Forget about the wind resistance.

This is the second in a series of posts about running gear for various stages of mommyhood. I previously talked about basic gear for running. Today, I'll talk about what you need when running with a bump.

Sporting the baby bump holster on a trail run,
about two months before my due date.
Photo: You go, mama.

Running for two, at least in my experience, was pretty great. Slow, but lots of fun and often energizing. It controlled my queasiness in the first trimester and prevented swollen ankles in the last trimester. It kept me feeling strong and energized and probably kept my weight gain to a healthy level. And I'm pretty sure that continuing to run while pregnant built my endurance for labor and helped me speed through my postpartum recovery. But we'll leave the discussion on the possible benefits of pregnant running for another day.

Right now, let's talk about gear. As I learned, pregnancy is definitely not a time to skimp on getting the right gear. The need for comfort is at an all-time high. Regulating body temperature is important. Support is not a luxury. You can certainly invest in maternity running gear, a lot of which is extremely cute and comfy. But if you don't have a big budget or just don't want to buy specialized gear, it's also possible to stay comfortable in carefully chosen clothes from your own closet or favorite nonmaternity store. If you're looking to keep things simple here are the basics:

• Adjustable shorts/pants: Look at what you have and know that a lot of it might work for most of your pregnancy, since most athletic waistbands can stretch to sit comfortably below your bump. If you're shopping for new things, it's totally possible to skip the maternity section if you look for low rises, adjustable elastic or drawstrings, wide fold-over waistbands or soft and stretchy material. If you strike out in the running section, check out styles designed for yoga, which often have more flexible fits. As always, aim for fabrics that move with you and wick sweat to keep you cool. Thanks to pregnancy hormones, it's easy to overheat and sweat buckets just while sitting still. Look for anything that will help you stay cool and dry when you're on the move.
• Long-torso top: As fashion has shifted toward longer-length tops, it's become easier to find flattering nonmaternity tops that can provide coverage for a growing baby bump. Some close-cut men's athletic tops in the right fabric can work, too. Try something that you think might even be too long for you in the first trimester. You'll need the length later, I promise! If you go with a fitted style, remember that you may need more room underneath your top when and if you begin wearing belly support. More on that in a minute.
• Well-fitting shoes: During pregnancy, a hormone called relaxin makes your body's joints and ligaments more flexible in preparation for childbirth. The extra flexibility can also make you prone to pain and injury—even in your feet—particularly if you don't have the right support. The shoes you wear at 12 weeks may not be the same ones you can wear at 26 weeks. Constantly reassess the fit of your shoes and adjust your laces, change your sock thickness or get refitted as needed. I used an old pair of triathlon laces in my shoes to make it easier to adjust the fit. The quick laces also made it easier to put on my shoes without bending over in those last weeks!
• Belly support: For me, this included a stretchable belly band, an athletic bandage wrap and a maternity support belt—each used alone and together in varying combinations at different points of my pregnancy to prevent round ligament pain, uncomfy bouncing and bladder pressure. After one painful track run in my second trimester, I invested in a Gabrialla support belt and didn't have any issues after that.
• Fully adjustable sports bra: As a normally average-busted gal, I had been able to manage even the longest runs with a simple pullover compression sports bra. That changed with pregnancy, and I found it necessary to buy a completely adjustable sports bra that could grow with me—the kind with a hook-and-eye clasp closure at the back, adjustable straps and separated soft cups. An adjustable style by Moving Comfort worked for me, as did another similar style by Champion, though I can't remember the names of the particular styles. Even though I found mine at discount department stores, they were still a bit more expensive than the typical pullover compression bra, so I washed them often and rotated between just two.

Some other things I found to be necessities were an easy-to-carry water bottle and sun protection, like a brimmed hat and sunscreen (useful even in the winter!). A Nathan handheld bottle and natural mineral sunscreen worked the best for me. Staying hydrated is extremely important when you're pregnant, and if your running route doesn't have water fountains (mine didn't), always take water with you. It's also important to avoid overexposure to the sun, as pregnancy hormones make you more prone to sunburn.

With a baby on the way, sticking to a budget is often an important task. It's possible to keep up your running (or jogging, shuffling or waddling) without having to blow the nursery budget on specialized gear. As always, focusing on comfort and fit—wherever you find it—will allow you to keep logging and enjoying those miles. Even when you're running for two.

© 2011 GUF

4 legs + 3 wheels = (Race Report)

Race: Let Freedom Run 5K, 7/4/11
Goal: Run my first race with the stroller
Outcome: Second strollermama to finish (28:04) and a new interest in "racing" with the stroller

I ran a race with the stroller for the first time this weekend and I was surprised by how much fun it was! We had planned to do a local July 4th 5K, and originally planned to run all together, with my husband pushing the stroller. (It slows him down enough so I can attempt to keep up with him.) But as the race day got closer, I wondered if my husband wanted to do a running race on his own for a change. After fracturing his kneecap a few years ago, he shifted his focus to cycling and hadn't done a running race in a while. Except for a one-mile race we ran as a family last year, he'd mostly been at finish lines as a wonderfully supportive spectator. When I offered to push the stroller, he hesitated at first. But after a couple of fun speed workouts, he eventually agreed that maybe it was a good time to run on his own.

I got excited about the race in a whole different way. Because there would be no way for me to PR with the stroller (maybe someday, but not for a while), I looked forward to the race as a fun family day. I'm nerdy and competitive with myself and can't often run a race without a goal in mind. But now, I'd just be having fun with the kiddo in the stroller during a holiday race.

And it was pretty fun, picking up our numbers on race morning and pinning mine onto the front of the stroller. Giving my little guy a morning snack while he lounged in the stroller before the start. Saying good-bye and good luck to my husband before lining up toward the back of the pack. Chit-chatting with another strollermama whose daughter was also quietly munching away on a snack in her stroller.

But then the gun went off.

My innate reaction to get moving kicked in and I found myself steering past a lot of shuffling feet and coming close to bumping into some folks. I accidentally tapped the heel of a dad pushing a stroller and said, "Sorry! Sorry!" I began to wonder if I was being a jerk for running with a stroller. Then a woman jogging ahead of me saw me and turned sideways, saying, "Go ahead! I know how hard it is. I've tried it before. It's fun, but if you actually want to run, it's tricky!"

After the initial clumsiness of the crowded start, I got into a groove and found myself on the outside lane of the crowd of runners, beelining behind a couple of dads zooming through with double strollers. Once I saw them, I didn't feel like such a jerk for wanting to run fast with the kiddo in tow. I kept to the unofficial stroller lane and raced ahead. "I want to be that lady," I heard someone say. Not sure if she was talking about me, but I imagined she was and got motivated to go even faster. About halfway through, I spotted some other fast-moving strollermamas and my competitive nature snuck its way to my feet. I passed some, but found myself on the heels of one fast strollermama in Vibrams for the rest of the way.

As I picked it up in the last half-mile or so, my otherwise quiet passenger struck up a conversation with me, along with some race route commentary. "People." "Running." "Sunny." "Hot." And, when a particularly sweaty guy ran in front of us, "Shower." His babbling took my mind off the race and before I knew it, we were in sight of the finish line, a huge arch of balloons. "Balloons!" "Yes," I said. "That's where we're running—to the balloons!" He fixed his gaze ahead and I did, too.

After crossing the finish, I thanked him for being a good passenger and we gave each other a high five. We met up with Dada, who had run a good race, too. He told us we were the second strollermama team to cross the finish. Yay for us! Later, while my husband and I sipped cold water from the refreshment table, our little race buddy enjoyed a postrace chocolate chip cookie. After all, at his age, the best medal is probably the one you can eat.

© 2011 GUF