Mile Markers: Summertime Cold

Mile Markers: Nesting and Resting

Last week marked 26 weeks of pregnancy. I needed more rest last week, due in part to the dreaded pregnancy cold. Ryan was sick early in the week, and it hit me over the weekend. I scaled down my mileage as a result and slept more. Between a lower immune system and the constant temperature swings, it was only a matter of time before I caught a cold.

I did discover a fantastic piece of gear this week. I started to need some support, especially with the round ligament pain that randomly pops up. My biggest issue was that my bump expands as I run, so I needed support that would not feel constrictive after a couple of miles. I also didn’t want a support belt that would feel hot or cause chafing in summer. Enter: The BaoBei SpeedBump Belly Band. This thing is magic: it essentially functions like a sports bra for my growing bump, stretches as needed, and has mesh paneling to prevent overheating. It covers the entire abdomen as well, for extra back support and protection against diastasis recti.

Mile Markers: Summertime Cold

 

Monday: 5 mile easy run

The complete rest day on Sunday produced the desired result. My legs felt good, but I also wanted to keep them feeling good for most of the week. I took Ollie out on a run and set the intention to hold back slightly the entire run, especially since Ollie can encourage me to run faster. We maintained a consistent and comfortable 9 min pace for this run. 

Mile Markers: Summertime Cold

Tuesday: 6 mile run with surges

I wore the BaoBei band for the first time on this run. I threw in 10 x 30 second surges with 1-min recovery jogs in the middle of the run. Even though my paces are significantly slower, throwing in these small bursts helps maintain some fitness. Mostly, I like these surges because they are a fun way to add variety without actually making a run too hard. 

Wednesday: 4 mile run & 15 min strength

If you’re a regular reader, you likely noticed that my website was down on Wednesday. I spent the morning troubleshooting and eventually hiring a new web host. By the time I got out on my run, I was a bit hungry, it was warmer, and my allergies were already raging. I opted for a short run and a short kettlebell strength workout with swings, squats, overhead presses, rows, halos, and elevated push-ups.

 

Thursday: Rest day

I was not feeling 100% on Thursday, thanks to whatever allergies or cold I had this week. I walked the dogs for some light activity but did not do anything beyond that. 

Friday: 5 mile run & core/hip/glute work

I felt better on Friday morning, so I took Ollie for a run. Ollie is a bundle full of crazy if he doesn’t run at least twice per week. We ran five miles at an easy effort. Ollie interpreted the easy effort as an opportunity to search for wildlife, so our run involved a few slow trots as he meandered into the grass and a few surges when he saw a rabbit. 

Mile Markers: Summertime Cold

After the run, I did a basic routine of glute bridges, side planks, bird dogs, and clamshells – all exercises friendly for a decent size bump. 

Saturday: 4 mile run

Ryan was sick earlier in the week and I began to show symptoms as well. Initially, we both dismissed it as allergies, until we still had symptoms on days with low pollen counts. My throat was scratchy and I had mild chest congestion/irritation. Ryan and I  both cut this run short due to how we felt. 

Mile Markers: Summertime Cold

We started shopping for a treadmill, both because of having a baby (short-term reason) and because of Northwest Indiana winters (long-term reason). Since Ryan and I are both type-A planners, we ended up with a pugh matrix on treadmills as we try to choose. I was able to run outside most of this past winter, but this was a mild winter for the region and I wasn’t training for a race. I don’t like the treadmills at our gym, but I do remember not minding our old NordicTrack the last time that we lived in NW Indiana (during a particularly bad winter). It’s just too bad that Ollie can’t run on a treadmill…

Sunday: Rest day

My cold worsened, now with a mild cough and hoarse voice. Most cough medications are not approved for pregnant women, so I stuck with hot lemon and honey water. I walked the dogs for one mile, simply because fresh air and light movement felt good.  

[Tweet “Recapping pregnant running and weekly workouts at week 26 via @thisrunrecipes”]

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16 Responses

  1. I hope this week sees you feeling better! I have a Nordic Track treadmill. It’s lasted 14+ years with no probs. It was a life saver when the kids were babes for the winter days when you can’t get out. Good luck in your search!

    1. Thank you! NordicTrack is a good brand – that’s what we used to have, and the only reason we got rid of it was lack of space in our Seattle apartment! It’ss good to know yours lasted so long!

  2. oh no! I hope you are starting to feel better! I swear every pregnant woman ends up with a cold, at least that’s the way it seems. and interestingly, this is the same time in pregnancy when I had mine — not fun. rest and feel better (and drink a lot of water/decaf tea to stay hydrated :))

  3. So many people are sick right now! I’m seeing lots of kids in the office and it’s hard to determine if it’s a cold or allergies, even though the pollen count is low. My son is having a terrible time with his asthma. I can’t help but wonder if all the wind we’ve had has stirred things up.

    I couldn’t comment on your blog Wednesday and now I know why! Glad you got it going again. How frustrating!

    I like my basic ProForm treadmill–the one I purchased over the winter. Since I don’t use it that often, it’s nice to have for a backup plan.

  4. So sorry you are not feeling well. That is never fun especially when you are pregnant and cannot take anything. That belt sounds like it will super helpful for you. You did still manage to get in a solid week of workouts. Hope this week goes better for you!

  5. Ugh, so sorry about the cold and it’s so much worse when you’re pregnant because you can’t really take anything and you have to just suffer. Speaking of – I SO wish they had something like the belly band you’re describing when I was pregnant. I had a lot of round ligament pain and had to stop running about three months in but the band I had did all of the things you said – didn’t stretch with my belly and chaffed!! So glad they have come so far with those products.
    Good luck with the treadmill. I got a Landice when the boys were one year old and it was one of the best investments I’ve made. I use it faithfully every winter and I used it year-round when the boys were babies!
    And your bump is too cute!!!

    1. Thank you! I finally had the sense to just check with my doctor, and at least there’s Robitussin, which is better than nothing! The belly band really is genius – they’ve come so far with maternity active gear. You’re the second person who has raved about a Landice!

  6. Well, in Iowa this past winter, we had all the cold and miserable sub-ZERO stuff you didn’t LOL I ran on my treadmill more from mid-January thru early March than I have in the 14 years I’ve been a runner. I did get some substantial gains in speed, though, so I guess it was (somewhat) worth the mental pain (boredom) and suffering. Hope the cold/allergy discomforts lighten up for you.

    1. Thank you! I know one of those winters is coming for us, also – I remember one winter before we moved to Seattle where it barely got above zero and there was always ice!

  7. 26 weeks and you and your bump are looking amazing! Nice that you found something to support you on your runs as well! So I have a question: are surges like sprints? just curious as we don’t ever say surges here. It’s so funny, you’d think running jargon would be the same everywhere but sometimes people say things and I’m left scratching my head! I’ve been running for 10 years too so it’s not like I’m a newbie!

    I had that cold / throat / chest cough thing a couple weeks ago. Awful. It started out like I could handle it and Vitamin C it away and then i lost my voice… and then the coughing started. Ugh. I hope you are feeling much better by now!

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