running preggers

Before I became pregnant, I did a lot of background research--from Naomi Wolf's Misconceptions to Ariel Gore's Hip Mama's Survival Guide, meta-analyses of childraising advice manuals Raising America and The Mommy Myth, A Potent Spell, Motherguilt and, because I hadn't yet, Backlash and The Feminine Mystique.
But the information I most sought was also the most difficult to find: research on female athletes and pregnancy. I tried every imaginable combination of pregnancy, exercise, athlete, vigorous exercise, competition, racing in google and academic search engines. Mostly what I found was advice about what not to do: don't over-exert, avoid raising your heart-beat above 140 bpm, don't exercise in the heat, avoid high-impact sports (like running), or high-risk sports (like biking). In short, most everything that I could find about exercise and pregnancy suggested walking or swimming. Which are fine things to do, indeed, but not quite the same as triathlon training.
Eventually, I discovered research by James F. Clapp, M.D. and his book Exercising Through Your Pregnancy. His research on female runners and pregnancy was the nearest I could find on vigorous exercise and pregnancy, and his book became my ersatz bible. My only complaints were that his research dated from almost ten years ago, and that his cohort's exercise patterns were still somewhat modest. In my opinion, the book could use some more current data.
What I couldn't find, however, were pregnant women like me--who continued to maintain a high level of activity (and by high, I mean averaging 10 or so hours a week of running or biking or swimming) through their entire pregnancy.
Today, nearly two years later, I came across something quite promising: a blog on Runners World magazine chronicling an avid runner's pregnancy. Like many of her readers, I am thrilled to see this topic discussed in such an open and public forum. Most pleasing of all are the comments--I knew there had to be more women like that somewhere and now, finally, I am finding their stories.

Photo: Wildflower Olympic Tri 2006, 17 weeks