In racing while pregnant and postpartum, Myler is changing perceptions of what parents-to-be can achieve.
Just before giving birth to her first child, pro runner Makenna Myler ran her way to the forefront of media headlines and a viral online conversation. Myler, who is an ASICS-sponsored athlete, sprinted a mile in 5 minutes and 25 seconds while nine months pregnant with her daughter.
Then, seven months later at the 2020 Olympic Trials, she finished 14th in the marathon. The world took notice — again. But it wouldn’t be the last time Myler drew attention for running, or pregnancy talk for that matter.
While carrying her second baby, a boy, in 2023, Myler shaved time off her already speedy mom-to-be mile, finishing the distance in 5 minutes and 17 seconds. (In comparison, her PR while not pregnant is under 5 minutes.)
Not only did Myler become faster while pregnant with her second child, but coincidentally, she also sped up after giving birth to kid number two. This February, 10 months postpartum, Myler finished seventh in the marathon at the 2024 Olympic Trials.
In making these impressive feats, Myler says running while pregnant has become more normalized, “which is incredible,” she shares. “That's what I wanted. I think a lot of people are like, ‘This is crazy,’ but I think it actually should be a lot more normal, right? Especially if you're competing at that level.”
Between motherhood, making history, and running miles upon miles, Equinox+ chatted with Myler to learn what goes on behind the scenes in her family of four and what training looked like throughout both of her pregnancies.
What were the biggest changes you experienced while training throughout your pregnancies?
“You know what’s funny? You don't feel like running as much. The hormones have changed a lot. It's a lot easier to run and motivate yourself to run when you feel good. It's a lot harder to go out and run when you're kind of slogging out there or not feeling super peppy.
“You still put in the work anyway. You find that balance, because you don't want to overdo things either because you're in a more vulnerable state.
“Your gait changes a little bit. Your back arches a lot more, so having a strong back is very key and important. I'm really into lifting and fortifying your body that way, especially ligament-wise. Going into a pregnancy, if you've been lifting heavy, you're just going to feel better and more capable.”
Did you feel the same way about your training when you were pregnant with baby one as you were with baby two?
“It was kind of similar for both of them. My second one, I kind of knew already what was coming, and so I pushed the limits a little bit more. For the first one, I was much more cautious because everyone was like, ‘Don't go back too fast. Don't do this.’ I was not sure what that meant, and I was like, ‘Maybe I'm not feeling something that I'm supposed to be feeling?’ But I trusted myself a lot more the second time around.”
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Did you get any advice from athletes who had trained during pregnancy?
“You know, what's cool is that it’s not like [training] has to be [a certain] way. Now, it's a possibility for women if they want it to be that way. It’s not necessarily that I got a ton of advice from other people, but seeing more high-caliber women be pregnant around my second pregnancy was so much fun. We got to compare notes a lot more.
“Like, you feel huge growth days around 20 weeks and you feel exhausted — which isn't necessarily very well known — but if you're pushing yourself, you really feel it. I feel so inspired by comparing notes.”
Were you training up until you gave birth?
“I don't run on Sundays. The irony is — we always joked, ‘Don’t work out too hard or you’ll start labor’ — but I'm trying to work out as hard as possible to start labor, and it doesn't work.
“As soon as I stop, I go into labor. And I gave birth on a Sunday both times.”
It’s hard to ignore that you’ve become faster after having each child. Did you take a break from training after giving birth?
“Yes and no. There were two weeks of downtime letting my body recover from opening up. All those ligaments have to go back together, and your body has to refortify itself. I was trying to get as much sleep as possible. That was more key — how much sleep am I getting first before I start going again.
“I started testing the waters after, like, two weeks to see if everything felt stable, put together, and then moving from there. It's not, like, busting into full training — just kind of going for an easy jog and feeling out what feels right or not right.”
Going into a pregnancy, if you've been lifting heavy, you're just going to feel better and more capable.
When did postpartum training start to feel like it did before pregnancy?
“I was able to start training around six weeks after, getting things back to normal. Who knows, maybe things would have gone a little bit faster if I took more time off. We don't know that. But I think the most important thing is to trust your instincts and it feels off — don't push it. If it feels okay — don't go super fast, but, like, you can be out there.”
There has been so much conversation surrounding you, your children, and running. With that, can you tell me about your support system?
“My husband, mostly. We are co-parenting, taking on responsibilities equally in the household. Probably more [for him]. Like, for tonight, when I have to [complete a] a double [workout]: It’s about working outside of those work hours, and then him trying to be as efficient as possible with his work hours. We're lucky that he works from home. We are a little spoiled on that end. I know not everybody has that set-up.”
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Who else helps with the kids as you manage your training and racing schedule?
“We're always trying to take advantage of when grandparents can come around. My mother-in-law came down to help for the trip to Paris. You're constantly navigating and having to figure out who can help.
“It's really hard to plan things with people because I’m flying by the seat of my pants a lot. It’s like, ‘Can I leave now? The kids are down for a nap, so I'm actually gonna run now instead of after work hours.’ We keep trying to find more child care. It's just been really hard with how unpredictable the schedule can be.”
Are you planning on expanding your family again? You’ve become faster each time.
“We'll see what's in the cards, but having a family is more so the priority than running fast, to be honest. If running fast is in the cards while having a family, so be it. Family definitely comes first.”
Photos courtesy of ASICS
