Monday, June 30, 2014

This Woman Just Ran an 800-Meter Race While 34-Weeks Pregnant

This Woman Just Ran an 800-Meter Race While 34-Weeks Pregnant

Consider us impressed.

Exercising during pregnancy can be a healthy ritual for you and your growing baby—and one woman just took that to a whole other level: Olympic track star Alysia Montano ran 800 meters (which is similar in distance to a half-mile) in the U.S. track and field championships last Thursday and finished just 35 seconds shy of her personal record—while 34 weeks pregnant. Pretty amazing. 

After completing her race to a standing ovation, Montano said in a post-run interview posted on LetsRun.com's YouTube channel that her midwife and doctors encouraged her to keep up her training throughout her pregnancy because she was already a professional runner. She says she learned that maintaining a workout routine during these nine months can be healthy for mom and baby.

"This is what it looks like to be a professional athlete as a woman and still continuing on in your career [while starting a family]," said Montano in the interview. "I wanted to celebrate where I'm at, celebrate: oh my gosh, I made it 34 weeks and I've been able to stay fit and healthy and have an uncomplicated pregnancy." This shows just how amazing the female body is, she says.

Exercising during pregnancy can be a great way to build key muscles used during labor and boost your baby's brain development, too. But of course, it's important to talk to your doctor before jumping into any kind of physical routine. For more information on working out with a bun in the oven, check out workout plans for your first, second, and third trimesters.

More from Women’s Health:
How to Work Out When You're Pregnant and It's Sweltering
What You Don’t Know About C-Sections
Pregnant Yoga: Happy Baby, Healthy Baby

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