Mother who started training while pregnant set to run the 2025 United Airlines NYC Half
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- It will be a first half marathon for many of the more than 27,000 runners lacing up their shoes for the United Airlines NYC Half on Sunday.
For most people, running a half marathon may sound out of reach. But for Annbjorg Medhaug, she decided to take on that challenge, plus a little extra, when she started running.
"Two of my very good friends, they run the marathon in 2023 one year after becoming parents for the first time. And as a mom myself, I thought maybe this is not the craziest idea I've had, maybe I should do it," Medhaug said.
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So, Medhaug started training when she was five months pregnant.
Medhaug moved to New York City from Norway back in 2019. Here, she met her husband and started a family, falling in love with the energy of the city, especially on race day.
"I'm a very social person, I get energy from people. So after being locked in our apartment for a year and a half, then coming out and feeling the energy of the city that the marathon events bring just created the desire to be a part of it," she said.
The road to the starting line was anything but easy. To keep up with the training, Medhaug found the New York Road Runners 9+1 program to help keep her motivated after she gave birth.
"I had a rule for myself when I'm doing this run I should go slow, so if it's a hill I will walk and if its downhill I can run a little bit," Medhaug said. "So changing my perspective from I'm not trying to finish this run in a certain speed to I'm trying to finish this run, period."
Until now, a 15K run is the longest race for Medhaug, but come Sunday, that will change. She'll have her biggest supporters along the race route to cheer her on in the NYC Half.
Medhaug says she always runs for her family, and that knowing she is inspiring her kids at the same time has created new motivation for the sport.
"My 3 1/2-year-old keeps asking me, 'Mommy are you going to do the race,' and he's standing there with flags and my husband is so good at preparing, so they are cheering for me like I'm a superstar being part of the run. So it really makes it worth it and makes me forget that I'm tired," she said.
The NYC Half is just one step in Medhaug's goals, as she looks to tackle the TCS New York City Marathon in November.
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