Cruising into 31 weeks, I am definitely looking large, but I managed another 3-mile run/walk today, as I have four other times over the past week. Now that I am truly in third trimester mode, I’ve actually been feeling better about running than I was a month ago. I think it’s a combination of a few things. I’ve been:

* Approaching each run with no expectations. Earlier in this pregnancy (and before getting pregnant) I had specific goals for each run, such as doing sprint repeats, logging 7 miles, or things like that. Unfortunately, toward the end of a pregnancy, some runs are inevitably going to be disappointing. Now, I just aim to be active as much as possible. I’ll try running for a minute and seeing how it feels. Usually, it feels fine to keep going for a few more, then walking for a minute, then running again.

* Focusing on time, not distance. As a pregnant woman, when you work out, your baby works out with you. That means the little dude needs more oxygen too — and since your total aerobic capacity isn’t exactly going up, this means your speed will go down. Consequently, rather than trying to hit my 80-miles-per-month goal, I’m just trying to exercise for a certain volume of time per week (5-7 hours). Most of that is running, but not all of it. If I’m running outside, I aim to just enjoy being outside for an hour, and cover whatever distance I can during that time.

* Getting proper support! You wouldn’t run without a sports bra, and it doesn’t make sense to run without something supporting your belly, either. Amon Maternity sent me a nice supportive band, which I’ve been trying out and like. BornFit’s running shorts have a supportive layer incorporated into the waist band (they sent me a pair when I was pregnant with Jasper and wrote about running for USA Today, and I continued to use the shorts even after giving birth since they’re not obviously “maternity” pants). Long spandex tops or basic belly bands (sold at regular maternity stores) can also help. You have to hunt a little bit for maternity running wear, since unfortunately, most “active” maternity wear seems to be designed for nothing more strenuous than walking around the block.

* Incorporating cross-training. I’ve been logging some serious time on the recumbent bike, and trying to add evening walks into my days as often as possible (it’s a nice thing to do as a family). Last week on vacation at the New Jersey shore, I hiked 10 minutes to and from the beach on the sand roughly twice a day - adding up to about 40 minutes of walking daily (in addition to my runs).

* Recognizing that one bad run is not the end of running. A few weeks ago, I had some rather wretched runs. My shins hurt, I had to go to the bathroom all the time, my legs felt dead and I felt heavy. Fortunately, having run through my entire pregnancy with Jasper, I know that it isn’t all or nothing. If you have a bad run, you take a day off, then try again — walking a lot, then running for a few minutes and evaluating. There’s no pressure, and usually you can handle a few good miles — which really lifts the spirits.