Running During the Third Trimester

trailing behind LMS as she leaves me in the dust on the bike path

Unlike our trip two summers ago, this summer I managed to do some walking/running while we were on vacation. The first two weeks I didn't do specific walking and running, but I did some short hikes and swimming, so at least I was still staying active. The second two weeks were mostly spent in one place (Mr M had drill, so LMS and I had a more relaxed schedule during the day- hanging out in the trailer at the campground and visiting friends and family). Our campground was right next to a trail head for a bike path so LMS rode her bike while I walked and ran (ok, jogged).

We were able to do this twice each week, for a total of four times. It's not a lot, my mileage is definitely way lower than it used to be, and I'm a lot slower, but hey,

I'm in my third trimester and I'm still able to run! 

I am super thrilled about this because that is NOT something I EVER thought would be possible.

How have I managed it?

* I just keep going. Back in the first trimester when my energy was really low and I felt so crappy, I still made sure I got on the treadmill at least twice a week (three times if I was feeling up to it), even if it was only for half an hour. As I got further along and felt better, I was able to increase my mileage a tad, though I was doing more walking and less running. The trip caused my mileage to decrease again, but I was able to run slowly even in the higher altitudes, which I didn't think would happen.

* Paying attention to how I'm feeling- energy levels, ligament pain, etc- has cut short several workouts but has also kept me from injury. I do have to be careful to not overdo it the times I do have more energy, since that results in drastically reduced energy levels for the next day or so.

* I still use my foam roller (and brought my shorter one on our trip) and stretch carefully to help with sore muscles.

* I wear my maternity support belt. It really makes a big difference in how my hips feel after exercise. I made the mistake of not using it one time last week and my hips let me know they weren't happy.

I have had some issues with keeping my growing tummy properly covered (even my longer workout shirts have gotten too short) and I'm too cheap to buy a maternity running shirt (have you seen the prices on those things?!). However, we stopped in at a WalMart for a few items while we were on vacation, and I was able to find a couple Danskin brand workout tops (non-cotton) that are super long. WalMart isn't my favorite place to buy clothes because I think the quality isn't the best, but I was willing to make an exception for shirts that would more than cover my tummy and were a fraction of the price of the maternity workout shirts I'd found online. So at least I can be properly covered and not have to keep tugging my shirt down.

Have you been able to keep running throughout your pregnancies?