Finishing a marathon in less than three hours is a time most runners would dream of achieving – let alone while 32 weeks pregnant. 

Ali Anderson did both. 

The 29-year-old from Oklahoma, who is pregnant with her first daughter, crossed the finish line of the Sydney Marathon at the Opera House on Sunday in an astonishing 2:59:42.

She said her biggest logistical challenge was not necessarily the 42.2-kilometre distance, but making sure she had enough time for bathroom breaks along the way.

“The challenges were mostly just the potty stops and factoring that into my time,” Ms Anderson told News24’s Laura Jayes on Monday.

“I feel overall pretty good, I felt great during the run but then walking afterwards was hard.”

Ms Anderson had committed to the Sydney Marathon, along with a record 40,000 other runners, before discovering she was pregnant.

She decided there was no reason to abandon the race.

“I had this on the schedule before I found out I was pregnant and so getting to do it this far into pregnancy was definitely a blessing,” the Oklahoma resident said.

“It is what I do, so I am going to continue to do it.”

Her husband and coach Jacob Anderson had floated the idea of chasing a sub-three-hour marathon before race day.

“He said, ‘Do you think you could flirt with a sub three?’ And I said, ‘Umm I don’t know, we will see’,” she said.

“I definitely wasn’t holding (on) to that goal, but if I felt good on the day and if she (the baby) was good, then we were going to go for it.

“It is so much a part of my routine and a part of my community.

“It is how me and my husband met and so just getting to do it in my everyday feels very normal to me.”

While stressing she was not a doctor, Ms Anderson said she believed people should be able to continue activities that are normal for them during pregnancy, provided they listen to their bodies.

“I think it is great if that is your norm, if you are used to doing it and listen to your body,” she said.

One of her highlights was the reaction from fellow runners and spectators.

“I loved hearing the comments, people wouldn’t notice at first and then I would pass them and I would hear people go, ‘oh my god she is pregnant’. It was fun to be out there,” she said.

The Sydney race was her seventh marathon and fourth world major. 

It was the second marathon she had completed while pregnant. 

In April, she announced her pregnancy online after completing the Boston Marathon, where she ran a new personal best of 2:41:58. 

“I carried two very fast beating heartbeats across the Boston finish line at 13 weeks pregnant,” she said at the time.

“Training through the first trimester, woof.”

For now, Ms Anderson said the Sydney race would be her last marathon until she gave birth.

“I have put her through two marathons now and that is enough for her,” she said.

“I am hoping to be an inspiration to her, to show that you can continue to be who you are and chase your dreams even if life doesn’t go as scheduled.”

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