Actually – it suddenly got hard at 24 weeks! Running up any hint of a hill has been hard throughout my pregnancy, but at 23 weeks and 4 days I’m ashamed to say that I had to have ‘a breather’ 1/2 way up Ghyll Road – one of the many hills near my home. I’d normally take that one in my stride. I redeemed myself slightly when I had a reasonable run at Brighton 10k at 24 weeks pregnant. I was pleased to finish in 51 minutes, having had a fairly lengthy stop to take off my thermal running top (which I’d managed to pin to my t-shirt when I attached my race number!). It’s been downhill since then.
I’m still running between 20 – 25 miles a week over 4 – 5 days, but it is now S-L-O-W and uncomfortable at times. My attitude to running has had to change too. I rarely wear a watch these days and, with my pelvic floor being challenged and the bladder the size of a thimble, I usually need a couple of essential ‘pit stops’ – even on the shortest of runs. Whereas I used to consider runners who stopped running in order to cross the road ‘Wimps!’ – I now look forward to road crossings so that I can have a brief recovery!! Perhaps I’ve become a wimp??!!
I can be hard on myself, and I do find it frustrating at times. I was really fit when I fell pregnant, and now I get breathless getting up from the couch. It’s hard to imagine being in that sort of shape again! On the other hand, I think I’m lucky that I can still run. I’m nearer to 45 years old than 44, my body-weight has increased by about 25% in the last few months and, most importantly, my baby is healthy and growing well. He practices kick boxing regularly throughout the day (and night) and his estimated weight today was 2lbs 11oz.
