Stopping is also part of the process
Sometimes, listening to yourself is the hardest training of all.
Ana Tauste has spent months learning how to do it. Seven months pregnant, she’s still running. Not to beat times. To keep being herself. A conversation about performance, motherhood and what the body teaches you when you stop ignoring it.
When you found out you were pregnant for the first time, did you hesitate about continuing to train?
My first reaction was surprise and, at the same time, uncertainty. I had been competing and training hard without knowing about the pregnancy. So the first thing I did was make sure everything was okay. I did have doubts at first, mainly because I didn’t know what to expect, but I quickly understood that with common sense and good support, I could stay active.
How did the conversation with your gynaecologist go?
Those were key conversations. I was doing private consultations for more thorough check-ups. Luckily, there was a lot of empathy and I felt accompanied and heard. I think there’s growing awareness of how important exercise is during pregnancy. Even so, I also had to trust my own judgement and know my body well.
«I’ve had to slow down and listen to myself more.»
You’re now in your seventh month of your second pregnancy. How has training changed?
They’ve been quite different. In the first one I had more energy from the start. In this second one I’ve been more tired, especially during the first trimester. I’ve had to slow down and listen to myself more. Now, from the seventh month on, I’m feeling better again, and that’s allowing me to enjoy the moment once more.
When you go out for a run, what do you hear now that you didn’t let yourself hear before?
There’s no inner conversation. I just listen to my body, to my sensations. No pressure, no demands — respecting myself at every moment. Stopping if I need to and valuing simply the fact of getting out there. It’s a different way of running. More conscious.
«Stopping is also part of the process. I’ve learned not to get frustrated and to see it as a way of taking care of myself and respecting both myself and the baby.»
You’ve competed during this pregnancy. How does your mindset change when you cross a start line?
It was a very considered decision. It has nothing to do with competing at any other time. You go out with a completely different mindset, much more connected to your body and without pressure. The start line feels more emotional than competitive.
Does the competitive instinct switch off or transform?
It doesn’t disappear. It transforms. The goal is no longer the result — it’s the experience. You learn to enjoy the race from a different place.
«Everything that makes you feel supported and comfortable becomes essential.»
Is there any piece of kit that has become indispensable?
Comfort becomes everything. Some garments make a real difference, especially as the pregnancy progresses: proper sports bras, leggings that adapt well to the abdomen. Everything that makes you feel supported and comfortable becomes essential. Lurbel fits me perfectly for everything I need.
What’s the biggest difference in how you’re experiencing this second pregnancy?
The main difference is knowledge. The first time everything was new; now I know what to expect, how my body responds and how to adapt. There’s also more mental calm.
After your first birth, how was the return to training?
Progressive and full of learning. The hardest part was accepting that I couldn’t go back to the same level immediately. The best part was understanding that the body has memory and that, with patience, everything comes back.
«I’d tell her to trust herself. Not to be afraid of changing the pace, that it’s all part of the process and that she won’t lose what she’s built.»
What feeling are you most looking forward to when you run again without thinking about anything else?
That feeling of freedom. Running without watching the clock, enjoying the moment and being grateful to be able to do it. My goals right now are long-term and without pressure. The priority is family. Everything else has an expiry date.
One last piece of advice for a runner who has just found out she’s pregnant.
Listen to your body. Adapt without fear and understand that this stage is also part of the journey as an athlete. Think about what you’re going to build by becoming a mother. That will always be there. The rest is temporary.
