A Nepali woman wins a marathon at 3 months pregnant

  Pregnant for three months, Nepali woman wins Everest Marathon

  A Nepali woman who was three months pregnant participated in the world’s highest-altitude marathon—the Everest Marathon—on May 29 and won the women’s division.

  Nepal has held the Everest Marathon annually for the past 11 years to commemorate the first successful human ascent of Everest in 1953. The marathon covers a full 42.2 kilometers, starting at an altitude of 5,364 meters and descending to finish at 3,446 meters. The race begins at 7 a.m. at Gorak Shep near the Everest base camp and ends in Namche Bazaar at a lower elevation. Organizers describe the route as possibly the most challenging in the world, passing by Buddhist monasteries, monuments, and suspension bridges.

  A total of 131 participants took part in this year’s Everest Marathon, including 38 Nepali runners. Among them, 44-year-old Nepali woman Damy, despite being three months pregnant, finished first in the women’s division with a time of 6 hours, 2 minutes, and 10 seconds. This marks her second victory, having also won the women’s title in 2006. Damy said her husband, three sons, and grandson all opposed her running the marathon, but her doctor said she could participate if she felt well, so she went ahead. Damy expressed joy at winning the Everest Marathon championship at her age and hopes to continue competing in future races, as well as one day climbing Everest herself.

  Special note: Everest is another name for Mount Qomolangma (essentially a literal translation), with the Tibetan name Qomolangma meaning "Goddess Mother of the World."

  Ran a marathon yesterday, gave birth today

  According to Taiwan’s "Apple Daily News," a marathon runner from Minnesota, USA, named Stein suddenly experienced severe back pain last Sunday. The next day, after seeing a doctor, she discovered she was pregnant and subsequently gave birth to a baby girl.

  It is understood that on Sunday, Stein was intensively training for a marathon scheduled for May 22. After running for two hours, she began to feel back pain that evening. Thinking she had strained a muscle during training, she only took a hot bath to relieve the discomfort. But by the next morning, the pain had intensified, and she called her husband, John, who then took her to the hospital for a check-up.

  Doctors found that Stein was not suffering from a muscle strain but was actually in labor, and she was promptly sent to the obstetrics department. Five minutes later, she gave birth to a baby girl weighing 2.9 kilograms and measuring 48 centimeters in length. Stein said neither she nor her husband could believe it, especially since her husband had undergone a vasectomy and she had not gained any weight over the past few months, making pregnancy seem unlikely.

  The couple has now named their baby girl Mira, short for Miracle. In addition, Stein has a 7-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son.

  Is marathon running suitable for pregnant women?

  How should pregnant women exercise to stay healthy? Is running a marathon an option? Let’s hear what Professor Artal, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Saint Louis University, has to say.

  Professor Artal’s initial reaction to whether pregnant women can run marathons was: is it feasible? Certainly. But is it advisable? Absolutely not.

  For pregnant women, any extreme sport carries significant risks. Artal pointed out that deaths have occurred during marathons, so why take such a huge risk while pregnant? Although he has worked with professional athletes who engage in high-intensity exercise during pregnancy, Artal still emphasizes that, under normal circumstances, pregnant women should avoid extreme sports like marathons, skateboarding, and skydiving, which place immense stress on the body.

  There are some important reasons to be cautious about exercising during pregnancy, especially in the early stages. When you engage in strenuous activity, your internal body temperature can rise significantly. According to Artal, in the early stages of pregnancy (around six weeks), elevated maternal body temperature is associated with certain congenital defects in babies. A 2007 Danish study specifically focused on exercise during pregnancy concluded that high-intensity workouts in the early stages lead to higher rates of miscarriage.

  For us, it’s important to distinguish between everyday exercise and extreme sports. Artal emphasized that moderate-intensity exercise is very necessary for pregnant women. Evidence shows that maintaining moderate activity during pregnancy can alleviate back pain and minor pregnancy discomforts, help reduce stress, and prevent gestational diabetes.

  Artal, author of the "ACOG Guidelines for Exercise During Pregnancy," recommends that pregnant women engage in 30 minutes to one hour of light to moderate exercise daily. He said, “If you weren’t exercising before pregnancy, then pregnancy is the best time to start. It’s the ideal period for behavioral correction and developing good dietary and lifestyle habits.” He suggests that pregnant women focus on walking, jogging, and yoga.