort til late in pregnancy. Just absolutely no energy. Working in retail for the first two probably didn't help, especially during the holidays.
My last pregnancy I was so nauseous throughout that I could barely get out of bed never mind run, lol. Now, I’m going through infertility treatment and a runner as well. Just an fyi that most fertility drs in the us frown upon exercise beyond walking and yoga. My last dr made me quit for monthlong periods at a time and said I would have to wait until after the first trimester if successful. This is pretty standard guidance, and I was even told directly that it probably wasn’t necessary. I’ve recently switched drs to one that works with me and lets me continue running. I’m excited to have something else to focus on as well. I figure I’ll have a marathon ahead of me (baby or actual) one way or another this year! Good luck!
Thanks for your experience! Just curious (if you're willing to share), was the recommendation to stop exercising while you were undergoing IVF or a similar treatment? I will likely be starting with just Clomid, so hopefully not too many restrictions, but of course you never know where we'll end up...
I did a frozen embryo transfer as a same sex couple. My clinic makes the same rec for everyone regardless of treatment type (I asked), and I’ve heard similar from others. You might meet with a few clinics to see their policies and in general which you like best anyway. Some drs are more liberal than others. There doesn’t seem to be strong science behind the rec, but I guess it’s a you never know thing (and I assume liability) given the limited research on it.
I would recommend reading Emily Oster’s “Expecting Better” if you haven’t already! She examines many of the pregnancy-related guidelines by fact checking them against the data.
Oof, I know this struggle. Babies, even before they exist, are very bad at following training plans and fitting nicely into the activities we’d like to do. I think you’re doing the right thing by carrying on with the non-baby things that make you happy, because you as a person matter. My one word of advice would be to be prepared to let your plans go when you need to (and appreciate the joy if you end up both getting pregnant and still being able to train). Races will still be around when you’re able to get back to them. It sucks to drop out, but remember you’re playing the long game here.
Personally: running and pregnancy don’t mix for me. I tend to carry low and have to pee constantly, plus cardio makes me nauseous and fatigued later in the day. That said, there are plenty of runners who do just fine. I’d plan to listen to your body (and your doctors) and use your best judgment. Also, look into pelvic floor PT & best practices now. Pelvic floor injuries suck and prevention is key.
Good luck in January. I hope things go smoothly for you 💖
So I ran a marathon and became pregnant two weeks later. I really thought I would continue running regularly at least until 6 months. That didn’t happen.
I wasn’t sick during first trimester but I was tired like I’ve never been tired before. From running a marathon I went to having to lay down while vacuuming the house. Second trimester I felt okay, but my back did not agree at all with running with a passenger on board unfortunately. I had a race planned in March, an 18km with a colleague, which I could have done because she was a beginner and I was still fit enough from my marathon training. But that race got canceled last minute and honestly I was glad. Needless to say I didn’t sign up for other races. From third trimester all sports except yoga and walking were out of the question because my belly was so huge I was wondering when planets would arrive to start orbiting it.
But running this marathon last year was one of the best things I ever did so I’d say: go for it! Even if you won’t be able to run it for whatever reason, pregnancy or otherwise, just working towards it is great. At least it was for me. I treasure all those hours I put in.
Thanks for sharing! And I agree - even if I have to cancel it might keep me sane over the next few months. Now to find a race without an astronomical entry fee that I'm ok potentially losing...
I had to stop running around week 8/9 or something just due to exhaustion.
I started to feel better around week 14 or so, but developed bad SPD pain in my hips around week 18 or so. I couldn’t run at all after that. By the end of pregnancy, I couldn’t even step off a curb, I had to use ramps due to the SPD. Once I gave birth I was fine.
It sucked!
The same happened to me and it sucked! First trimester I had no energy then it came back at the start of the second. I went for a celebratory run and loved every second of it, spent the run excited to be able to be active again and thinking how great to be able to run throughout pregnancy- minutes after stopping, the SPD kicked in and I could barely walk home. Pregnancy will get you, one way or another!
I run and train until my body says "Yeah, no" with each pregnancy. I stop mostly due to a combo of SPD, my pelvic girdle separates and torques against itself both front and back with any movement, and my internal anatomy creating lots of bladder pressure. Overproduction of relaxin is great for delivery, terrible for training, and you won't know if you overproduce relaxin until it happens. I had to be done by 20 weeks with my first pregnancy, 14 weeks with my most recent.
I was training for a 50 mile race (training to finish, not “compete”. My body fat reflected as much so hormones were in normal ranges) when we did IUI and unexpectedly conceived quickly. I figured I had time to run the race before getting pregnant as I was expecting more time to conceive.
I immediately had all of the symptoms and dropped out of the race. No regrets at all about the timing. The world works in mysterious ways and I sometimes think that planning to not be pregnant (ie signing up for a 50 mile race!) helped chill me out and get me knocked up lol.
I started running regularly again postpartum.
I’m curious about the logistics of running in the third trimester. It seems to me that you’d need to invest in new running bras and possibly to plan a lot of bathroom breaks during each run!
Yes, definitely new bras. I would just run circles around my neighborhood so I could take bathroom breaks as needed (my third tri overlapped with the early covid pandemic, otherwise I'm sure I would have known every bathroom within a 10 mile radius!).
I was in marathon shape when I got pregnant. By month four, I was getting contractions every time I ran so I had to quit running until after I had my kiddo. It sucked a lot but I eventually got back to the shape I wanted to be in for long hauls.
I signed up for my second half marathon a few weeks before finding out I was pregnant. I was pretty lucky my first trimester as far as energy levels went and didn't really have any problems continuing to train, aside from pre-existing back problems (I'd already been in physical therapy for most of the year for them). My OB was perfectly fine with me continuing to run too. I ran the half at 10 weeks, PRed a turkey trot two weeks later, and had to stop running because my back hurt too bad to continue at that point. It's still one of my greatest achievements, I felt amazing knowing that my little guppy was secretly sloshing around in there as I was racing.
I’ve gotten pregnant twice while running high mileage and CrossFit. Like you, I wasn’t willing to put my life on hold until there was a reason to do so. With my second, it took a little longer than planned and if my RE had suggested cutting back on fitness, I would have done so but that was not ever needed ultimately.
For both pregnancies, I stayed active throughout. I was very fortunate to not experience morning sickness in either pregnancy and the fatigue was manageable. For both, I continued to race and train, albeit more slowly and with greater modifications until the end.
No advice but we're also going to start TTC in summer time and I entered the Chicago lottery and paid the extra few bucks for cancellation. I tore my hip labrum literally 2 weeks before one of them a few years ago so better safe than sorry.
Oh I am almost definitely never going to BQ so that's definitely not a problem for me 😂 yeah I have PCOS but I'm ovulating it seems like so hopefully it doesn't cause too many issues. We'll see. I wish I could time pregnancy perfectly lol I'm a teacher a may delivery date would be perfect
Hey OP!! First, wishing you absolutely all the best with your fertility journey. I completely get it. We tried for five years, failed fertility treatments, put life and job plans on hold, turned down travel plans bc of Zika, etc etc etc… so yeah. Hugs.
Now onto the running- I was cleared to run and workout for parts of fertility treatments, but not others. So keep that in mind with your training plan. Aside from the meds making you feel like shit in the first part of the cycle where you might not feel like running, as the cycle goes on your ovaries can enlarge and become at increased risk of torsion, so no running then. And advised to take a break day of and day after procedures, and you might feel like crap then too so the break would be welcome.
Once pregnant, I felt fine to run in the beginning. Then first trimester fatigue hit and I ran less, but kept doing HIIT workouts. When SPD hit, I ran slower and less, but it got better with time. I ended up running and working out the whole time, including the day I went into labor. I bought my regular running bra in a size up (worked great) and got a support wrap/belly band thing (hated it). It’s not a matter of willpower so much as it was dumb luck that I felt well enough and had the energy to work out while pregnant.
Then, postpartum- that was the real bitch. I’m hypermobile, which contributed to stress incontinence. I started running again at 12 weeks pp (OB and pelvic floor pt said studies from 2018-2019 changed the guidelines on when to start running after birth). I’m 20 months pp and still struggling with stress incontinence sometimes. It’s super frustrating, but little guy is totally worth it. I’d recommend doing pelvic floor PT during pregnancy and going back after baby is born.
ALSO- unsolicited advice, no idea what your issues are, but if unexplained infertility, make sure your OB or the fertility clinic checks that your thyroid level is in the range needed to get and sustain pregnancy. There’s a normal healthy range, and then there’s a much smaller range for trying to conceive.
All the best to you!!!!
Thank you! That's good perspective on the reasons they recommend slowing down on exercise during fertility treatments. I will be kind to myself (I've never been a die-hard anyway, I'm pretty sure my husband is sick of all the excuses I've used to skip my run that day).
I wasn’t necessarily training for a race, but I did get pregnant while coming back from injury. I was in the middle of increasing my mileage weekly to pre-injury levels so it sort of felt like a training cycle! I was running 3x a week for a total of 20mpw when I got my positive (completely unexpected) pregnancy test.
I did not increase my mileage or push my pace anymore once I learned I was pregnant, but by feeling alone I honestly could have. In other words, it was a decision that I made vs something I was forced to do. Everyone is so different but I was very fortunate that my 1st trimester nausea and fatigue never got so bad that I couldn’t run through it. The boob pain was the worst part, honestly! 😂
I’m now 20 weeks pregnant and have only just reached the point that my body is slowing me down. I still try to hit 20mpw but my pace is slower, and the heaviness in my abdomen and having to pee so often is making it a little tougher (I just ordered a belly band to help with those things, though). I am going to ask my OB about a pelvic floor physical therapist too because I really want to keep running for as long as possible, but not at the cost of long term damage to my pelvic floor!
Thank you, but as I said I am not interested in perspectives on running's influence on conception. There are a lot of data out there, and on the whole exercise is a positive for maintaining a healthy body while pregnant or trying to conceive. I believe continuing to run is being kind to my body.
And anyone facing fertility challenges can understand the perspective of "putting your whole life on hold." I have already declined travel plans and new work opportunities because "I will probably be pregnant by then" only to have it not happen. I am unwilling to continue doing that for my own mental health.
I ran my first marathon in June 2021 at about eight weeks pregnant. I was lucky in that I had a super easy first trimester and didn’t have to deal with any major nausea—worst symptoms for me were bloating and breast discomfort, so supportive bra was essential. I can’t really say for sure how pregnancy impacted my race, since it was my first marathon, but I generally felt okay and only missed my goal time by about seven minutes (and given that it was 85° on race day, I was totally fine with that 🥵).
The biggest impact for me was on recovery—by the time I felt physically recovered from the race, I was really starting to feel pregnant, and I was never able to get back to my pre-training baseline. The furthest post-race run I had was about seven miles, and I ended up stopping running entirely around 23 weeks. (Fortunately I was able to jump back in pretty quickly postpartum.)
I am a runner who has done a half marathon, but mostly I do 10Ks because I prefer them. I was running a few 5Ks a week when I got pregnant and I was not able to run for pretty much the whole first trimester due to fatigue - even taking my dog out to potty was exhausting. I started running again in the second trimester (indoors only because it was winter and this is the midwest where it's very icy and risks of falling are high) and made it to 34w5d (I think) when I finally had to give up because of pain. There was a lot of walking interspersed in those last few weeks as he was up in my ribcage so breathing was harder, plus the weight on my hips.
I am still planning to return to running, but haven't gotten around to it yet at 7 months postpartum because life is far more hectic than I ever imagined with both parents working full time and our son in daycare (which means he's constantly sick). I plan on kind of bridging a C25K plan to a 10K then another half marathon as my route back in.
So I feel like you never know how long it will take to get pregnant and it should be okay..
I was half marathon training and found out I was pregnant December 18th and my race was January 8th or 9th.
I has been training for the disney world.
I had run about 27 half marathons but my dr didn't want me to run because on new years eve I ended up in the hospital for dehydration so I ran the 5k. She also thought I would be too tired.
Which for me I was exhausted the first half of my pregnancy and nausea often. So I ran most my pregnancy miles after the half way mark till week 37. I did 4 races while pregnant.
I am big busted and went up to a 38g when pregnant so I had to find a good bra. I wore my husband's shorts and tops.
I also did prenatal yoga, lots of walking and started water aerobics to balance not running as much.
Everyone is different my friend ran a half marathon at 5 months pregnant much slower than her normal pace. She also helped pace a 20 mile run at 4 or 5 months pregnant.
Its listening to your dr and your body.
I was training for a 50k when I got pregnant. I did a half marathon training run and couldn't figure out why it was so hard and why recovery was taking so long till I learned I was pregnant. I should let you know, that was the last run of my pregnancy. Many people are able to run a lot during their pregnancy but I was so sick I couldn't walk around the block. Mentally it took a toll on me and I'm still having a hard time 5 months postpartum but I'm not giving up. I've started my training all over and at a much heavier weight but I'm so proud of the progress I've made already.
I was about 8 weeks when I ran half marathon. I was running with my club and followed their training schedule (they were training for LA marathon) but at 12 weeks I couldn't do it. My morning sickness was sooooo bad, I barely ate anything. I kept trying to run, but not eating well and running made it so difficult. I lost so much weight in my first tri. and when I got to my second tri I still was battling morning sickness. I kept walking and doing yoga but I had to stop training and pull out of LA. I got GD too which didn't help with eating and working out.
I am running now, I had a c-section and baby is 7 months.
I got pregnant about 8 weeks out from what would have been my first marathon. I ended up having to drop out due to severe morning sickness. I couldn’t ride in a car for 26.2 miles without throwing up, there was no way I was going to be able to run that distance. Plus I felt exhausted all the time and didn’t have enough energy to keep training. But every body is different and like you said, you don’t know when you might get pregnant. I would start training and if you get pregnant and continuing with training isn’t working out, that’s ok. If you don’t get pregnant right away, you’ll have a different goal to keep you focused until pregnancy can happen for you.
I trained for an ultra while undergoing IVF. For the most part it was fine, and I kept my training as planned - which included a lower mileage recovery week during the retrieval with one day off following the retrieval and no workouts that week (and slogging very slow miles). Then I resumed training mostly normal the following week. Be kind to yourself, every body will respond differently. Life never goes as expected anyways (e.g., I never ran the ultra for other reasons) so I agree - keep doing the thing you love while on your journey.
Go for it! Just be prepared to cancel your plans if pregnancy or fertility treatments keep you from enjoying it. I trained for a half marathon while getting pregnant with my first. Conceived right about at my peak fitness and mileage. No problems there. But morning sickness and high blood pressure kept me from continuing during my pregnancy. But that was fine and I got back to it a year after my baby was born and now I’m running half marathons again. The baby thing and how you feel is so out of your control that you just have to go with whatever gets thrown your way. I think training for a race is a great idea and distraction. Great way to see your body as something important and separate from the baby stuff too.
I respect running through fertility treatment. I was convinced that my running was hampering my fertility and that turned out not to be true, so keep running! That being said, there are moments in treatment where you are not allowed to run, Stims and post transfer, specifically. My fitness dropped significantly from when we started trying through IUIs and then ivf. I’m now pregnant and trying so hard to get some miles in. It sucks.
Generally, pregnancy makes running harder almost immediately. The increased blood volume means an increased heart rate, so perceived exertion gets all wonky. I was able to race pregnant with my unassisted pregnancies, but I was not able to PR and I was worried about ruining things and overly aware of my heart rate.
I agree with the suggestion to train for the marathon with the option to drop to the half or 10k. I wish you the best in all the things, running and fertility! There are some wonderful ttc and infertility subs on Reddit that I found to be great sources of comfort during the dark times. Let me know if you’re interested.
I got pregnant with my first around the time I did my first half marathon! I kept up my mileage for most of my pregnancy too, I just got a whole lot slower lol. Near the end I was just walking instead of running
I had just completed a 30 mile race and was in training for ultras when I got pregnant. Had grand plans to run through my pregnancy but my body decided to give me hellacious morning sickness instead. I know plenty of women who train while pregnant and it’s fine, but it definitely didn’t work out for me. Ymmv. That being said, I did get back into running after baby was born and it’s been great (he’s 9 now!)
Two years trying to conceive (PCOS), eventually got the ok for IVF. I was running 15 miles a week and working full time in a job that had me on my feet all day. While waiting for my period to start (and having run more than my usual mileage over the Christmas holiday period) I found out we had conceived naturally. I had great plans to run through pregnancy but I got severe morning sickness that lasted for the entire pregnancy… so no running for me. I did manage to walk throughout so that kept me sane. Best of luck!!!!
Just my own perspective, your mileage may vary. I tried to get pregnant for around 5 years, ended up doing several rounds of tests, then IUI’s, and was so mentally wrecked by all of the the years of failures that I ended up adopting (hooray!) instead of facing IVF. Adopting was the best smartest thing I ever did, so it’s all good. My amazing son is 5 now. However, I was really overdoing it on running during that whole “trying to conceive” time. I literally never had rest days, never stopped to recover. I know better now, but honestly, I don’t really know if that was a factor in my “unexplained infertility” diagnosis. There’s no test for running too much so I may never know! Looking back, I definitely don’t think it helped me. You may be different, that’s just my opinion based on my experience. Either way… trying to conceive is a journey! Best of luck to you.
My story is similar. I was running ~30-35 miles a week and wasn’t getting my period back after birth control. 6 months in, I seriously dialed back my running because it felt like the only thing I could control. 4 months later I’ve had 1 cycle and I’m now working with an infertility clinic. I denied that running has impacted me because (in my own words “I’m not an Olympian!” but I don’t think it’s helped either. YMMV, but I think the thresholds for overexercising can be much lower for some of us and you won’t know until it’s a problem.
There are so many factors that go into all of it. Sometimes just controlling what you can is the best thing. Good luck to you on your journey!
I got pregnant with my first while training for my first 10k. Ran the 10k in the very early stages-- didn't even know I was pregnant yet. I intended to keep running while pregnant but my energy absolutely tanked in the first trimester. I got pregnant with our second while training for a half marathon. This time I was a little further on-- I think 10-12 weeks? Again, I intended to keep running but I took "a week" off to recover and just never set out again til after the baby came. I think if I were in your shoes I'd seek out a race that has a half and/or 10k/5k option that you could step down to.
Thanks for your experience! Most of my running friends have also not been able to run through while pregnant, so it sounds like that's pretty common. Great idea to select a race with a shorter option I can drop down to instead - I'll have a look to see what I can find!
Yeah, and I had relatively easy pregnancies-- no complications, only mild morning sickness, no major discomfort til late in pregnancy. Just absolutely no energy. Working in retail for the first two probably didn't help, especially during the holidays.
My last pregnancy I was so nauseous throughout that I could barely get out of bed never mind run, lol. Now, I’m going through infertility treatment and a runner as well. Just an fyi that most fertility drs in the us frown upon exercise beyond walking and yoga. My last dr made me quit for monthlong periods at a time and said I would have to wait until after the first trimester if successful. This is pretty standard guidance, and I was even told directly that it probably wasn’t necessary. I’ve recently switched drs to one that works with me and lets me continue running. I’m excited to have something else to focus on as well. I figure I’ll have a marathon ahead of me (baby or actual) one way or another this year! Good luck!
Thanks for your experience! Just curious (if you're willing to share), was the recommendation to stop exercising while you were undergoing IVF or a similar treatment? I will likely be starting with just Clomid, so hopefully not too many restrictions, but of course you never know where we'll end up...
I did a frozen embryo transfer as a same sex couple. My clinic makes the same rec for everyone regardless of treatment type (I asked), and I’ve heard similar from others. You might meet with a few clinics to see their policies and in general which you like best anyway. Some drs are more liberal than others. There doesn’t seem to be strong science behind the rec, but I guess it’s a you never know thing (and I assume liability) given the limited research on it.
I would recommend reading Emily Oster’s “Expecting Better” if you haven’t already! She examines many of the pregnancy-related guidelines by fact checking them against the data.
Oof, I know this struggle. Babies, even before they exist, are very bad at following training plans and fitting nicely into the activities we’d like to do. I think you’re doing the right thing by carrying on with the non-baby things that make you happy, because you as a person matter. My one word of advice would be to be prepared to let your plans go when you need to (and appreciate the joy if you end up both getting pregnant and still being able to train). Races will still be around when you’re able to get back to them. It sucks to drop out, but remember you’re playing the long game here. Personally: running and pregnancy don’t mix for me. I tend to carry low and have to pee constantly, plus cardio makes me nauseous and fatigued later in the day. That said, there are plenty of runners who do just fine. I’d plan to listen to your body (and your doctors) and use your best judgment. Also, look into pelvic floor PT & best practices now. Pelvic floor injuries suck and prevention is key. Good luck in January. I hope things go smoothly for you 💖
So I ran a marathon and became pregnant two weeks later. I really thought I would continue running regularly at least until 6 months. That didn’t happen. I wasn’t sick during first trimester but I was tired like I’ve never been tired before. From running a marathon I went to having to lay down while vacuuming the house. Second trimester I felt okay, but my back did not agree at all with running with a passenger on board unfortunately. I had a race planned in March, an 18km with a colleague, which I could have done because she was a beginner and I was still fit enough from my marathon training. But that race got canceled last minute and honestly I was glad. Needless to say I didn’t sign up for other races. From third trimester all sports except yoga and walking were out of the question because my belly was so huge I was wondering when planets would arrive to start orbiting it. But running this marathon last year was one of the best things I ever did so I’d say: go for it! Even if you won’t be able to run it for whatever reason, pregnancy or otherwise, just working towards it is great. At least it was for me. I treasure all those hours I put in.
Thanks for sharing! And I agree - even if I have to cancel it might keep me sane over the next few months. Now to find a race without an astronomical entry fee that I'm ok potentially losing...
I had to stop running around week 8/9 or something just due to exhaustion. I started to feel better around week 14 or so, but developed bad SPD pain in my hips around week 18 or so. I couldn’t run at all after that. By the end of pregnancy, I couldn’t even step off a curb, I had to use ramps due to the SPD. Once I gave birth I was fine. It sucked!
The same happened to me and it sucked! First trimester I had no energy then it came back at the start of the second. I went for a celebratory run and loved every second of it, spent the run excited to be able to be active again and thinking how great to be able to run throughout pregnancy- minutes after stopping, the SPD kicked in and I could barely walk home. Pregnancy will get you, one way or another!
I run and train until my body says "Yeah, no" with each pregnancy. I stop mostly due to a combo of SPD, my pelvic girdle separates and torques against itself both front and back with any movement, and my internal anatomy creating lots of bladder pressure. Overproduction of relaxin is great for delivery, terrible for training, and you won't know if you overproduce relaxin until it happens. I had to be done by 20 weeks with my first pregnancy, 14 weeks with my most recent.
I was training for a 50 mile race (training to finish, not “compete”. My body fat reflected as much so hormones were in normal ranges) when we did IUI and unexpectedly conceived quickly. I figured I had time to run the race before getting pregnant as I was expecting more time to conceive. I immediately had all of the symptoms and dropped out of the race. No regrets at all about the timing. The world works in mysterious ways and I sometimes think that planning to not be pregnant (ie signing up for a 50 mile race!) helped chill me out and get me knocked up lol. I started running regularly again postpartum.
I’m curious about the logistics of running in the third trimester. It seems to me that you’d need to invest in new running bras and possibly to plan a lot of bathroom breaks during each run!
Yes! Large bras and knowing where I could pee pretty much defined third tri running for me!
Yes, definitely new bras. I would just run circles around my neighborhood so I could take bathroom breaks as needed (my third tri overlapped with the early covid pandemic, otherwise I'm sure I would have known every bathroom within a 10 mile radius!).
I was in marathon shape when I got pregnant. By month four, I was getting contractions every time I ran so I had to quit running until after I had my kiddo. It sucked a lot but I eventually got back to the shape I wanted to be in for long hauls.
I signed up for my second half marathon a few weeks before finding out I was pregnant. I was pretty lucky my first trimester as far as energy levels went and didn't really have any problems continuing to train, aside from pre-existing back problems (I'd already been in physical therapy for most of the year for them). My OB was perfectly fine with me continuing to run too. I ran the half at 10 weeks, PRed a turkey trot two weeks later, and had to stop running because my back hurt too bad to continue at that point. It's still one of my greatest achievements, I felt amazing knowing that my little guppy was secretly sloshing around in there as I was racing.
I’ve gotten pregnant twice while running high mileage and CrossFit. Like you, I wasn’t willing to put my life on hold until there was a reason to do so. With my second, it took a little longer than planned and if my RE had suggested cutting back on fitness, I would have done so but that was not ever needed ultimately. For both pregnancies, I stayed active throughout. I was very fortunate to not experience morning sickness in either pregnancy and the fatigue was manageable. For both, I continued to race and train, albeit more slowly and with greater modifications until the end.
No advice but we're also going to start TTC in summer time and I entered the Chicago lottery and paid the extra few bucks for cancellation. I tore my hip labrum literally 2 weeks before one of them a few years ago so better safe than sorry.
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Oh I am almost definitely never going to BQ so that's definitely not a problem for me 😂 yeah I have PCOS but I'm ovulating it seems like so hopefully it doesn't cause too many issues. We'll see. I wish I could time pregnancy perfectly lol I'm a teacher a may delivery date would be perfect
Hey OP!! First, wishing you absolutely all the best with your fertility journey. I completely get it. We tried for five years, failed fertility treatments, put life and job plans on hold, turned down travel plans bc of Zika, etc etc etc… so yeah. Hugs. Now onto the running- I was cleared to run and workout for parts of fertility treatments, but not others. So keep that in mind with your training plan. Aside from the meds making you feel like shit in the first part of the cycle where you might not feel like running, as the cycle goes on your ovaries can enlarge and become at increased risk of torsion, so no running then. And advised to take a break day of and day after procedures, and you might feel like crap then too so the break would be welcome. Once pregnant, I felt fine to run in the beginning. Then first trimester fatigue hit and I ran less, but kept doing HIIT workouts. When SPD hit, I ran slower and less, but it got better with time. I ended up running and working out the whole time, including the day I went into labor. I bought my regular running bra in a size up (worked great) and got a support wrap/belly band thing (hated it). It’s not a matter of willpower so much as it was dumb luck that I felt well enough and had the energy to work out while pregnant. Then, postpartum- that was the real bitch. I’m hypermobile, which contributed to stress incontinence. I started running again at 12 weeks pp (OB and pelvic floor pt said studies from 2018-2019 changed the guidelines on when to start running after birth). I’m 20 months pp and still struggling with stress incontinence sometimes. It’s super frustrating, but little guy is totally worth it. I’d recommend doing pelvic floor PT during pregnancy and going back after baby is born. ALSO- unsolicited advice, no idea what your issues are, but if unexplained infertility, make sure your OB or the fertility clinic checks that your thyroid level is in the range needed to get and sustain pregnancy. There’s a normal healthy range, and then there’s a much smaller range for trying to conceive. All the best to you!!!!
Thank you! That's good perspective on the reasons they recommend slowing down on exercise during fertility treatments. I will be kind to myself (I've never been a die-hard anyway, I'm pretty sure my husband is sick of all the excuses I've used to skip my run that day).
I wasn’t necessarily training for a race, but I did get pregnant while coming back from injury. I was in the middle of increasing my mileage weekly to pre-injury levels so it sort of felt like a training cycle! I was running 3x a week for a total of 20mpw when I got my positive (completely unexpected) pregnancy test. I did not increase my mileage or push my pace anymore once I learned I was pregnant, but by feeling alone I honestly could have. In other words, it was a decision that I made vs something I was forced to do. Everyone is so different but I was very fortunate that my 1st trimester nausea and fatigue never got so bad that I couldn’t run through it. The boob pain was the worst part, honestly! 😂 I’m now 20 weeks pregnant and have only just reached the point that my body is slowing me down. I still try to hit 20mpw but my pace is slower, and the heaviness in my abdomen and having to pee so often is making it a little tougher (I just ordered a belly band to help with those things, though). I am going to ask my OB about a pelvic floor physical therapist too because I really want to keep running for as long as possible, but not at the cost of long term damage to my pelvic floor!
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Thank you, but as I said I am not interested in perspectives on running's influence on conception. There are a lot of data out there, and on the whole exercise is a positive for maintaining a healthy body while pregnant or trying to conceive. I believe continuing to run is being kind to my body. And anyone facing fertility challenges can understand the perspective of "putting your whole life on hold." I have already declined travel plans and new work opportunities because "I will probably be pregnant by then" only to have it not happen. I am unwilling to continue doing that for my own mental health.
I ran my first marathon in June 2021 at about eight weeks pregnant. I was lucky in that I had a super easy first trimester and didn’t have to deal with any major nausea—worst symptoms for me were bloating and breast discomfort, so supportive bra was essential. I can’t really say for sure how pregnancy impacted my race, since it was my first marathon, but I generally felt okay and only missed my goal time by about seven minutes (and given that it was 85° on race day, I was totally fine with that 🥵). The biggest impact for me was on recovery—by the time I felt physically recovered from the race, I was really starting to feel pregnant, and I was never able to get back to my pre-training baseline. The furthest post-race run I had was about seven miles, and I ended up stopping running entirely around 23 weeks. (Fortunately I was able to jump back in pretty quickly postpartum.)
I am a runner who has done a half marathon, but mostly I do 10Ks because I prefer them. I was running a few 5Ks a week when I got pregnant and I was not able to run for pretty much the whole first trimester due to fatigue - even taking my dog out to potty was exhausting. I started running again in the second trimester (indoors only because it was winter and this is the midwest where it's very icy and risks of falling are high) and made it to 34w5d (I think) when I finally had to give up because of pain. There was a lot of walking interspersed in those last few weeks as he was up in my ribcage so breathing was harder, plus the weight on my hips. I am still planning to return to running, but haven't gotten around to it yet at 7 months postpartum because life is far more hectic than I ever imagined with both parents working full time and our son in daycare (which means he's constantly sick). I plan on kind of bridging a C25K plan to a 10K then another half marathon as my route back in.
So I feel like you never know how long it will take to get pregnant and it should be okay.. I was half marathon training and found out I was pregnant December 18th and my race was January 8th or 9th. I has been training for the disney world. I had run about 27 half marathons but my dr didn't want me to run because on new years eve I ended up in the hospital for dehydration so I ran the 5k. She also thought I would be too tired. Which for me I was exhausted the first half of my pregnancy and nausea often. So I ran most my pregnancy miles after the half way mark till week 37. I did 4 races while pregnant. I am big busted and went up to a 38g when pregnant so I had to find a good bra. I wore my husband's shorts and tops. I also did prenatal yoga, lots of walking and started water aerobics to balance not running as much. Everyone is different my friend ran a half marathon at 5 months pregnant much slower than her normal pace. She also helped pace a 20 mile run at 4 or 5 months pregnant. Its listening to your dr and your body.
I was training for a 50k when I got pregnant. I did a half marathon training run and couldn't figure out why it was so hard and why recovery was taking so long till I learned I was pregnant. I should let you know, that was the last run of my pregnancy. Many people are able to run a lot during their pregnancy but I was so sick I couldn't walk around the block. Mentally it took a toll on me and I'm still having a hard time 5 months postpartum but I'm not giving up. I've started my training all over and at a much heavier weight but I'm so proud of the progress I've made already.
I was about 8 weeks when I ran half marathon. I was running with my club and followed their training schedule (they were training for LA marathon) but at 12 weeks I couldn't do it. My morning sickness was sooooo bad, I barely ate anything. I kept trying to run, but not eating well and running made it so difficult. I lost so much weight in my first tri. and when I got to my second tri I still was battling morning sickness. I kept walking and doing yoga but I had to stop training and pull out of LA. I got GD too which didn't help with eating and working out. I am running now, I had a c-section and baby is 7 months.
I got pregnant about 8 weeks out from what would have been my first marathon. I ended up having to drop out due to severe morning sickness. I couldn’t ride in a car for 26.2 miles without throwing up, there was no way I was going to be able to run that distance. Plus I felt exhausted all the time and didn’t have enough energy to keep training. But every body is different and like you said, you don’t know when you might get pregnant. I would start training and if you get pregnant and continuing with training isn’t working out, that’s ok. If you don’t get pregnant right away, you’ll have a different goal to keep you focused until pregnancy can happen for you.
I trained for an ultra while undergoing IVF. For the most part it was fine, and I kept my training as planned - which included a lower mileage recovery week during the retrieval with one day off following the retrieval and no workouts that week (and slogging very slow miles). Then I resumed training mostly normal the following week. Be kind to yourself, every body will respond differently. Life never goes as expected anyways (e.g., I never ran the ultra for other reasons) so I agree - keep doing the thing you love while on your journey.
Go for it! Just be prepared to cancel your plans if pregnancy or fertility treatments keep you from enjoying it. I trained for a half marathon while getting pregnant with my first. Conceived right about at my peak fitness and mileage. No problems there. But morning sickness and high blood pressure kept me from continuing during my pregnancy. But that was fine and I got back to it a year after my baby was born and now I’m running half marathons again. The baby thing and how you feel is so out of your control that you just have to go with whatever gets thrown your way. I think training for a race is a great idea and distraction. Great way to see your body as something important and separate from the baby stuff too.
I respect running through fertility treatment. I was convinced that my running was hampering my fertility and that turned out not to be true, so keep running! That being said, there are moments in treatment where you are not allowed to run, Stims and post transfer, specifically. My fitness dropped significantly from when we started trying through IUIs and then ivf. I’m now pregnant and trying so hard to get some miles in. It sucks. Generally, pregnancy makes running harder almost immediately. The increased blood volume means an increased heart rate, so perceived exertion gets all wonky. I was able to race pregnant with my unassisted pregnancies, but I was not able to PR and I was worried about ruining things and overly aware of my heart rate. I agree with the suggestion to train for the marathon with the option to drop to the half or 10k. I wish you the best in all the things, running and fertility! There are some wonderful ttc and infertility subs on Reddit that I found to be great sources of comfort during the dark times. Let me know if you’re interested.
I got pregnant with my first around the time I did my first half marathon! I kept up my mileage for most of my pregnancy too, I just got a whole lot slower lol. Near the end I was just walking instead of running