Preggo Marathon Running

No.  I'm not pregnant.  I was reading on another blog and read about the woman who ran the Chicago marathon almost 39 weeks pregnant and had the baby later that day (DUH!).  I have always thought about the possibility of running while pregnant and it just doesn't make sense to me.  Running is NOT the only form of exercise that will keep you fit.  Don't get me wrong, exercise ANYtime during life is very important.  I fully expect that when I have children in the future that I will continue to be active all throughout the pregnancy, however, marathons will not even be a consideration.

Seriously, how do you feel like
the baby is not going to fall out?

I do not understand the choices that some people make when they are pregnant.  I feel that being pregnant should be a self-less act.  You should be putting the child's needs before your own.  Now, I realize that I am probably in the minority for how extreme I take that sentiment but for me it's worth it to ensure the health of my child.  For instance, when I found out I was pregnant with Julia, I had been drinking alcohol, smoking, and living on coffee.  Once I found out that I was pregnant, all of that was immediately over.  I was cranky and mean for a while but I got over it because I knew my baby didn't have a choice about sharing the things I was putting into my body.  I wanted to be fair to her.  I wanted her to have the best possible start to life that I could provide.

I had gestational diabetes while I was pregnant too.  It was a breeze for me to watch what I ate, count my carbs, and test my blood sugar levels.  Again, it was my child that kept me on the straight and narrow instead of making love to a pint of ice cream each night because I was allowed to eat for two.  ***Hmm, possibly I need to pretend to have gestational diabetes again to inspire me to be more careful about what I eat now haha***

Back to the woman who ran the Chicago Marathon, I'm sure that it was no coincidence that she gave birth later that day.  It really makes me mad to see that in the news article she admits to having contractions in the second half of the marathon and KEPT GOING!  Are contractions reason enough to stop?????  I guess not because she finished the race, got something to eat and then headed to the hospital.  Ridiculous.  Please take your time.

Is a marathon an appropriate form of inducing childbirth?