When you shift your goal from race finish to delivery date, you also modify your training routine to include shorter, high-quality running workouts, low-impact cross-training (elliptical), total body strengthening, kegels, and flexibility. And over time, most runners adjust their normal runs to run-walks, then walk-runs, and finally walks. Just like marathoning, when you train to specificity and by your body, your performance improves.
Running While Pregnant: The Bottom Line
So is running while pregnant safe? It depends. If you ran regularly before getting pregnant, it’s fine to continue “” as long as you take some precautions and first check with your doctor or midwife.
But pregnancy isn’t the time to start a running routine, according to Julie Tupler, a registered nurse, certified personal trainer, and founder of Maternal Fitness, a fitness program for pregnant women and new moms in New York City.
Pregnancy’s also not the time to start training for a marathon, a triathlon, or any other race, cautions Tupler. “The first trimester is when the baby’s major organs are forming, and overheating’s a real issue. If a woman’s core temperature gets too high, it could cause problems with the baby, so why risk it? Instead, train for the marathon of labor by strengthening your abdominals and pelvic floor muscles,” she says.