intro & a question for runners

ajetter

Hello ladies.  I got a BFP last Tuesday, and I'm guessing my due date will be around February 20th, but hopefully I'll get a dating ultrasound in a couple of weeks.  I was on CD 37 when I got the positive test.  DH and I have been together for 10 years, married for 4 and have a just over 2 year old daughter.  Glad to be joining you all and I hope I get to stick around!

My question... my cycles got longer and irregular when I started training for a half marathon last August (I did the C25K in March '11).  They used to be about 30-31 days, and from August forward, ranged from 34-53 days.  I am only assuming the running is what changed my cycle.

I was worried that some hormone levels or something might be off, so I was excited when I got the BFP (cycle #5, month #7), but worried about how continuing to run would affect me early on in the pregnancy.  I called the nurse at my OB's office and she said not to worry, just to slow my pace a bit and try and keep my heart rate in the 130-140 range.

I was comfortably holding an 8:30-9:15 per mile pace before I got pregnant, and racing at between a 7:45 to 8:10 pace.  So I figured slowing to a 10:00 minute mile would be plenty sufficient.  But my heart rate is still up in the 150+ range.  Even at an 11:00 minute mile pace.  Any thoughts?  Are you worried about your HR?  I don't feel like I'm working hard at all, and I think the heart rate thing is more of a cautionary old school suggestion, but I don't know.

Any input would be much appreciated.  Of course I don't want to do anything I shouldn't be, but at the same time I don't want to slack off or put in less effort than I could be.

Thanks!

marsh1128

Based on what I have read, the HR guidelines are a little outdated.  The general consensus that I have found is to slow it down and to not get too breathless...you should still be able to carry on a conversation while working out.  I wear a HRM while running and have found that if I keep my HR between 150-155, I can still breath just fine but still feel like I am not wasting my time.  I am nowhere near racking up the miles for HM training, but I do about 10-12 miles per week.  Basically, I will run mostly flat or slight incline terrains and when I hit a big or long hill, I will just back it down to a fast walk to keep my breathing and HR in check. 

 Mostly, just listen to your body and respond appropriately.

 Congrats!

Poppy523

I have had the EXACT same experience, down to the irregular cycles while training for a half.  I also have about the same race times as you, so I had a similar plan.  My doctor gave me the same directions about heart rate, but my first day out I hit 140 just walking up hill!  I asked my Dr. and he said the increased blood volume makes your heart work much harder.  The tricks he gave me were increasing my water intake to lower my heart rate and switching to cross training during the pregnancy.  I have switched over to elliptical and swimming.  I have hear a lot of conflicting information on this, but I am just going to follow my Dr.'s advice for now and keep my heart rate down.  I figure it is only a couple of months and I can still walk fast and do light workouts.  There is plenty of time to start racing again once I have a healthy baby!

znianiswan

 Mostly, just listen to your body and respond appropriately.

 Congrats!

 

 

 

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ajetter

marsh1128:

Based on what I have read, the HR guidelines are a little outdated.  The general consensus that I have found is to slow it down and to not get too breathless...you should still be able to carry on a conversation while working out.  I wear a HRM while running and have found that if I keep my HR between 150-155, I can still breath just fine but still feel like I am not wasting my time.  I am nowhere near racking up the miles for HM training, but I do about 10-12 miles per week.  Basically, I will run mostly flat or slight incline terrains and when I hit a big or long hill, I will just back it down to a fast walk to keep my breathing and HR in check. 

 Mostly, just listen to your body and respond appropriately.

 Congrats!

This is pretty much what I was thinking. I'll check with my doc again at my first appointment, but I don't think I'm going to worry quite as much about the heart rate. Thanks for the input ladies! 

PigglyWiggly1

Wow being preggers just completely wiped me out. My last HM was my absolute worse in terms of performance. I don't think I have the energy to even attempt a 10K at this point. Kudos to you guys who can!

Mainer-in-Texas

I have the same issue with my HR going above 140 without hardly doing anything. i asked my doctor about it during my last pregnancy and he thought keeping it below 160 would be fine, considering when I really pushed myself pre-pregnancy it would sometimes get up to 175.

This time around, I feel like 160 is pushing it a bit too much, (maybe because I'm 3 years older?), so I'm trying to keep it below 155.

ajetter

PigglyWiggly1:

Wow being preggers just completely wiped me out. My last HM was my absolute worse in terms of performance. I don't think I have the energy to even attempt a 10K at this point. Kudos to you guys who can!

Ha, for the record no where did I say I was running a half anytime soon!  My last half was mid April, and since I've been averaging 12-16 miles a week. I did a stupidly slow 5 miles yesterday, but that is the longest I've ran since my BFP. I'd love to do a race (not at race pace obviously) while pregnant though!