A mum who has ran 3,000 miles during one pregnancy - including a marathon at 31 weeks - says it helps her feel in control of her body.
Sophie Carter, 43, kept running through each of her four pregnancies - even completing eight miles a day when she was 36 weeks pregnant with twins.
While pregnant with her youngest child, Teddy, in 2022, she did a 50km race, two 100kms and a marathon at 31 weeks pregnant - which she completed in three hours and 39 minutes.
She even squeezed in a 12 mile jog the day before she gave birth.
Sophie estimates she ran 3,000 miles during her most recent pregnancy - and was back at it two days after labour.
The mum-of-five said it helps her to stay mentally healthy while juggling work, carrying a baby and looking after young children.
Sophie describes the sensation of running while pregnant as “like carrying a heavy round backpack on your front.”
The personal trainer, from Woodstock, Oxford, said: “When you’re pregnant it can feel like your body’s not your own and you’re being taken over by something out of your control.
"Being able to keep running gave me that peace of mind to say, ‘I’m still me’.
Sophie has always enjoyed long distance running and completed her first marathon in 2006, aged 25.
Inspired by former Team GB marathon-runner Paula Radcliffe, Sophie continued running throughout her first pregnancy with her daughter, Faith, in 2009, to keep fit.
But when her mum, Auriel, fell ill with bowel cancer in 2012, she began to focus on running more seriously.
At the time, Sophie was pregnant with her second child, Ethan, and her then-husband was posted to Afghanistan as part of the British Army.
She was looking after her firstborn Faith at home alone, and running became her “safe space”.
When Sophie became pregnant with twins Jaxon and Isla in 2020, she continued running eight miles a day.
Sophie found out she was six-weeks pregnant with her youngest child, Teddy, in April last year, aged 42, a week before a 100km race.
Sophie came 6th, finishing in eight hours and 30 minutes - just 19 minutes off her personal best.
She did a 50km race six weeks later, finishing first out of the female contestants.
Then, at 20 weeks pregnant, with the “the tiniest of bumps”, she took part in The Race to The Stones - a 100 km cross country race along Britain's oldest footpath from Oxfordshire to Wiltshire.
Despite temperatures soaring above 20 degrees, Sophie finished in the top ten overall and was the second woman to cross the finishing line.
And in October last year, at 31 weeks pregnant, she completed the Virtual London Marathon, finishing in an impressive time of three hours and 39 minutes.
Sophie says running a marathon while pregnant is no different to preparing for a regular marathon.
Sophie Carter, 43, kept running through each of her four pregnancies - even completing eight miles a day when she was 36 weeks pregnant with twins.
While pregnant with her youngest child, Teddy, in 2022, she did a 50km race, two 100kms and a marathon at 31 weeks pregnant - which she completed in three hours and 39 minutes.
She even squeezed in a 12 mile jog the day before she gave birth.
Sophie estimates she ran 3,000 miles during her most recent pregnancy - and was back at it two days after labour.
The mum-of-five said it helps her to stay mentally healthy while juggling work, carrying a baby and looking after young children.
Sophie describes the sensation of running while pregnant as “like carrying a heavy round backpack on your front.”
The personal trainer, from Woodstock, Oxford, said: “When you’re pregnant it can feel like your body’s not your own and you’re being taken over by something out of your control.
"Being able to keep running gave me that peace of mind to say, ‘I’m still me’.
Sophie has always enjoyed long distance running and completed her first marathon in 2006, aged 25.
Inspired by former Team GB marathon-runner Paula Radcliffe, Sophie continued running throughout her first pregnancy with her daughter, Faith, in 2009, to keep fit.
But when her mum, Auriel, fell ill with bowel cancer in 2012, she began to focus on running more seriously.
At the time, Sophie was pregnant with her second child, Ethan, and her then-husband was posted to Afghanistan as part of the British Army.
She was looking after her firstborn Faith at home alone, and running became her “safe space”.
When Sophie became pregnant with twins Jaxon and Isla in 2020, she continued running eight miles a day.
Sophie found out she was six-weeks pregnant with her youngest child, Teddy, in April last year, aged 42, a week before a 100km race.
Sophie came 6th, finishing in eight hours and 30 minutes - just 19 minutes off her personal best.
She did a 50km race six weeks later, finishing first out of the female contestants.
Then, at 20 weeks pregnant, with the “the tiniest of bumps”, she took part in The Race to The Stones - a 100 km cross country race along Britain's oldest footpath from Oxfordshire to Wiltshire.
Despite temperatures soaring above 20 degrees, Sophie finished in the top ten overall and was the second woman to cross the finishing line.
And in October last year, at 31 weeks pregnant, she completed the Virtual London Marathon, finishing in an impressive time of three hours and 39 minutes.
Sophie says running a marathon while pregnant is no different to preparing for a regular marathon.
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