Half marathon at 8 weeks

[Running365]

I missed my period this weekend and got a BFP (YAY!!). Suddenly feeling very protective of my body though and although I run every day I am completely aware I'll need to scale back and listen to my body. I'm wondering though if anyone has experience of running/attempting to run a half marathon during first trime

Oops didn't mean to post. Meant you say first trimester. I don't want to give up on my training but also don't want to harm myself or my first pregnancy.

I ran a 10km the weekend of my BFP and aside from walking the massive hill I didn't so anything differently. It is different from a half marathon but as long as you feel well, take it slow and its no further than you would usually run it is ok. The typical NHS advice is not to train for further distances than you have already run but if a half is usual for you, go for it. Congrats!

I think the general advice is not to do more than you're used to, so if you run those sorts of distances regularly, it should be safe, but I don't think it'd be advisable to do it if it's not something that your body is used to already.

Personally, I wouldn't do it because I have the mentality that would totally blame myself if anything happened to the pregnancy, even though, logically, I would know it was unrelated.

Thanks @Bobbiepin and congrats to you too. I think you're right, I'll see how things go the next few weeks and then just not push as hard as usual and say I was having an off day as my time will likely be slower than usual. Definitely like your idea of walRunning is my way of escaping and relaxing but I'll have to start swimming more over the months to come!

Personally, I wouldn't do it because I have the mentality that would totally blame myself if anything happened to the pregnancy, even though, logically, I would know it was unrelated.

^This

@lazydog I'm completely with you but I suppose we could blame ourselves

I’ve just gone past the 8 week mark and there’s no way I could have run very far - weeks 6,7 and 8 were awful for me with regards to sickness and tiredness, I could have spent the whole three weeks in bed of it weren’t for my two other dd’s!!
Now on week 10 and I probably could run a fair distance!

Sorry jelly fingers tonight. Haha hope my legs keep working!

Glad to hear you're feeling better now @Matilda1981 I'll

If you're used to long distances, are well fed and hydrated and feeling well then it would be fine to do. Listen to your body.

Personally I really don't believe in stopping normal, healthy, everyday activities because you would blame yourself if something went wrong. I think that kind of behaviour feeds anxiety and youll find something else to stress about. There is nothing to suggest running causes miscarriage. If you are having a healthy pregnancy, exercise is actively encouraged, if it is safe and within the realms of what you were already doing.

I couldn't run in pregnancy at all due to hideous nausea, basically gave up at BFP as that's when the sickness started.

But, I carried on cycling till 33 weeks with both and I totally believe I had easy labours because I was still relatively fit. MWs were totally on board.

If you can, do it!!!

Yeah, I found that after that race I got really awful morning sickness and couldn't tun for about 18 weeks. After that I went back to parkrun and took it super slow but couldn't walk for the rest of the day and was eventually diagnosed with sciatica and told not to run for the rest of my pregnancy. My DD is now 14 weeks and I'm back at parkrun but my times and fitness have taken a real knock. I'd like to get out more during the week but it's so difficult.

OP - If you were going to finish "blame ourselves regardless" or similar - yes, for sure. I had a successful pregnancy, followed by 2 miscarriages, then another healthy pregnancy. I drove myself insane trying to think what I'd done differently during the 2nd and 3rd, that I hadn't with the 1st and last. I knew there was nothing, and yet I still managed to feel guilty about the miscarriages. I can't imagine what a wreck I'd have been if I had succeeded in thinking of a possible avoidable cause. But that's just me being stupid. It's not logical and I'm sure there are many women who wouldn't have been so determined to find something that they could blame themselves for. Just wanted to mention it because that stupid, senseless guilt was identified as a likely huge contributing factor in my developing severe PND after DS2.

Oh yeah totally agree with @rodent01 I did proper yoga until 33 weeks and I'm pretty sure it had an effect on my labour - active labour time was recorded as 1hour 45 mins

Lazy dog - but why would running be an identifiable possible cause? It just doesn't cause first trimester miscarriage. I understand the anxiety and guilt that follows miscarriage, I really do. But I had a miscarriage after a blazing argument with my (now ex) partner. It doesn't mean that I see extreme anger as a possible cause if you see what I mean? Of course I ran through possible actions but ultimately decided I had to believe doctors and midwives when they said it just happens.
I'm really not trying to labour the point. But I see this kind of comment all the time on exercise threads and I would hate for women to get put off doing a perfectly safe activity because they felt they would blame themselves for something.

Oh, And I meant to add that you aren't being stupid at all. The guilt and grief after a miscarriage is horrible. The way you felt isn't stupid. But no-one should blame themselves.

Girl - I wouldn't see running for excercise and a usual amount as a possible cause, but I know I'd wonder if I'd overdone things by taking part in a competitive race. Unless I'd made no extra effort to get a decent time or placing.

But like I said - not saying that should be the case - just worth considering if you know that you're someone who would be prone to irrational guilt, like me.

But no-one should blame themselves.

Totally agree with you there

I ran a 10 mile race about 2 weeks after finding out I was pg. Obviously I had done all the training but on the day didn't go for a PB and made sure I didn't overexert- when I did a half a few months before I collapsed a few hundred metres before the finish line