This Mom Ran An 800-Meter Race At 8 Months Pregnant
Olympic athlete Alysia Montano did what many people would consider unthinkable: she completed her 800-meter race at the U.S. The five-time national champion finished in 2 minutes, 32.13 seconds – just 35 seconds slower than her personal best of 1:57.34 in a race she ran in Monaco four years earlier. And for those that are worried about the health and safety of her baby, the professional athlete did get the greenlight from her doctor before competing. In fact, not only did her doctor say it was OK for her to run, he even encouraged her to compete as well. “That took away any fear of what the outside world might think about a woman running during her pregnancy,” Montano explained. “What I found out mostly was that exercising during pregnancy is actually much better for the mom and the baby. I did all the things I normally do… I just happened to be pregnant. This is my normal this year.”
And while there’s no doubt that Montano is a HUGE inspiration for both pregnant and non-expecting women out there, this just shows us once again that yes, women are basically awesome and have the ability to do anything with their bodies. Ha! And now excuse me while I go dust off my running shoes…
Photo via Alysia Montano/Instagram
