Too much of a good thing?

So I love marathon runners as much as the next wannabe. And let's face it -- those silver wraps that you wear at the end of the marathon are super cute. My best friend from college was all bundled up in one after she ran the Flying Pig, and I thought she was plain ol' adorable.

But, as they say, I digress.

I feel privileged to know a few marathon runners, and though I think they really possess some secret super powers that allow them to endure those grueling 26.2 miles, I still admire them.

But what constitutes overdoing it? The New York Times Health section, which I'm now addicted to, has a story on a British runner who ran straight through her pregnancy, ran the day before her baby was born and ran again 12 days later. She apparently worked with her doctor and ran on a restricted schedule. Yes, she's the world record holder in the women's marathon, and as an athlete of that calibre, she needs to train. And some might argue that she shouldn't be hampered by "biology," and that her doctor would know best. Maybe giving up a strict running regime is too much for a professional runner. After all, it's her career. Why should women have to give up everything?

But is it really healthy and worth the risk? We give up a lot for our pregnancies. (Heck, I gave up French cheeses like brie, people. And wine. I'm dying here without an occasional glass of pinot noir. Oops. Digressing again.)

Just take a look at the photo of her and her super sweet-looking baby. It makes you wonder... when is too much too much?

photo: Marilynn K. Yee/New York Times