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Being an endurance athlete under the microscope – what pregnancy can teach athletes, both male and female.

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So, the second trimester of my pregnancy has come and gone and I am now in the home stretch. For me, the second trimester was far easier than the first, however it did teach me a lot about myself as an athlete. I have learnt quite a few things that I will be implementing on my return to full training. I thought that I would share some of the things that I have learnt while being pregnant, because on reflection they are lessons that can help all endurance athletes become better athletes. At times during pregnancy it can feel like your body and everything you do is magnified. Every ache, every movement, fatigue and so on all become more noticeable. This can be frustrating at the time, but it makes it easier to analyse what is going on and learn from the experience. One of the things that I have noticed as the weeks have passed, and as Baby Forrest has grown bigger, is how differently my body can feel and function depending on whether I am actively focusing on my “core” and good p

Well that was quick!

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The irony is that I am writing my first blog as a Professional Triathlete while I am not officially racing. Why no racing? Because I am currently 12 weeks pregnant. Apparently it’s the current go to technique to improve your triathlon performance and enhance your career. If it’s good enough for Rio Olympic Gold Medal winner Gwen Jorgensen then I will give it a try. Jokes aside though, this new phase of life has started and with plenty of time on my hands I thought I would document the experience for all the ladies (and gentlemen) out there who might be interested in the transition from 6hr+ training days and pushing my body to the limit, to pregnancy, and hopefully back again. I have myself developed an interest in reading about other athletes and their pregnancy experiences as there is a lack of official information about high lev el athletic training during pregnancy. The general recommendations of “30min of gentle exercise per day” and “don’t get your heart rate up too high” j