Running the Chicago Marathon While 39 Weeks Pregnant? I Say Don't!

Last year I ran the Chicago Marathon on 10-10-10.  I'm a former Tinley Park High School cross country runner and even though I was lousy in high school, running stuck and doing the Chicago Marathon was on my bucket list, and the date last year was sublime.

I *had* to run and I had to finish the damn thing once I started it.  It was a crummy run,  I was working full time in the 2 months leading up to the race and didn't get in quality training as a result. But I finished, I walked most of the second half of the race.  I had ginormous blisters, but I had my bragging rights for life. Right? 

And then here comes the big story this year, Women gives birth after running Chicago Marathon 39 weeks Pregnant.  Well great. Just what marathoners and woman who have ever been pregnant need.  A totally overacheiver.   So not cool!  I want my bragging rights.  I ran a marathon, that's 26.2 miles of body taxing, mental fortitude toughness.  I could hardly walk the next day.  I've been pregnant, growing a human for 9 months, it's hard work.  I don't  appreciate someone coming along doing both with aplomb.  It's bad for pregnant women, it's bad for long distance running. Makes this stuff look easy, common place.

I don't know about you, but life can be hard, full of stress.  I need my props!  So for the record, how do I feel about women running marathons while growing humans? Not cool.  Don't give 110 percent, give like 75 percent. Stick with half marathons (13.1 miles) and make someone rub your feet and give you chocolate when you finish. Let's keep that curve intact, we dont' want people saying :

"Hey nice shirt, did you run the marathon?"

"Why yes I did..."

"Did ya finish?"

"Yep, yes I did!"

"So were you, like pregnant?  That would be really hard, to do it while pregnant."

"Well, no, I wasn't pregnant, but it was still really difficult, I hit a wall."

"Oh sure, it's not easy, but I figure if a someone who was nine months pregnant can do it, it must not be that big a deal."

"Grr. Arg...Ack"

Also published on my blog at http://victoria7401.blogspot.com