Told not to run

Today as I was reading through the pregnant runners forum and there was a runner who wrote about how an acupuncturist told her to stop running until after she delivers her baby.  This runner received an injury which was not from running and had to see an acupuncturist.  She posted on the forum to try to get advice on what to do.  Many women advised to get the final word from her OB doctor. I really respect the advice that the women gave because they didn't bash the acupuncturist and they didn't tell her to just go ahead and run.

I have had many people tell me that it really isn't necessary to run while pregnant.  My response to them is that my doctor knows my background and history and he actually encourages me to continue running.  He did tell me to listen to my body and to not let my heart rate get too high.  It's just great to know that many of these women are offering safe advice.

Running while pregnant forum

This week I have been following the forum at Runnersworld.com which is specific to women and even more specific towards pregnant women.  There are a couple different topics regarding running while pregnant and the one that caught my eye was on training for a half marathon.  There are several different opinions but the women all seem to be supportive towards each other.  They offer sound advice and give praise appropriately. 
When I found out I was pregnant I was already signed up for a half marathon, Surf City- Huntington Beach.  I have been training for it for some time now but I was not able to run in it because I caught the horrible flu, that has been going around my school, which was combined with all day morning sickness.  I read a post from a runner that was going through the same situation and other women responded with such support and enthusiasm, it was refreshing.  They offered advice such as: you did the right thing by listening to your body, you can pick up your running when you feel better, and you will be able to run in several events after the baby is born.
I have heard many different opinions about running while pregnant and even though my doctor has given me the green light on continuing with my running, it is so nice to read about women having a similar passion.

About me

Hello, my name is Lisa Tjan and I have been teaching 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade math, at Western Christian Schools, for 7 years.  I have been married for 10 years to a wonderful man. My husband and I have a 3 year old son and another little Blessing on the way. I received my teaching credential from APU and this is my last class required to clear my credential.  I am looking forward to learning new ways to incorporate technology into my class so maybe I can reach those students who struggle. 

In my free time, I enjoy long distance running, in which I have completed 8 marathons.  I try to run 4-5 days a week ranging from 4-10 miles.  I completed my fastest race in October 2010 at the Long Beach Marathon with a 3:41 (missed the Boston Qualification by 1 minute).  Recently my husband has joined me with running long distances and it has been a lot of fun.  I also enjoy mountain and road biking but since I am pregnant, I am a little nervous to ride.