QuestionHello,
I am an active runner and I just found out that I am pregnant. I have a half-marathon in 3 weeks so I will be about 8-9 weeks for the race. My long runs have only been 8 miles or so and I haven't run 13+ miles in a while. During my last run, I was going to do 10 miles but I had fatigue and dehydration so I stopped at 4. I have done two marathons (one within 8 months) and lots of half marathons, but I am worried that I normally just push through the pain. I don't want to over do it so early in my pregnancy. I was going to just start the race and stop when I feel that I am at my max. What are the signs that I should stop and is it ok to be this physical so early on?
Thanks!
AnswerSorry for the delay in response, I was dealing with a family illness.
You are prepared on both a muscular and cardiovascular level for this run, so this is good. But I am concerned that your last run you experienced dehydration and fatigue. This is a sign of over training and/or insufficient recovery time between workouts.
Signs that you stop the race include fatigue, dehydration, unusual muscle or joint pain. Certainly, you do not want to push through the pain when you are pregnant. In both your training and the race, you always want to stay in a zone that you perceive as "somewhat" difficult.
Don't try to match or beat your best time in this race, or go to your max, or push through anything. Try to run with moderation, more of a "fun run." Make sure that you do not exercise for 3 to 4 days before the race in order to maximize your glucose stores.
If in the next few weeks of training your level of perceived exertion rises again, or you feel like you're becoming dehydrated again, then this would be an indication that you should not do this race.
