Woman gives birth after finishing Chicago Marathon

[PinkLady]

When I had my body fat tested at my club it was 1% I'm alive! What did they use to test you at your club? It though VO2 could only be tested in a lab, and required blood work etc? Maybe I'm wrong.

1%!!!!! That's hilarious. Dead woman running!

My body fat tested suspiciously low too....it read 12%, but my home Tanita reads 13%, so it's probably closer to my real body fat than that VO2 number. I'm pretty lean above the waist, and any fat I can get rid of is in my inner thighs (grrrrrr!), so I can believe the low bodyfat number isn't that far off.

They only had me ride on some exercise bike at moderate intensity for 10 min, and measure my HR and I guess the pace/intensity/etc was plugged into some computerized formula predictor algorithm. I suppose the theory is that if you can go at X intensity for Y time and your HR is only Z, then that predicts some number for VO2 max? My HR was only pushed to 130-135 or so, and I was having a conversation with the trainer the whole time, so it's a rather silly test. I was under the impression that to get a true VO2 reading you'd need a lab, face mask/oxygen thingy, and run/bike till you puked.

All that bike test I did prove was that I have pretty good cardio endurance at moderate intensity.....which, duh, I knew already. It's kinda what runners *do*.

[Stephan]

My opinion is simple and based on a two letter word. "IF" something would of happened (complications of any kind) and her baby had been put in a risky situation she would have been considered irresponsible and carefree. She finished the race with no complications so she is treated like a hero who proved how resilient humans can be? Is that was she was trying to prove?

In this situation, I think it was a very weak decision on her part. The baby had NOTHING to gain from her running a marathon...and I emphasize the word "MARATHON" ...not a long walk.......not a relaxing stroll...but a MARATHON race (42.2 km's)

Her running this race at 39 weeks was unnecessary and put her child at risk...however small the risk, it was still a risk.

To me someone running a marathon (or any distance for that matter) with a physical handicap or affected by a disease (cancer etc...) for the purpose of raising awareness or raising funds for a cause...now THAT is a hero!! Not someone who just wanted to say "Hey!!!! I am 39 weeks pregnant, I am in great shape!! And look how tough I am!!"

[LadyVo2]

My opinion is simple and based on a two letter word. "IF" something would of happened (complications of any kind) and her baby had been put in a risky situation she would have been considered irresponsible and carefree. She finished the race with no complications so she is treated like a hero who proved how resilient humans can be? Is that was she was trying to prove?

In this situation, I think it was a very weak decision on her part. The baby had NOTHING to gain from her running a marathon...and I emphasize the word "MARATHON" ...not a long walk.......not a relaxing stroll...but a MARATHON race (42.2 km's)

Her running this race at 39 weeks was unnecessary and put her child at risk...however small the risk, it was still a risk.

To me someone running a marathon (or any distance for that matter) with a physical handicap or affected by a disease (cancer etc...) for the purpose of raising awareness or raising funds for a cause...now THAT is a hero!! Not someone who just wanted to say "Hey!!!! I am 39 weeks pregnant, I am in great shape!! And look how tough I am!!"

being pregnant is not the same as having a disease or a handicap -- come on...
So...if I understand correctly, she did ask her doctor if she could do this, and he said yes, she could. And you disagree. Do you think you know better than her own doctor?
She had agreed to run the first 21.1K and walk the rest...she did the whole thing in 6:25...so, yes, it was like a long walk, not really like running a marathon.

[dgrant]

Funny story - I had my fitness evaluated at my Club, and according to their machines/measurements I scored 81mg/L on the VO2Max. Oh rly?!? I had a really good laugh at that one when I got home and looked it up.....Apparently, one 5 time TdF winner 'only' scored 88mg/L. So, according to my Club I can now win the TdF! I'm elite, who knew?

I just joined the same place. Holy moly, watching the "personal trainers" in there is a sport of its own. Yikes.

[PinkLady]

Funny story - I had my fitness evaluated at my Club, and according to their machines/measurements I scored 81mg/L on the VO2Max. Oh rly?!? I had a really good laugh at that one when I got home and looked it up.....Apparently, one 5 time TdF winner 'only' scored 88mg/L. So, according to my Club I can now win the TdF! I'm elite, who knew?

I just joined the same place. Holy moly, watching the "personal trainers" in there is a sport of its own. Yikes.

There's one trainer that I really liked the resume of.....he has a competitive running background, IAAF cert, and coaches collegiate track runners on the side....Was very tempted to book some sessions with him, but at $74/one hour session it's too rich for my blood. The others? I'm not impressed. One trainer's bio only had the Canfit cert, First Aid, and "Finished three 10k's in the last year." Uhm, that's it? By that measurement, *I* could be a trainer!

If you're curious, there's a binder near the trainer's desk with all the bio's/resumes in it. Makes for interesting (if scary) reading when you're bored. I haven't really watched them work, but surely they can't be as awful as the GL ones?

[mcshame]

This story keeps coming to mind every time I think of this thread. I relate the two, you may not see the parallel but it is the way my mind works with risk and heroism/celebrity.

There was an A330 Air Transat aircraft flying to Europe and lost it's fuel due to a leak in a fuel line and had to make an emergency landing in the Azores Island well off of spain. The pilot was a hero, he landed an aircraft having lost both engines, publicity, the works. He was trained in emergency landings, certified to fly and perform the procedures.

What may not be common knowledge (but is published in the investigative report), that his actions contributed to the failure that caused the significant emergency situation of loosing both engines and having to land the plane, requiring the heroics. He lost an engine due to no fuel in the engine. He then followed procedure and open the valves to bypass the fuel from the good engine fuel tanks to the other to balance the fuel load. In doing so, all the remaining fuel was lost thru the leak and he now had no fuel and no engine power. He then heroically landed the aircraft saving all lives on board.

Subsequently, the procedures were revised to account for this failure mode however, it was commonly stated in the Flight Operations space that following procedures or instructions is not an excuse to disengage the brain. He never should had done anything to compromise the performance of that good engine as a one engine landing is routine while a no engine landing is very dangerous.

He is not a hero, a hero would have done the smart thing, landed the plane without incident and with few people even knowing of his heroism.

Am I risk adverse? Yes, I work in the airline industry and I'm an engineer by education. I take risks but I measure them. If it's personal risk, I will likely go for it. If it can affect another, I consider it carefully. That is why when I look at acts of ego that can affect others, I'm inclined to react in a certain way.

To be honest, the more I read about her story, she's likely just a freak of nature and gifted with good genes and excellent fitness. Most mortals wouldn't be capable of doing what she did and as my wife told me, her uterus would have most surely fallen out. Experiment of one I guess, but for me personally, I would never role the dice with a life to deliver. Women who deliver babies are heros without the fanfare except for those closest to them. Running a marathon prior to giving birth, a hero? Not for me, all she had to do was bring that baby in for a smooth landing.

[Stephan]

My opinion is simple and based on a two letter word. "IF" something would of happened (complications of any kind) and her baby had been put in a risky situation she would have been considered irresponsible and carefree. She finished the race with no complications so she is treated like a hero who proved how resilient humans can be? Is that was she was trying to prove?

In this situation, I think it was a very weak decision on her part. The baby had NOTHING to gain from her running a marathon...and I emphasize the word "MARATHON" ...not a long walk.......not a relaxing stroll...but a MARATHON race (42.2 km's)

Her running this race at 39 weeks was unnecessary and put her child at risk...however small the risk, it was still a risk.

To me someone running a marathon (or any distance for that matter) with a physical handicap or affected by a disease (cancer etc...) for the purpose of raising awareness or raising funds for a cause...now THAT is a hero!! Not someone who just wanted to say "Hey!!!! I am 39 weeks pregnant, I am in great shape!! And look how tough I am!!"

being pregnant is not the same as having a disease or a handicap -- come on...
So...if I understand correctly, she did ask her doctor if she could do this, and he said yes, she could. And you disagree. Do you think you know better than her own doctor?
She had agreed to run the first 21.1K and walk the rest...she did the whole thing in 6:25...so, yes, it was like a long walk, not really like running a marathon.

...wow, like I said...this is an "opinion", I do know that being pregnant is DIFFERENT than being handicap or sick, that was my point. I never said anywhere in my post that I know better than a doctor....where did you see that exactly? or was it assumed? what I said is there was a risk involved...anyone who can say with a straight face that there was no risk in running a marathon while pregnant is just silly. even if a Dr. says it's ok. IE My doctor once told me that running is hard on the knees and I should not run more than 20 minutes at a time, his exact words! so no....I don't know more than a doctor when it comes to medicine...but I am sure that I know more about running than some doctors do.

[HCcD]

Funny story - I had my fitness evaluated at my Club, and according to their machines/measurements I scored 81mg/L on the VO2Max. Oh rly?!? I had a really good laugh at that one when I got home and looked it up.....Apparently, one 5 time TdF winner 'only' scored 88mg/L. So, according to my Club I can now win the TdF! I'm elite, who knew?

I just joined the same place. Holy moly, watching the "personal trainers" in there is a sport of its own. Yikes.

There's one trainer that I really liked the resume of.....he has a competitive running background, IAAF cert, and coaches collegiate track runners on the side....Was very tempted to book some sessions with him, but at $74/one hour session it's too rich for my blood. The others? I'm not impressed. One trainer's bio only had the Canfit cert, First Aid, and "Finished three 10k's in the last year." Uhm, that's it? By that measurement, *I* could be a trainer!

If you're curious, there's a binder near the trainer's desk with all the bio's/resumes in it. Makes for interesting (if scary) reading when you're bored. I haven't really watched them work, but surely they can't be as awful as the GL ones?

In that case .. you can pay me $50 / hour to run with you ... I do, afterall, have my Level 1 Coaching Basic and Technical training ...

In the Ottawa area ... GL owns the rights and training for the CAN FIT PT, if I recall correctly ... where they end up afterwards is all relative ...

[PinkLady]

In that case .. you can pay me $50 / hour to run with you ... I do, afterall, have my Level 1 Coaching Basic and Technical training ...

In the Ottawa area ... GL owns the rights and training for the CAN FIT PT, if I recall correctly ... where they end up afterwards is all relative ...

Hey, you're definitely worth $50/hour far more than $74/hr for some of those trainers!

What's $50 translated into cookie currency?

(We should probably stop derailing the thread.... )

[HCcD]

Just when I was ready to forget about this whole silly story on the front page of Letsrun.com, I saw this "Quote of the Day":

"What prompted her to run a marathon at nearly 39 weeks pregnant? Speculation was rampant, but to me, it seemed like Miller ran because that's what she does. She runs. This was neither her first pregnancy, her first marathon, nor her first pregnant marathon. As a local physician told me later that day, 'I don't think she's crazy ... it sounds like she's an elite athlete to be able to run that many miles this late in pregnancy.'"

- Chicago Tribune writer Ronnie Reese, reflecting on having to interview the Chicago Marathon mom - the morning after she gave birth and ran a marathon in the same day.

Elite athlete? Grrr....

See? it turned out fine - so celebrity

if it hadnt' - stupid.

What would have been a better story, would have been ... she gave birth in the morning, then proceeded to run a marathon only hours later ...

[HCcD]

In that case .. you can pay me $50 / hour to run with you ... I do, afterall, have my Level 1 Coaching Basic and Technical training ...

In the Ottawa area ... GL owns the rights and training for the CAN FIT PT, if I recall correctly ... where they end up afterwards is all relative ...

Hey, you're definitely worth $50/hour far more than $74/hr for some of those trainers!

What's $50 translated into cookie currency?

(We should probably stop derailing the thread.... )

I'm pretty sure that this thread has already been polarized after page 1 ...

[PinkLady]

What would have been a better story would have been, would have been ... she gave birth in the morning, then proceeded to run a marathon only hours later ...

OWWWWWWWW.........her uterus would definitely have fallen out if she'd tried it......that, or she would've bled to death. *shudder*

[LadyVo2]

...wow, like I said...this is an "opinion", I do know that being pregnant is DIFFERENT than being handicap or sick, that was my point. I never said anywhere in my post that I know better than a doctor....where did you see that exactly? or was it assumed? what I said is there was a risk involved...anyone who can say with a straight face that there was no risk in running a marathon while pregnant is just silly. even if a Dr. says it's ok. IE My doctor once told me that running is hard on the knees and I should not run more than 20 minutes at a time, his exact words! so no....I don't know more than a doctor when it comes to medicine...but I am sure that I know more about running than some doctors do.

Stephan, in your post you gave your opinion that she should not have run, that she put the life of her child at risk
The doctor told her that she could run and they even divised a plan together (run the first half, walk the rest)
hence my comment, that you think you know better than her own doctor...

But I still apologize about the way I said it - I did not mean to be rude. I think I will stick to running comments from now on

[Stephan]

...wow, like I said...this is an "opinion", I do know that being pregnant is DIFFERENT than being handicap or sick, that was my point. I never said anywhere in my post that I know better than a doctor....where did you see that exactly? or was it assumed? what I said is there was a risk involved...anyone who can say with a straight face that there was no risk in running a marathon while pregnant is just silly. even if a Dr. says it's ok. IE My doctor once told me that running is hard on the knees and I should not run more than 20 minutes at a time, his exact words! so no....I don't know more than a doctor when it comes to medicine...but I am sure that I know more about running than some doctors do.

Stephan, in your post you gave your opinion that she should not have run, that she put the life of her child at risk
The doctor told her that she could run and they even divised a plan together (run the first half, walk the rest)
hence my comment, that you think you know better than her own doctor...

But I still apologize about the way I said it - I did not mean to be rude. I think I will stick to running comments from now on

No need to appologize ) I still think you rock!! I probably worded my blurb wrong anyways, I am an engineer by trade and my first language is French so sometimes things get lost (or found) in translation. I really don't know as much as a Dr. that is the truth but I did play one on TV once.

[turd ferguson]

...wow, like I said...this is an "opinion", I do know that being pregnant is DIFFERENT than being handicap or sick, that was my point. I never said anywhere in my post that I know better than a doctor....where did you see that exactly? or was it assumed? what I said is there was a risk involved...anyone who can say with a straight face that there was no risk in running a marathon while pregnant is just silly. even if a Dr. says it's ok. IE My doctor once told me that running is hard on the knees and I should not run more than 20 minutes at a time, his exact words! so no....I don't know more than a doctor when it comes to medicine...but I am sure that I know more about running than some doctors do.

Stephan, in your post you gave your opinion that she should not have run, that she put the life of her child at risk
The doctor told her that she could run and they even divised a plan together (run the first half, walk the rest)
hence my comment, that you think you know better than her own doctor...

But I still apologize about the way I said it - I did not mean to be rude. I think I will stick to running comments from now on

Just because she devised a plan with her doctor doesn't make her plan infallible or immune from questioning.

Plus, we only have her side of the story. Allow me to fictionalize:

Determined redhead: I'm gonna run the Chicago marathon
Doctor: No
Determined redhead: I'm gonna run the Chicago marathon
Doctor: No
Determined redhead: I'm gonna run the Chicago marathon
Doctor: F***. Well, if you're going to run it anyway, at least walk the second half. And pull yourself off the course at the first sign of contractions.

[AjaxRunner]

Allow me to fictionalize:

Considering everybody is basing their opinions on what they read in the newspaper, or on the interweb (which by definition has to be true), I would suggest that immense amounts of fictionalization have already taken place.

As far as I am concerned, her body, her (then unborn) baby, her decision. I'll leave the judgements for those who have never done anything out of the norm, which this lady did.

[Ironboy]

I'm so glad we live in a society where she's free to make her own decisions rather than have her behaviour dictated to her by people who know nothing about her or her situation.

And really, what is the worst that could've happened? She gave birth on the side of the marathon course? So? Babies have been born in far worse places.

I've seen breach birth twins delivered at home without even a midwife (just a toddler and a stunned husband with a handycam), I've seen a team of medical staff in an OR watch helplessly has a newborn died.

Childbirth comes with no guarantees but the vast majority are complication free, and most interventions are necessary because of a previous intervention.

[Miss*Smiles]

soooo I just read the Canadian Running Article....

Instead, she started running the race in her husband.

[fingerboy]

Just wait til it becomes a pro-life/abortion debate.

IDk I'm more against that she had to put this first rather than whether exercising is bad during pregnancy. She could have just run a few miles and called it even.

I can't wait for the conversation in her life to go like this 15 years from now:

Redhead: "hey kid, get off the couch and go run"
Baby now 15 "I don't feel like exercising"
Redhead: do you know what I did WHILE I was having you?"
Baby now 15: "Yeah I was an inconvenience to you - thanks ma for not compromising your amazing 6 hr marathon for me - I'm gonna go shoot crack"
Redhead: "okay well I can try to argue with you, but I've got to go run the marathon again right now, so I'm not going to talk at the moment...see ya"

[Jo-Jo]

I'm so glad we live in a society where she's free to make her own decisions rather than have her behaviour dictated to her by people who know nothing about her or her situation.

Hmmm...this thread has made me think about my own birth. My mother moved to a tropical country when she was 7 months pregnant with me, had to find a doctor, bring all the supplies she and "the baby" would need to the hospital (including disinfectant).
The year was 1953...and I'm sure some people thought she was crazy and taking unneccasry risks. When Air Canada agreed to let her fly they did tell her they did not want a baby born mid flight.

My mother had already lived in Africa for a couple years prior to getting pregnant with me in Canada...and then moving to Jamaica. I expect she felt comfortable with her decison...I must remember to ask her.

btw....I suspect the "imaginary" conversation that Mike posted might be quite close to the truth

[PinkLady]

btw....I suspect the "imaginary" conversation that Mike posted might be quite close to the truth

Ditto this!

[DougG]

I'm so glad we live in a society where she's free to make her own decisions rather than have her behaviour dictated to her by people who know nothing about her or her situation.

You are right IB, she is free to make her own decisions, which she did. Nobody that we know of, dictated to her what she should do. Having said that, others (including us) are free to form their (our) own opinions. Which we have.

[turd ferguson]

I'm so glad we live in a society where she's free to make her own decisions rather than have her behaviour dictated to her by people who know nothing about her or her situation.

I agree with you completely.

And I hope everyone who agrees with you is just as libertarian when we have discussions about mandatory bike helmets, mandatory toboggan helmets, etc.

[Jo-Jo]

I'm so glad we live in a society where she's free to make her own decisions rather than have her behaviour dictated to her by people who know nothing about her or her situation.

You are right IB, she is free to make her own decisions, which she did. Nobody that we know of, dictated to her what she should do. Having said that, others (including us) are free to form their (our) own opinions. Which we have.

Yep...you're right Doug.

And here's my opinion...I don't really care.
I don't know her, she's not part of my world so I just don't care enough to invest much psychic energy into her decision.

Yes...call me shallow

[DougG]

And here's my opinion...I don't really care.
I don't know her, she's not part of my world so I just don't care enough to invest much psychic energy into her decision.

Yes...call me shallow

You're a shallow, shallow woman Joanne.
You have the best answer of any of us.