www.runnersworld.com/pregnancy
Great Expectations
Paula Radcliffe and Kara Goucher are cruising through their pregnancies. Learn how they stay fit before, during, and after the most exciting time of their lives.
By Katie McDonald Neitz
Image by Grant Delin
From the October 2010 issue of Runner's World
Has your training changed?
KG: The intensity is so much less. Track sessions now are fun. Instead of doing 8 x 1600, we're doing 200s, or if I am doing mile repeats, they're on an AlterG [antigravity treadmill, which reduces the body weight of the runner]. We're working out twice a day, but it's not like we're going to the well every time. In the morning I'm running an easy 45 minutes to an hour, and in the afternoon I'm just on the elliptical for 30 minutes. I also have access to an underwater treadmill. I think I'm going to be shifting more and more to using that for my second daily workout. That might sound like a lot. But for us, that's scaled back quite a bit. During the first trimester, if I had to put it into mileage, I'd say I was running about 50 miles a week. The fifth month I probably was back up to 75 to 80 miles per week. Now I'm shifting toward running for time and not worrying about mileage. Now it's just more about getting up and running.
PR: I've scaled back mileage-wise about 50 percent. I'm not even adding it up. In terms of intensity, it's hugely scaled back. I'm doing maybe one rep session on the AlterG once a week and then something on the track, but really short, like 150, 200, or 300 meters. I'm not trying to hit times; I'm trying to just run and feel good.
How has your pace changed?
KG: It's hard to tell what our pace is. The last time I did a hard session on the AlterG, I put the weight at 128 pounds (which is still more than I would normally weigh), but I was still able to do a six-mile tempo at 4:55 pace, and it felt so great. The next day when I ran outside, I was running only 7:30s, and that felt really hard. But there are days when I can run under 7:00. It's not this steady decline—I still have great days, but then I also have these amazingly awful days. There's no control over it.
PR: To be honest, it just doesn't matter. I've got no idea about pace.
Are you running by feel?
KG: Yeah, I don't use a heart-rate monitor. I feel like I'm pretty much doing what I can do. I haven't ever gotten to a point where I'm gasping for breath. Paula has more experience with heart rate.
PR: The first pregnancy, I didn't do anything without the heart-rate monitor. I had the beep set to go if I went over a certain amount. I was really focused on that, but this time around I'm more relaxed. Sometimes I will just go out for a run and I can gauge by my breathing whether I'm working too hard, whether I need to back off. But I still wear the monitor if I'm on the treadmill or the track.
Are you enjoying the pressure-free training?
PR: It's different. There are some times I think, Well, it doesn't matter if I'm running slow, or if it's a run that's not measured. I'm taking the opportunity to explore new trails. So it's nice to have that side of it, and to have the pressure not there. It's good for your body to have a break. It's a way to recharge. At the same time, because we're so used to being in control of our bodies and being able to push them to perform, it's kind of frustrating. Like, Oh God, I just don't want someone to see me running so slow. The last time I was pregnant, I missed being able to just go out and run hard and that feeling of really pushing your body.
KG: There are days when I appreciate that I'm running just because I love it. And then there are days where I'm running so slow. But it's good. In our sport, we don't take a break. There's always an other race, there's always something to be reaching for and another goal. So this really forces us to just take a break from it all. Watching the spring marathons was tough though—we were both itching.
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