I’m over halfway through my pregnancy making it a good time to share what I have been going through over the last few months.

Weeks 1 – 4 (Blissful Ignorance)

The first 2 weeks of my pregnancy I had NO idea. I finished the Vancouver Scotia Bank Half Marathon, with a slower pace than normal but attribute my slower pace to the heat.  Afterwards we went on a week-long family vacation where I took some time off running to recover.

What was really happening: Fertilization had occurred and the little zygote was starting to burrow into my uterine lining and release some exciting hormones.

When I was about 4 weeks pregnant I started feeling off, I was cramping on and off, missed my period, and was really tired. Being an avid fitness enthusiast and just finishing a half marathon I figured my body was just stressed out, it had happened before.  During this time my lungs would burn during workouts at a pace that should have been manageable, I thought it was just from taking time off after the half marathon. Then my breast started to become increasingly sore which I had no explanation for.  One Saturday night I was out for dinner with Adrian, one minute we were enjoying red wine and conversation, the next minute, I nearly spit my wine across the table in his face, it tasted like vinegar.  Adrian had a sip and said it was fine, but there was no way I could finish it.  Jokingly he suggested I should take a pregnancy test, and from there the rest is history. 😉

What was really happening: Implantation had occurred, which could have been causing the cramping, and hormones were triggering my body to make more blood, which taxes my cardiovascular system more than normal. The hormones were also attributing to the breast tenderness and aversion to red wine.

Weeks 5-13 apparently I am pregnant…..

I didn’t really look pregnant early on, the first thing I noticed was that I was losing my waist line. We didn’t want to tell the kids until we knew for certain that they baby was healthy and I wouldn’t miscarry.  During this time I experienced very mild nauseous for a couple of days, I was constipated and severely exhausted.  It was hard to get up in the morning for my runs, and when I did I moved at a snail’s pace.   My overall motivation was way down, it was really hard to muster up the energy to get out of bed, let alone get out the door for a run!

What’s really happening: The baby was growing from a gestational sac of 2.4cm at 6 week and 3 days to 11.6 cm at 12 weeks 3 days,  plus my hormones were wreaking havoc on my body.

I wasn’t experiencing anxiety about miscarriage due to running. I had talked to various doctors and they all reassured me that I could and should continue to keep active.   All test results had indicated that I was healthy.  During this time I was conscious to listen to my body, if I had a bad sleep and needed more rest then I skipped my morning workout.   I also had to change my morning routine since my pre-run coffees were out, I switched to Granola and milk which seemed to help settle my stomach for a few hours. Every day was different, one day I was barely able to get out of bed and the next I felt amazing and could hammer out slow but steady 10km.

Week’s 14-18 Healthy baby…..time to start telling people

As I entered the second trimester I started to feel relief from the fatigue. I was still running and working out regularly and during week 14.5 I completed the East side 10km, considerably slower than my pre-pregnancy pace, you can read the race review on my blog post “2015 Vancouver Eastside 10km Race Review”.   At 15.5 weeks pregnant everything was on track,  so we started sharing our news, first with the kids then close friends.   At 15.5 weeks pregnant we went on a family trip to Disneyland, it was something we have been saving for and talking about for a few years and it was VERY important to Adrian and I that we followed through with this promise.   For more details about our trip and Pregnancy in Disneyland check out my Blog post  “Our Family Vacation to Disneyland- The Happiest Place on Earth.” By the end of 18 weeks my runs turned into fast walking, but I still like to call them runs. 😉  A 7km run takes me about 50 minutes but I’m out there doing it.

 Weeks 19-20- Starting to feel uncomfortable

During these last few weeks I have really started to feel pregnant! I started to feel a sharp pain on the right side in my lower belly/ groin area. I  have to remind myself that I am pregnant, I cannot move with the lighting quickness of pre-pregnancy. My lower back has also started to bother me .  Running has tapered off, I prefer to use the Stepmill or the Elliptical, I am still teaching indoor cycling, and workout out with light weights and high repetitions.

What’s really happening:   As the baby grows in my womb, the round ligament stretches, making it more likely to become strained. Sudden movements can cause the ligament to tighten quickly, like a rubber band snapping. Resulting in my in lower belly/groin pain.

The lower back pain is a result of  my spine adjusting to support the weight gain, while my posture adjusts to the change in my center of gravity.  Also, my body is releasing more and more relaxin (a hormone), which allows ligaments in the pelvic area to relax and the joints to become looser.  It can cause ligaments that support the spine to loosen, leading to instability and even more pain.

Because every woman’s pregnancy experience is different, I know I didn’t cover everything and might have missed something that you were hoping I would share. Please ask questions and offer suggestions for other topics to cover.   As always, if you experienced something different or disagree please share that too!

You should always consult your Health Care Professional regarding your exercises plans, and above all listen to your body, its not just about you anymore.  😉