Are You a Mother Runner?
Our kind of friendship circle.
To that end, we had over 500 running mothers contribute to both books, lending advice on everything from whether or not they run with their husbands to how they deal with their period on race-day. Many of those mothers are listed in the Other Mother Runners, from Anna to Zoe. (The first letter of their first name corresponds with their page, kinda like how kids books are structured.) The runner’s blogs or websites, if they have one, are linked to their names.
We’d love to include you to our growing tribe. If you’re interested, send us:
1. Your name (we’ll only include your first name on the site)
2. A .jpg of yourself (totally your call whether or not you want the kiddos in it or not)
3. The number of kids you have
4. A blog or website, if you’d like it linked.
5. Something about your running experience. (Ideas: my favorite workout or place to run; why I run like a mother; how running changed my life; why I dread the ‘mill…you get the idea.)
6. If your first initial isn’t up yet, our semi-fried brains will happily take any recommendations you have for your letter’s adjective.
Send that info to runmother [at] gmail [dot] com and we’ll get ‘er up there asap.
Wishing you many happy miles–
Dimity + Sarah
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I am a newly inducted member of the 40 year old club. I decided to do something that scares the crap out of me. That is when I decided to train for a 1/2 marathon run. I am 5 days away and scared to death. I am slow and I am ok with that. I just want to finish. The nerves are what scare me. How will I be on race day? Will I feel ok? What should I eat along the way? I cant believe it is here. I began training in December and now it is only dyas away. Advice from other slow runners would be helpful…lol or 1st timers.
THANK YOU
Hello! I am definitely a mother runner (hey, I have been called worse)! I am 39 yo mother of two boys (20 months and 3 years) married for four years living in the suburbs of Chicago.
I started running in 2003 (ish) when I was traveling a lot for work – easier to pass those evenings in a strange city. I think I ran my first 5k that same year and smattered a few more in over the next two years. In 2005, my mom became very ill unexpectedly and was hospitalized for over 9 months. It was at that time that I stepped up the running. While my mom was sick I became responsible for everything – paying my parents’ bills, managing their house, basically being the backbone of the family. During that same time (almost to the day), my boyfriend of four years cheated on me and well, you can probably guess the rest. So, my world was upside down and the only thing that made sense was when I was running. Somehow all of the serious issues I was dealing with didn’t seem as overwhelming if I got out and run. It organized my thoughts and emotions. During that period, I learned that the Chicago marathon was going to be on the anniversary of when my mom became ill. I told my mom while she lay in a hospital bed trying to learn how to breathe on her own that I was going to run it and I expected her to be at teh finish line. I told her it was going to be my way of clebrating getting through one of the worst years of our lives. She simply smiled. That summer I trained (running longer than I had ever before) and eventually ran that 26.2 miles – it wasn’t pretty but I finished (4:23) and my mom was there at the end. That marathon will always be special to me (I ran the 2007 Chicago marathon as well). In 2010, my mom passed away and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of her and miss her but I find htat it is on long runs when I feel closest to her. She wasn’t a runner, far from it, but she was my biggest fan and I feel her supporting me during those miles.
I have taken a bit of a break from the long races – getting married and having two kids in the span of 3 years will do that but I have started to amp things up over the past few months. My goal is to run another half- marathon this summer and see how I feel. I still toy with the idea of running another marathon and maybe getting closer to that 4 hour mark but I am not sure.
I have enjoyed finding your site, listening to podcasts and reading your book. I swear I feel like I could have written some of the chapters! It is comforting to know that there is a whole batallion of mother runners out there. Keep on Swimming
Kristin
I am a mother to two children, girl 17 and boy 15. I have three dogs and a wonderful husband. Three years ago I decided to get back into running “family style” I signed the kids and I up for a Turkey Trot and several mud runs. While they prefer the fun mud runs, I kept on running for me. My husband makes time for me to run by cooking dinners and arranging his schedule. He even took work off to support me in my first Half Marathon last Fall. I am as slow as dirt, but am enjoying my me time and how I feel after I run. This coming fall I plan to run my first marathon in honor of his making it to 5 years cancer free. I just received your two books as recommended by a new running friend!
I am currently 43 and a mother of 4 (25, 18, 10, 5). My running journey began when I joined the military in 1999 – because I had to! However, since I got out of the Army Reserves in 2008 I have come to love running more than what I did. Unfortunately due to injuries incurred while in the military (running) I have a ‘fun’ time running but I don’t let it stop me. Can’t/don’t/won’t are words not in my vocabulary. My husband and I enjoy running together as a couple when we can get the time. However, most of my time these days are spent running on my own. It’s the only time I am actually ME. I am not a mom, a wife or anything else in between. It keeps me healthy (my mother died at a young age so this is a concern to me) and it helps me de-stress which helps me be a better mother/wife. We just recently relocated to the beach areas due to my husband’s new job position (and will probably be near a beach from here on out for a while) so this running thing – well it helps out a bit for the bikinis too. I have to admit – it’s not a bad gig when someone says “You’re 43? You have four kids? Your oldest is how old?” Thanks for being an extra motivator for people like me who really need it sometimes!! I’m so glad I found you guys!!! All of you are great!!!!!
I am a 51 yr old mother runner whose daughter is now a freshman in college. If it wasn’t for running, I’m not sure where or what I’d be, but I surely wouldn’t be me. I’ve run all over the world both for fun and in races, and even though I used to be “fast”, it is all relative because I can still run.
I am a 38 year old Mom to one daughter, Bela (9). I have been married for nearly 12 years. My running journey began in late 2009, when I joined Team in Training to train for the Disney World Half Marathon. I started out walking/training in honor of my Dad who has Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I completed my first half in Jan 2010, despite the unnaturally cold/snowy conditions in Orlando! I then continued on with Team in Training and walked another Half in St Pete’s FL that fall. Since then I started interval training. I love it so much. I have done 5 Half Marathons in total, and will complete two more this year.
Before 2010, I had never really run in my life. I never really thought I could do it. I loved walking for exercise, and until very recently never really even thought of or referred to myself as a “runner.” But now I own it and claim it.
My sister in law joined me in training last Fall, and she will participate in her first half with me in a few weeks. I now also have a few friends training to do a half with me in November.
It is so thrilling for me to see my family and friends bitten by the bug – for better health!
I am a mother of 3 (14, 12 and almost 9). I started running when my oldest was 1. I ran my first race (5K) when youngest was 1. Since then I have ran several 5Ks, 10Ks and 7 1/2 marathons. I am training for another 1/2 in April. My hubby is my running partner when our schedules match up. I have several mother runner friends that love to talk about our training plans, goals and runs. We don’t run together physically but support each other.
My best race was when my husband ran the whole race with me. He was training for a marathon, so he used it as a training run. He ran the whole way with me to help me reach my goal. I missed my goal, but ran best race pace to date. My normal pace was 9:10 and I ran 8:45 pace that race.
My oldest runs cross country and distance. My younger children talk about running road races with me.
I am a former collegiate runner, who has 5 young kids ages 3-8. I put running on hold until after I had baby #3. I have since, run a 17:58 5k, 1:17 half marathon and 2:54 marathon, and hopefully picking up speed.
I love to run, as it is one of the things outside of motherhood that defines me. I have been able to find me, again.
I love to run in the mountains, and just recently took advantage of the below freezing temps, and went for a 14 mile run on our local lake. Here is the link to an article I wrote about it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwbFWq2YLb4&feature=youtu.be
I love to run!
I am a mother of two. My daughter is 3 in a few days, and my son just turned 10 months. My husband and I are both active duty military. I have just went over the 16 years milestone!!! I have ran since elementary school, but didn’t really start distances until college (I was #6 of 6 on the city college team). I have figured out how to run 4 marathons, a half dozen half marathons, and too many 10K.5Ks to count. I waited until my late 30s to have both of my kids…so to say fitting running in has been a challenge. My husband graciously purchased BOB running strollers (originally a single, and double a double “urban assault vehicle”) for me. I can’t say I get much more than 3-4 miles in on any one run, but I try to get 3-4 runs in a week. My sister and I are planning to run the Tinker Bell Half Marathon in 2014. Her first! She is also a bad ass mother runner (recently started). I am heading to FLorida, Crestview area, in May so if anyone knows of a womens running club I would be interested. I have ran with the Pensacola Runners Association…just wasn’t sure if there were women only running clubs in the south! Happy running my sisters!! Lori in Alabama
I’m an almost 42 year old runner in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I’ve got three kids ages 13 – 18 and a husband who travels a lot. I started running 3 years ago in an effort to lose weight. I’ve lost 100 pounds. I don’t love running. But it’s inexpensive and the running skirts are cute (but not cheap). I’ve completed a few 10ks, several 5ks, and have my first 1/2 marathon coming up on Dec. 23rd – which I am very apprehensive about, since I haven’t trained for it at all.
I’m a near 50-year-old mother of an amazing teen daughter. I’ve only been running for three years, but it is has become the thing that keeps me sane and makes me feel so strong. Admittedly, I am anxious about turning 50, but it does delight me to know I am fitter than many women half my age. Looking forward to following you blog; I just discovered it tonight while reading Runner’s World. Hi, Sarah!!
Totally awesome site!! But my name is Eanista, I have been married to my wonderful husband for almost 7 yrs. We have 4 beautiful children, 12 yr boy, 10 yr old girl, 4 yr old boy, 18m old girl. I started running to do a Komen Race for the Cure 5K, because my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Because she did have medical insurance, several local agencies paid for her surgeries (she had had 7, and 1 more on 12/10/12). I felt the need to give back in some way, but because I was not in shape I was not able to do so. Then I googled running groups and my zipcode and found Sole2Soul Sisters running group. A womens ministry to help women glorify God with their body. We utilize the Couch to 5K, modified to fit in 9 weeks and on Nov 10th,I completed my first 5K in 42m 6s!!! Now I continue to run to be motivation for my children to continue to run!!! I have already looked into several races to keep it up, some include several 5ks, a 10K, 15K, and a half marathon
Did not have medical insurance, sorry
I am the mother runner to 2 absolutely wonderful boys, Sean (age 8) and Mitchell (age 3). (A bit of a span in the ages, but it definitely keeps life interesting!!)
I think my running story started out because I was a mother. My first husband deployed when Sean was 1.5 years old and to maintain my sanity, I took up running around the neighborhood before Sean woke up and the day got started. Getting my endorphins going first thing in the morning helped me take care of Sean in the capacity of being his mom AND dad at the same time. <> Hubby and I separate and (eventually) divorce. I moved back to my hometown with Sean. To deal with the stress of everything, I kept my running shoes handy and run whenever I could. <> I married a wonderful man named John and we added Mitchell to our family dynamic. Now I run for the pure love it and it’s ability to make me a better mother-runner.
My best friend, Dana (34 with 3 kids: 7, 5, 3) and I (Christi, 39, 2 kids: 12 & 9)live in really, really rural South Georgia. We each run alone during the week, but get together on Saturday mornings for our long runs. We will both be running our first half-marathon in November. We run the dirt roads outside our front doors and through our community. We stop in our neighbor’s yard and drink out of his water hose. We have to be very creative about when and where we run b/c we don’t have street lights.
Our long runs are like the “date night” of our friendship. This Saturday, we will send both of our husbands with all 5 kids to the church clean up day while we run! I hope they forgive us!
dirtroadrunners.com
almost 43 y.o. mother of a kindergartner and 1 year old. ran a half marathon at 14 weeks pregnant and just now getting back into running so need some inspiration. hope to run disney princess half in 2014 but many, many more 5k-10ks and in between.
new to your site – read about in on manic mommies.