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Expert Q&A

	By April Underwood Fitness Consultant Playa del Rey, California

I have been training for the NYC marathon and have just found out thatI am pregnant. I have trained extensively for this, and while I'mexcited about the pregnancy, I'm dissapointed with the thought of notrunning. Am I putting the fetus at risk by running in a marathon at 61/2 weeks? I did run the San Fransisco Marathon in July, I run aslow, comfortable 10 minute mile pace. While I don't want to put thefetus at risk, I don't want to miss out if necessary."

Whether or not you should run the NYC marathon at 61/2 weeksis a question for your doctor. I know that a lot of guidelinesregarding strenuous exercise during pregnancy have changed in thelast four years but a marathon is more strenuous than the averageexercise activity.

My research tells me that professional marathon runners will usually not runmore than two marathons per year with at least a six month gap inbetween. It can take three to six months just to recover. Althoughat a 10 minute mile pace you may be able to keep your heart rate at areasonable level, a marathon breaks down tissue as opposed tobuilding or maintaining. Your body goes through a tremendous amountof trauma, and is challenged well beyond its usual activities. Allof your joints feel it, your muscles, and every cell in your body ischallenged beyond normal capacity. You should also check withyourself to make sure you are recovered from your July run.

It's not my intention to discourage you, or sound negative. I simply wantyou to be very aware of the facts. At 61/2 weeks your baby may not bestable enough in the womb to survive a marathon. After a marathon manypeople experience intense internal cleansing of the various systems of thebody, not to mention complete shut down and trauma.

Pregnancy is not a time for severely challenging fitness endeavors. Withyour doctor's permission, you can run throughout your pregnancy foras long as it is comfortable. There are even support bands you canwrap around your belly when the weight of your baby makes ituncomfortable to run. You must be careful to avoid dehydration andmake sure that you eat a minimum of 300 extra calories daily tosupport your calorie expenditure from exercise. Pregnancy is not atime for caloric deprivation. Your body is now in a building stage.You're building another body inside your body, and the building ofthat body needs as much nutritional support as you can give it, aswell as proper amounts of rest and hydration. Also check anysupplements you may be taking for energy or stamina, as many of thesehave not been tested on pregnant women and may have adverse effectson the fetus.

So before you endeavor to run the marathon, check with your doctor, and alsospeak to other women who have run many marathons within their lifetime, andconsider the points I have mentioned.

Good luck with your pregnancy,

April

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