At last Sunday's Sydney Marathon there was a moment that shocked countless runners:29-year-old runner Ali Anderson from Oklahoma, USA, completed the full marathon in 2:59:43 while 32 weeks pregnant, successfully breaking three hours.

In fact, this was not Anderson's first time running a full marathon and breaking three hours while pregnant.At this year's April Boston Marathon, when she was 13 weeks pregnant, Anderson ran 2:41:58, setting a new personal best.

Her two stunning performances prove that long-distance running during pregnancy seems to have had no noticeable effect on her.

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The biggest challenge during the race

However, even a "naturally gifted" runner like her has challenges she must face.

In a post-race interview, Anderson admitted that the 42.195-kilometer distance itself wasn't the biggest challenge, the real test was how to schedule enough time to use the restroom along the way?

"Overall I felt pretty good — I felt good while running, but walking afterward was a bit tough. The biggest challenge was the time for bathroom breaks and how to factor that time into my plan," she said with a laugh.

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Her lighthearted joking only made us admire this pregnant runner even more.

Actually, entering the Sydney Marathon wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision after she became pregnant — she had already registered for the race before discovering she was expecting.

This year's Sydney Marathon attracted a record more than 40,000 registered participants; being able to stand on that course and finish the race at 32 weeks pregnant, Anderson described it as "absolutely a blessing."

And her ability to accomplish such feats relies on the most important person behind her: her husband and coach, Jacob Anderson. The two met through running, and running has long been part of their daily life.

Before race day, Jacob issued his wife a bold challenge: "Do you think you can break 3 hours?"

Anderson's response was candid: "I don't know, we'll see. I didn't set my goal specifically under three hours, but if on race day I feel good and the baby is doing well, we'll give it everything."

It turned out she was in great shape that day and the baby cooperated as well. She said after the race, "The baby was moving the whole time, so I knew she was fine." Her husband later shared a video of his wife's feat on social media, and countless netizens called her a "superwoman."

Of course, this kind of "crazy" feat wasn't an unplanned impulse.

Anderson only started long-distance running in 2023; the Sydney Marathon was her seventh marathon and her fourth World Marathon Majors event.

Earlier this year, she originally planned to chase a U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifying time (Olympic Trials Qualifier), and had already targeted Boston, Sydney and another marathon in December.

After learning she was pregnant, she immediately consulted her doctor. The doctor said there was no reason to stop what she was currently doing. "You're clearly not trying to go after a personal record or anything, so continuing is safe."

Anderson recalled: "My pregnancy has been completely normal, my body is healthy, so they all said it's totally fine." According to the Royal Women's Hospital, as long as the body adapts to the exercise intensity, running generally does not harm the unborn baby.

Anderson also stressed that she is not a doctor and would not encourage all pregnant women to follow her example. She simply believes that if exercise is already part of daily life and you listen to your body's signals, then continuing moderate activity during pregnancy is feasible.

"If you're used to these activities and willing to listen to your body's responses, I think that's great." She also maintained a keen awareness of her body during the race. "The more you run, the more you understand your body and know what level is too much, so I've been careful not to push myself to the limit."

Looking back at the two pregnancy marathons, what Anderson found most memorable wasn't the times themselves, but the warm moments on the course.

The reactions from other runners and spectators amused her: "At first people wouldn't notice, but when I passed them you'd hear someone exclaim, 'Oh my God, she's pregnant!' Being part of that was really fun."

Having run across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and charged toward the finish line at the Sydney Opera House, she not only completed her seventh marathon but also showed the world the limitless possibilities embodied by a mother-to-be.

And all of this is far from the finish.

According to information her husband Jacob posted on social media, Anderson plans, after giving birth and recovering, to set her next long-term goal on qualifying for the Olympic Marathon Trials.