Pregnant marathoner finishes, gives birth

CHICAGO -- Amber Miller felt contractions just minutes after crossing the finish line at the Chicago Marathon.

A few hours later, the suburban Chicago woman -- who slogged her way through 26.2 miles while nearly 39 weeks pregnant -- delivered June Audra Miller, a healthy, 7-pound, 13-ounce girl.

"For me, it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. I was running up until that point anyway," Miller, 27, said yesterday. "I am crazy about running."

Sunday's marathon was her eighth. She found out she was pregnant with her second child days after signing up for the Chicago race and decided to play it by ear on whether she would run. When the baby hadn't been born by Sunday, she got clearance from her doctor.

She completed it with a half-run half-walk approach, drinking lots of fluids and eating along the way.

She finished in 6:25:50, about two hours slower than her usual marathon time but still ahead of 1,130 other participants.

"Lots of people were cheering me on: 'Go pregnant lady!' " she said. "I was expecting some negative comments. I don't remember anything."

Elite runners have trained while pregnant, but doctors say Miller is a rarity. She was 38 weeks and five days' pregnant.

Full-term is typically defined as 40 weeks. -- AP