FAMILY RUNNING
Julia Davis looks at her journey and pulls out her reflections, learning and advice for other trail running future mums
Running is an important part of my life, so much so that I go nearly every day (often twice) and there is very little that gets between me and time on the trails. So, when I found out I was pregnant I was determined to keep running in the safest and healthiest way for me and my new passenger.
I’ve spent years training hard, learning lessons in races, and developing nutritional strategies so I can push my boundaries to explore how good an ultra-runner I can be. After living through the pandemic and cancelling a year of race plans, I worked to come back stronger than ever with a string of bucket-list races in my calendar.
Testament to how healthy my body is, I fell pregnant much quicker than anticipated, which meant my goals shifted enormously and I had to begin the task of researching safe ways to enjoy running while I grew a tiny person.
In the first trimester, the idea of running would feel like a chore. I knew that once a mile or two had ticked over that the nausea and fatigue would subside, but getting out the door was the hardest part. Every run felt different, and I quickly learned to greet each new challenge rather than resist it.
There was no easy transition into pregnancy; the exhaustion, nausea and anxiety came almost immediately, and after hearing some women’s stories I realised that I got off lightly! Keen to find a sustainable way to run while not being sick in a bush, I spent hours scouring the internet. General guidance was for women to partake in light exercise with an emphasis on avoiding over exertion; targeted for a general population who are more sedentary. I found scientific research papers related to pregnant female athletes giving evidence to support continuation of training, stating that mothers who remain active had smoother labour and healthy babies.
The main piece of advice I’d give is to listen to your body. Runners know even the smallest of whispers of distress so pregnant athletes especially need to tune in. My body told me to slow right down for nearly every run, so I did without a second thought. On occasions I got the urge to run just a little faster, adding bursts of pace, but I didn’t do a single speed workout. For someone who enjoys running fast I was surprised how easily I welcomed and loved easy running.
As nearly all runners like to have some form of tangible goal, at the start of the second trimester I set myself some targets: to be consistent (choosing frequency over volume); a local race went into the calendar at the last minute; and a solo challenge to run “26
