Pregnant runner wins half-marathon
The four-time national high school champion says the most meaningful part of her win has been helping moms and families see they don't have to give up what they love
Elite American long-distance runner Anna Rohrer made headlines on Saturday when she won the half-marathon at the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon in Indianapolis while 23 weeks pregnant.
Clocking 1:15:18, the now two-time winner of the race was not expecting the win. She told Canadian Running that without any expectations heading into the race, it took a while to acknowledge that she was in a real position to win. “I just wanted to stay in it,” she says. “When I saw I could win, I trusted my instincts and went for it.”
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Rohrer, an accomplished collegiate track and cross-country athlete, has learned a lot in the past three months. She has adjusted to running while pregnant at the same time as recovering from “muscle imbalances causing chronic pain,” which forced her to sit out the US Olympic marathon trials in February.
“It’s been an unusual training block. The process of getting in shape at the same time as growing a child is unique,” she says. The half-marathon at the 500 festival was an easy choice for her return to racing. She was the returning champion and knew the opportunity gave her the platform to signal to mothers and families “that we can live out the dreams of motherhood and still do what we love.”
Recovery has been the most unexpected area of change for Rohrer as a pregnant runner. While her first trimester posed some challenges, she has mostly felt great in her body and still able to complete two workouts each week. While her approach to harder efforts has changed slightly–she now runs more off feel than by actual paces–the biggest adjustment has been needing more time off in between.
“I take two easy days between workouts,” she explains. She has also cut tempo long runs out of her training, as they “take too much of a toll.”
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Of her successful race execution, Rohrer says patience is key. “I’ve had to really listen to my body and not push it when I’m tired,” she says.
Rohrer looks forward to advancing her running career as she grows her family. “I’ve seen the blessings of running fast and having children, and it’s an even greater blessing to do them together,” she says.
Racing and pregnancy have made news several times in the past few years, as runners like Allyson Felix and Nicole Sifuentes have brought the topic into conversation. Recent research on exercise during pregnancy have helped de-stigmatize long-held beliefs that vigorous exercise during pregnancy is harmful to fetal growth and development.
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