Running During Pregnancy: The Third Trimester

Following the excitement of finding out I was pregnant, the nausea and other “wee” issues of the first trimester, and the honeymoon phase (albeit with the occasional hiccup) of the second trimester, the third trimester of pregnancy was when things truly got interesting – to say it euphemistically.

This was the case during my current pregnancy, but also during the previous one. In fact, I found it so fascinating that throughout my first pregnancy I wrote an update fortnightly and later even weekly on it! (Read here about pregnancy no. 1 weeks 28 & 29, week 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, and week 38) Not this time – where would I find the energy and time?! Plus, it seems like my pregnancy running adventure has ended a little earlier than I expected and hoped for. Read on to find out what happened.

Weeks 27 – 30

After a much needed recovery week (week 26), I began the third trimester knowing very well that I couldn’t continue doing the mileage I did on average in the second trimester, about 55 kilometers per week. My energy levels were simply not up to it anymore, and running increasingly felt like a chore. Plus, several people, including my GP and a physiotherapist, recommended me to change to lower impact activities, such as walking or swimming.

Needless to say, such advise doesn’t necessarily make me stop doing what I love so much and has become so natural to me; I still ran about 47 kilometers per week, with the exception of week 29, when I somehow ended up doing 56! That was not intended – it just happened as the weather was lovely and I ran with Maria in the stroller to places like the playground, music class, and even university for a lunch date with Ahmed.

Following that week, however, we went on a trip to the subtropical north of New Zealand, and I grabbed that break to have another recovery week, during which I only ran 29 kilometers. Pretty decent, eh?

Weeks 31-34

The funny thing is, every time I took a recovery week during this part of pregnancy, I knew that I couldn’t go back to my “old” mileage. Let’s just say things went downhill at a pretty scary pace! So at 31 weeks, my new aim was to run anywhere between 30 and 40 kilometers.

Contrary to my first pregnancy, when it was mainly my hips and lower back that forced me to cut back on running, this time my main issue was energy. A run of 5 kilometers felt more than enough, and if I did more I just seemed to struggle to stay awake the rest of the day. Not ideal when you have an energetic toddler to care for all day long.

These weeks, I just ran without a plan. Ironically, my runs with Maria in the stroller to places like Playcentre or the playground were usually faster than my weekly “long” run alone on Saturday morning. An exception was at 33.5 weeks pregnant, when I decided to join the weekly Parkrun. I had long resisted the temptation, because I knew I would overdo it and regret it the day(s) after, but that morning I gave in.

I promised myself over and over that I would run without expectations and without pushing myself, and while I (honestly!) did, I saw the kilometers passing by with an average pace of of 4:20 min/km. My finish time: 21:42 minutes, not bad for a 5-k run at 33.5 weeks pregnant!

Week 34 saw my mileage going up a bit again, and all seemed to be going alright. No, it wasn’t always comfortable or fun to go for a run, and yes, I wondered if I was going to be able to keep going as long as I had my first pregnancy, but I took it day by day. That said, I do remember feeling pretty worn out some days. Possibly, the weather was to blame for that at least partly: It was getting hotter day after day.

Week 35

While counting down the weeks, week 35 started off as usual – with a Monday morning run to Playcentre (3.74 km) and a few hours later back home (3.5 km – somehow, the way back home is always shorter).

That afternoon, as I walked to the local vegetable store, I started feeling some pain in my right butt/lower back. I didn’t think too much of it, but decided to take a day off from running the following day, hoping I would be able to run again on Wednesday.

The next day, however, things didn’t feel any better. In fact, over the course of a few days it became increasingly painful to even walk. It was hard to pinpoint the source of the pain. Was it in my buttocks? Or more in my lower back? I felt some pain radiating down my entire leg, making me think that it could be sciatica.

Week 36

A trip to a physiotherapist at 36 weeks pregnant gave some answers to my questions. No, it isn’t the sciatic nerve that is bothering me, but my sacroiliac joint. Usually, this joint, which connects the spine to the pelvis, has a very limited range of motion, and the abdominal, butt and hip muscles keep it like a corset in place. However, during pregnancy and in preparation for birth, things start moving thanks to the relaxin hormone. The physio’s explanation is that I must have had a surge of relaxin that has caused my joint to move a little out of place. This, in turn, has caused the ligaments and muscles around to tense up, explaining the pain I feel.

My midwife suggested it could also be caused by the position of the baby. When she checked baby’s position, she concluded – surprise, surprise – that baby had shifted from the left to the right side, exactly where it hurts me.

That said, both were quite positive about the possibility that it be better soon. The physiotherapist thought it would go away after a couple of days of rest and some exercises, while my midwife recommended me to see an osteopath. Unfortunately, so far, the exercises and “rest” (that is, as far as rest is an option with a 2.5-year-old toddler around) haven’t made me feel much better.

Yesterday, however, I went to see the physiotherapist again, and she was rather positive about my improvements. According to her, my pelvis had much more stability than last week. I also, cautiously, started to think there could be an upward trend. Yes, I felt terrible the two days after I saw her and again today, she had warned me that things might get worse before they get better.

So for the time being, my exercise regime focuses on stabilizing my pelvis. Yoga poses like Cat-Cow and Reclining Bound Angle Pose as well as hip circles and figure eights are my best friends now. I also try to strengthen my glutes with bridge pose and clamshell exercise, among others.

Of course, a little voice inside keeps wondering whether this issue has anything to do with all the running I was doing throughout this pregnancy, but both the physiotherapist and midwife assured me this could happen to anyone – sedentary or active – and is in fact a rather common pregnancy ailment.

So this is how my pregnancy running adventure all of a sudden came to an end. Sad, but in a way I think it is also good that I am now forced to get some rest before we start our new adventure as a family of four. Though rest is a big word… with Ahmed falling off his bike and breaking his arm last Thursday we are in a rather hectic situation!

Hiking and biking with Maria – 31.5 weeks pregnant