I have been training for the NYC marathon and have just found out that I am pregnant. I have trained extensively for this, and while I'm excited about the pregnancy, I'm dissapointed with the thought of not running. Am I putting the fetus at risk by running in a marathon at 6 1/2 weeks? I did run the San Fransisco Marathon in July, I run a slow, comfortable 10 minute mile pace. While I don't want to put the fetus at risk, I don't want to miss out if necessary."

Whether or not you should run the NYC marathon at 61/2 weeks is a question for your doctor. I know that a lot of guidelines regarding strenuous exercise during pregnancy have changed in the last four years but a marathon is more strenuous than the average exercise activity.

My research tells me that professional marathon runners will usually not run more than two marathons per year with at least a six month gap in between. It can take three to six months just to recover. Although at a 10 minute mile pace you may be able to keep your heart rate at a reasonable level, a marathon breaks down tissue as opposed to building or maintaining. Your body goes through a tremendous amount of trauma, and is challenged well beyond its usual activities. All of your joints feel it, your muscles, and every cell in your body is challenged beyond normal capacity. You should also check with yourself to make sure you are recovered from your July run.

It's not my intention to discourage you, or sound negative. I simply want you to be very aware of the facts. At 61/2 weeks your baby may not be stable enough in the womb to survive a marathon. After a marathon many people experience intense internal cleansing of the various systems of the body, not to mention complete shut down and trauma.

Pregnancy is not a time for severely challenging fitness endeavors. With your doctor's permission, you can run throughout your pregnancy for as long as it is comfortable. There are even support bands you can wrap around your belly when the weight of your baby makes it uncomfortable to run. You must be careful to avoid dehydration and make sure that you eat a minimum of 300 extra calories daily to support your calorie expenditure from exercise. Pregnancy is not a time for caloric deprivation. Your body is now in a building stage. You're building another body inside your body, and the building of that body needs as much nutritional support as you can give it, as well as proper amounts of rest and hydration. Also check any supplements you may be taking for energy or stamina, as many of these have not been tested on pregnant women and may have adverse effects on the fetus.

So before you endeavor to run the marathon, check with your doctor, and also speak to other women who have run many marathons within their lifetime, and consider the points I have mentioned.

Good luck with your pregnancy,

April