Alison Sullivan
Different bodies respond differently to pregnancy, but it doesn’t seem like many people’s bodies respond the way product trainer and athlete Makenna Myler’s has. That’s probably why a TikTok of her amazing speed at nine months has gone so wildly viral—no one has seen anything like it.
Myler told Buzzfeed News that she’s been running throughout her pregnancy five or six times a week. She’s no amateur!
“I cut back my mileage a lot and have been a lot slower, but I have been very particular with my strength training to make sure my pelvic shift and added weight didn’t/doesn’t cause any injury,” she said.
In other words, do not try this at home:
The TikTok starts with her husband Mike Myler talking into the camera as Makenna finishes her first lap. Her belly is fully visible as she maintains her speed and crosses the finish line again and again, eventually running a full mile in five minutes and 25 seconds.
Why did Makenna even attempt to do this? Well, her husband egged her on. After Makenna announced that she’d be able to do her “casual” pace of seven minutes a mile while pregnant, he bet she could do more.
“To keep me motivated, he said he would give me $100 if I could break 8 minutes doing the mile at 9 months pregnant,” she said.
Or was he betting against her? Either way, she now has $100, and maybe even a baby. The infant was due on October 19th.
Different doctors have different opinions on how much exercise is normal during pregnancy because once again, everyone responds differently. Makena says hers were supportive overall because they understood she was a professional.
“My first doctor was all about it because he had dealt with elite athletes before,” she said. “My second doctor asked me to be a bit more cautious because he didn’t understand my background — and that was before any ultrasound. After ultrasounds showed a perfectly healthy baby, he’s been more supportive, but emphasizes the importance of getting enough calories (which, if he knew me better, he would know that’s not a problem).”
If you want to run while pregnant, the best advice from this story is to start way, way before you even think of setting up that nursery.