September 2013

First-Time Marathoners

Woman marathon runner

Speedy and beautiful: Olympian and first-time marathoner Carrie Tollefson and her gorgeous family.

Another fall marathon season is upon us, so Sarah and Dimity chat up two mother runners who are both taking a 26.2-mile victory lap on Sunday, October 6. While they are both novice marathoners, they are very different runners. First up: Carrie Tollefson, an elite mid-distance runner who competed in the 1500 meters in the 2004 Olympics, who is running the Twin Cities Marathon a mere three months after giving birth to her second child. Then the gals talk to Stephanie Rice, also a mom of two, who is running the Portland Marathon (after following the Marathon: Finish It plan from Train Like a Mother. Both ladies talk about taking on the unknown, as well as juggling being a mom, working full-time, and training to go long. Find out what happened, for the first time ever (!!), to Carrie on a recent training run. We’ll just admit here: We still love her, even though it took her this long.
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The Most Important Mile of my Life: Kristin Cooper

Kristin with her parents in 2005, after her first half-marathon.

Kristin with her parents in 2005, after her first half-marathon.

My most important mile didn’t happen during a marathon or a particularly grueling training run; it happened on a Tuesday in November, 2005. I was sitting in a chair in critical care watching my mom’s chest rise and fall, perfectly timed to the hum of the ventilator.  My mom was fighting for her life after a “routine” surgery went horribly wrong. As insane as it was, I was handling it: living at the hospital, talking to doctors, and making sure my dad and brother ate three meals a day. I was stoic and I was suffocating.
That day, I stood up and mumbled something about needing air. I walked straight out of the hospital and started running.  No running clothes, no ipod, no watch. It didn’t matter. I just needed to get out. The hospital was in my hometown so I knew the area and found myself charging toward the biggest hill around. My heart was pumping, quads burning, lungs gasping as I sprinted toward that hill.
It wasn’t my usual steady-paced run. It was manic. It was as if I could suddenly feel all of the fear and pain that I had been holding in. Tears streamed down my cheeks blurring my vision but I didn’t care. I made it to the top of the hill and just screamed and cried. I was spent, both emotionally and physically. I crumpled to the ground and just cried, feeling broken. After a time, I picked myself up and looming there on the horizon was the hospital and I knew that it was time to go back.
As I ran back I felt better; I didn’t feel more positive about what my mom’s condition but I felt prepared for what may lay ahead. That run forced me to unclench and breathe so that I could face doctors, those machines, and the possibility of losing my mom.

Kristin's mom, who saw her daughter get married and have one boy before succumbing to cancer in 2010. "The third anniversary of her death was Sunday," says Kristin, "so I have been spending a lot of time thinking about her and the strange roads life takes you on."

Kristin’s mom, who saw her daughter get married and have one boy before succumbing to cancer in 2010. “The third anniversary of her death was Sunday,” says Kristin, “so I have been spending a lot of time thinking about her and the strange roads life takes you on.”

Seven months later, after relearning how to breathe, eat and walk, my mom left the hospital.Over that time, I snuck out of the hospital frequently to run. Running made me step back from the proverbial ledge, it calmed my fraying nerves. Running was the only time that I could just be me:  in whatever state I was in, instead of the strong or level-headed version that I showed to everyone else.
It was through those many miles that I really felt like I became a runner, but I will always remember that it was that frenetic run on a Tuesday that saved me.
What was (or will be) the most important mile of your life? We want to know.
We’re going to make this an ongoing feature on the website (and potentially include some important miles in our yet-to-be-named third book, out in spring of 2015). Best way to submit is to email us your story with a picture: runmother {at} gmail {dot} com with “Most Important Mile” in the subject line. Please try to keep your mile stories under 300 words. Thank you!

Profile of Team Dimity for Ragnar Relay D.C.

O.k., so you met the Badass Mother Runners of Team Sarah yesterday; today, Team Dimity a.k.a. Are my kids still chasing me? takes the stage before our showdown in the Ragnar Relay D.C. in less than two weeks (!). We’re swift, we’re fearless, and we really hope we can escape the little buggers over the course of 192 miles.
Freedom and daughter

Freedom Green, Mother of 5, from Owings Mills, MD

1. When and why did you start running? I started in high school with my stepdad, but I really started running after baby #5. I had to get myself and my family life under control. I didn’t feel like “me” anymore.
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? 4.5 miles, conquered 11…..yes 11, BIG, long hills, pushing Coach Curly in the stroller without stopping once. I’ve never done this much hill training. I feel alive and ready to roar!
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? I’m totally pumped to be starting leg 1 the day of our 1st daughter’s Birthday. Looking forward to running free, letting my spirit soar, and laughing with other moms.
4. One word that describes you as a runner: believer.
You can find Freedom on Twitter.
Krista on a run

Krista Kruger, Mother of 3, hails from Cuba City, WI

1. When and why did you start running? I started running May of 2012; my best friend Johnna wanted to run a 5K. We were hooked. We run half marathons side by side and are planning our first full marathon in 2014.
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? I did a 5-mile night run in the rural country setting I live in; it was the best training for a Ragnar night run in an area of the country I have never been and on a course I have never run.
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? I am looking forward to being done with the 2 mile hill on my first leg! After that hill, it is all downhill for me.
4. One word that describes you as a runner: influential.
Dimity, mother of 2 in Denver, can run, but she prefers to ring cowbells.

Dimity, mother of 2 in Denver, can run, but she prefers to ring cowbells.

1. When and why did you start running? Crosstraining for rowing in 1990. I huffed and puffed and eventually, about seven years later, found a groove when I ran the New York City Marathon.
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? I haven’t specifically trained for this Ragnar, but going 19+ miles in the Colorado Ragnar a few weeks ago is sufficient training, I’m hoping. (I also just had a really good running weekend with Sarah; we covered over 14 miles in 2 days, which is a lot for me these days. So now it’s time to taper, right?)
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? Can I cop out and say I’m most looking forward to cheering? I mean, I’ll run and all, but give me a good cowbell, and I’ll annoy everybody in the transition area, save myself—and hopefully my teammates.
4. One word that describes your running: Sarah would say loud. “You’re not really light on your feet, are you Dimity?” she said nicely (truly) at the beginning of one run in Portland this past weekend. “I describe myself as a clod-hopper: I am nothing if not accurate,” I replied. These days, I would say steady. I’m not ripping it up, but—knock on wood—I’ve gone for two years with no running-induced injury. I did have a chip fracture in my toe, but that was from clumsiness, not running.
Joan on a run

Joan Sturdevant, Mother of 2, from Richmond, VA1

1. When and why did you start running? I always felt like there was a runner in me, but I didn’t really enjoy it for a long time, so I feel like I didn’t really ‘become a runner’ until my late 20s. I ran my first marathon at age 30 and I just kept going after that through multiple marathons and an Ironman.  Then, I had two children, and it’s been tough getting back ‘in the game’ but I’m so glad that I have! Now it is so important for me to be doing something that I enjoy, that makes me feel good and strong, and that my children can watch and be a part of!
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? The best run was a 10-miler run without the stroller. (I’ve had to push a double for most of my training runs.)  The miles just ticked by and I felt like I was running strong again!
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? It looks like my 2nd leg of the Ragnar relay will be sometime in the middle of the night.  I’m actually excited about that because, just like this relay, running at night is something I’ve never done before.  I’ll be honest and say that yes, I’m a little afraid to run in the dark, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.
4. One word that describes you as a runner: easygoing.
You can find Joan on Facebook.
Laura on a run

Laura Ford, Mother of 3, calls California, MD home

1. When and why did you start running? My dad remembers that I ran my first 5k in 29 minutes when I was 7, but I didn’t start to run consistently and purposefully until 5 years ago when I needed to reclaim my body and sanity.
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? I did a 12-mile training run by myself at the end of July without stopping, hurting, or wanting to quit; a year ago, I hadn’t raced farther than a 10k. (Attached picture is from my first half in November 2012.)
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? I’ll be running 7.3 miles around 2 AM through the battlefields of Antietam, which has great historical significance; 1 leg later, we’re stopping for ice cream at South Mountain Creamery!
4. One word that describes you as a runner: determined.
You can find Laura on her blog.
Jill and her daughter at race

Jill Broderick, Mother of 2, resides in Albuquerque, NM

1. When and why did you start running? I ran off and on through adulthood, but have taken it up as my main ‘hobby’ since having two children.  Running gives me the time to focus on myself, so that I can focus on the family the rest of the day with a smile.
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? Probably a 19 miler a couple of weeks ago.  I did 8 miles on my own, met a friend for 6 more miles on trails, and had planned to finish the last 4 miles on my own, but ran into another friend on the main running path here in Albuquerque, so I crashed her solo run and  tagged along with her until the end.  What seemed like a very daunting amount of miles when I woke up flew by when broken up into shorter distances with friends.
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why?  I am looking forward to Leg 18 – the climb up and over South Mountain.  3.5 miles with 580 elevation gain, 450 loss that ends at the South Mountain Creamery!  Who doesn’t want to end a run with a little ice cream —even if it will be 3:30am?
4. One word that describes you as a runner: dedicated.
You can find Jill on Twitter.
Nikki at a race

Nikki Maroon, Mother of 1, hails from Saratoga Springs, NY

1. When and why did you start running? I started running in college to get in better shape; I was an on and off runner for quite awhile. I found a love of “running long” in 2011 and haven’t stopped since!
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? I really love the sense of BAMR that accompanies running two a days and hills!
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? I’m actually looking forward to leg 7, which is my first leg. It has a massive (1000+ ft!!) elevation gain, but I can’t wait to finish the climb and see what I accomplished. Plus, I like hills!
4. One word that describes you as a runner: unpredictable.

You can find Nikki on Instagram.
Angela on a run

Angela Bruns, Mother of 2, from Lakewood, CO

1. When and why did you start running?  I started running April 2009 because I was bored with walking on the treadmill so I challenged myself to jog 30 seconds, then 1 minute, etc. My first race was half-marathon in Columbus, OH October 2009. As I finished and saw the full marathoners continuing on, I felt totally bummed that I had to stop!
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? The first time I ran in the dark with a headlamp; it made me feel really dedicated.
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? Leg 8, despite the 1,000 ft hill climb. I think I will be itching to run and the adrenaline will carry me up the hill!
4. One word that describes you as a runner: Committed.
Laura LJ on a run

Laura Lacroix-Johnson, Mother of 1, calls Sterling VA home

1. When and why did you start running? I used to get winded walking up the stairs!  When I started running in April 2012 I had a 15-month old boy who moved quicker than I did. I love a lot of things about running but I especially love that I can clear my head of the minutia from the day and find peace and clarity after a good run.
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? My favorite training runs for Ragnar have been dubbed “the Wu-tang runs” (In case you don’t know Wu-tang – ain’t nothin to F$&K with!). Twice a week I will get up at 4:30a.m. to an alarm that says “don’t think – just go”.  Then I run to one of my BRF’s houses and we take on 5 miles at 5:00a.m. Getting to run under the starry night sky with the occasional bats and hear only the syncopated sound of our feet is nothing short of awesome!  I can take on anything the day throws at me after that!
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? The one that will fall around 2 a.m.  Reason:  crazy middle of the night running sounds like it will be an awesome adventure!
4. One word that describes you as a runner: fearless.
Meryl on a run

Meryl Carver-Allmond, Mother of 1, hails from Lawrence, KS

1. When and why did you start running? I started running because my husband needed a running buddy with his same “we just had a baby” schedule.  He drug me along kicking and screaming for at least the first 3 months.  That was a year ago last June, and now I’m as big of a a run junkie as he is.
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? About 6 miles, one spooky morning before sunrise on the 150th anniversary of the day my town was invaded during the Civil War. I kept wondering when I was going to get shot by a ghost.
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? Apparently my last leg has amazing views of the D.C. monuments–I’m really psyched for that!
4. One word that describes you as a runner: stubborn
You can find Meryl on Twitter, Instagram, and her blog.
Aimee on a run

Aimee Hoyt, Mother of 1, calls Albuquerque, NM home

1. When and why did you start running?  I started running eleven years ago.  I was a backpacking and climbing instructor and thought running would keep me in shape when I wasn’t out on trips.  Years later, when I had my son and realized I couldn’t regularly leave home for a 30-day backcountry trips in Alaska, I figured out that trail running covers about the same amount of ground in a day that I’d cover in two weeks with a 70-pound pack!
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why?  I often run by myself on trails, so Ragnar has motivated me to run more on roads, which makes it a little easier to run with friends.
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why?  Leg 23.  It’s through Sugarloaf Mountain Park (doesn’t that just sound delicious and bready–especially to someone who eats mostly gluten-free because of her son’s dietary restrictions?) and I’m hoping the timing will be right so that the sun is coming up as I’m running.  And it has hills, which reminds me of home.
4. One word that describes you as a runner: dirty.
You can find Aimee on Facebook and on her blog.
Janelle and daughter on a run

Janelle Williams, Mother of 2, currently lives in Houston, TX and calls Alaska and Oregon home

 1. When and why did you start running? I ran for much of my childhood, but at 31, I had to have cartilage replacement surgery, kneecap realignment and was told I would never run again. Five months later, I did a 5k through a combination of run/walk. Nows ix years post surgery, I have run two marathons, too many halves to count, trained to do 21 miles in Ragnar and I’m training for Houston Marathon in January  I often credit the doctor telling me never and my push to say, yes I will, to saving my life.  I have found a new and different love in running that is no longer competitive and am finding a zen in running that helps me relax.
 2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? My favorite training run was in Bend, Oregon where we were on a family holiday; my husband and I got to run 10 miles together.  While I could not keep the pace I had hoped (darn altitude, hills, and sinus infection) it was wonderful to be out enjoying time with him in some beautiful country. I am most proud of the week I ran 40 miles total—a record high mileage week for me—and over the span of two days ran 20 miles.  It was tough but so rewarding when I finished and I realized what I had accomplished.
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? My last leg (leg 36). It goes over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge,which is like a dream come true for me.I am obsessed with running bridges and I get to run in three states over the bridge!  I also can’t wait to bring in a strong finish for Team Dimity!
4. One word that describes you as a runner: determined.
Karyn is our alternate who has gamely offered to come along for the ride and chip in with driving and logistics. She's got 5 kids—twins at the end—and lives in Gaithersburg, MD.

Karyn is our alternate who has gamely offered to come along for the ride and chip in with driving and logistics. She’s got 5 kids—twins at the end—and lives in Gaithersburg, MD.

1. When and why did you start running?  In 1998, I ran the Marine Corp Marathon to raise money for a good cause. After that, marriage and kids happened and the running continued between pregnancies to lose the ‘baby’ fat.  I started seriously training for races again in 2010, and running then became more about me (me-time, sanity saver, and the overall good feeling of being fit and accomplishing my goals) while setting a good example for my kids. I ran about 7 half marathons before running the Marine Corp again in 2011 where, 13 years later, I PR’d by over an hour.
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? My favorite part of being prepared for the possibility of running Ragnar is doing more than one workout in a day.  It makes me feel pretty good for being able to tackle that in a day along with everything else in life!
3. One word that describes you as a runner: committed
Find Karyn on Twitter.

Profile of Team Sarah for Ragnar Relay D.C.

In less than two weeks, four vans full of mother runners–lead by Dimity and me–are taking on Ragnar Relay D.C., a nearly 200-mile race from Cumberland, Maryland, across the Appalachian Mountains, to Washington, D.C. It’s going to be more than 30 hours of sweaty, sleep-deprived, laughter-filled hours. Here are the 11 gals (+ me) formerly known as Team Sarah…now officially dubbed Badass Mother Runners. Watch out!
woman running half-marathon

Schuyler Nunn, mother of two teens, from Philadelphia.

1. When and why did you start running? I started running when I was a senior in college.  I saw my friends running, for fun, and wanted to see what it was all about.  After my first run (which was a run/walk around the block), I was hooked!
 
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? I’ve been working with a running coach, for the first time, while training for Ragnar. My favorite workouts have been the track workouts, as I have surprised myself. My running coach has me running faster than I ever imagined!
 
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? As the first runner for Team Sarah, I am most looking forward to the first leg of the race. I think the excitement, the camaraderie with the other participants, and the adrenaline rush, at the start of the race,  will be amazing!  Also, I’m told the first leg is a beautiful section of the course. I’m looking forward to enjoying the scenery.
 
4. One word that describes you as a runner: Happy
Find Schuy on Twitter (and her fantabulous women’s activewear store, Indigo Schuy); Instagram; and on Facebook. (Again, here’s her store, Indigo Schuy–Like it as  much as we do!)
Bethany on the track

Bethany Meyer, Mother of 4, Philadelphia, PA

1. When and why did you start running? I started running in 2004 when my Dad was diagnosed with cancer. He hated his radiation treatments. I felt powerless to help him, so in a show of solidarity I decided to do something I hated too…run. Every day he went to radiation I ran. Six weeks later, Dad was cancer-free…and I was hooked.

2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? I’ve been training on hills because my first leg begins with a steep 2-mile uphill climb. I ran 3 x 1-mile hill repeats last week with high temperatures and redonkulous humidity. When I reached the top of the third hill and looked down at my watch, I discovered I’d run negative splits. Three months of training coming together as the race approaches feels good!

3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? I’m excited for my second leg…4.5 flat miles in the dark. Running that second leg will mean the 2-mile uphill climb of my first leg is already under my belt. Or under my tutu, in this case.

4. One word that describes you as a runner: Committed

You can find Bethany on TwitterFacebook; and on her blog

Jill P., mom of two, from Suttons Bay, MI

Jill P., mom of two, from Suttons Bay, MI

1. When and why did you start running? Five years ago I started walking, and then running, short distances to change my sedentary life path of sitting on my can—focused on work and career ambitions–and to lose weight from two pregnancies. My mind and body ached, and I was missing the joy and life of the person that was stuck in a very large wrapper of kyptonite.
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? Besides that little 50-mile trail ultra last month, it’s Ragnar–Hill Repeats (20-30 hill repeats once a week!). It breaks me in the beginning, then makes me by the last one. My rock’n music my kids can’t hear pumps me through to the other side, and at the end I am on a guaranteed high.
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why?  I am most excited about Leg 3—my first one—where the course run is described as something like “You got to be kidding me!” Sounds HILLarious!
4. One word that describes you as a runner: Relentless
You can find Jill P. on her blog.
Woman running Boston Marathon

Me looking ridiculously exuberant at about Mile 15 of the 2012 Boston Marathon

1. When and why did you start running? Oh, come on: Didn’t I cover this in Run Like a Mother?
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? Weekly hill repeats with my BRF, Molly. Not nearly as long as the ones my teammates have been running, but I got a lot of practice laughing while running. That counts for something, right?!
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why?  Um, you’re assuming I’ve studied the course map. I’ll be pleasantly surprised by what gets thrown my way.
4. One word that describes you as a runner: Upbeat
Follow SBS on Twitter.
Nicole at race

Nicole Hart, Mother of 3, South Central, PA

1. When and why did you start running? I started running after I met my husband. He is in the Army, so very fit and really liked to run. I tried running, and really like it too. I was 27. I really got the running bug later while living in Germany and met my BRF, Michele. We trained together and ran our first half-marathon in 2007. Since then I’ve run five marathons.
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? After all the hot and humid weather we have been experiencing here on the East Coast, I had a great 15-mile run two weeks ago. It was 52 degrees and sunny. Perfect running weather. I am hoping for similar weather for Ragnar D.C.
3. What leg of your’s are you most looking forward to running and why? That is difficult to say. I plan on enjoying them all. The 7.3-mile rolling hill run (leg 17) looks like the most challenging for me. It will be sometime after midnight, so my longest night run ever! I have a 7.5-mile loop on rolling hills here that I have been running every week to prepare.
4. One word that describes you as a runner: Motivated
You can find Nicole on Twitter; on Instagram; and on her blog.
Terri at race

Terri Lukens-Gable, Mother of 1, State College, PA

1. When and why did you start running? January 3, 2010. I injured my back in November 2009 and the pain was so great I almost couldn’t stand at my son’s wedding. I was an avid biker but it was a snowy winter, and I realized I could build back fitness by running in the snow if not biking. It was a New Year’s Resolution that stuck.

 2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? Any night run has been stupendous! I run solo for personal space and night runs allow me to have the world to myself.
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? Leg 18 will be at night and crosses the Appalachian Trail but it is Leg 30 that I look forward to the most. My final 8+ miles will be the longest final leg distance for the whole team. The course will take me through Rock Creek Park where my parents took me as a baby while they worked in D.C. for the FBI. I haven’t been there for 50 years – HA!
4. One word that describes you as a runner: Phoenix-like
You can find Terri on Twitter; and on her blog.
Renee on a run

Renee J. Ross, Mother of 1, Atlanta, GA

1. When and why did you start running? I started running for weight loss in 2000 and stopped in 2001. Picked it up again in 2010 after a 40-pound weight loss to lose the last 10 pounds.
 2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? My favorite Ragnar training run was with my BRF, Lorraine, because running together makes the time pass quickly.
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? I most looking forward to running the first leg, it is my most difficult and once it is done, I’ll be relieved!
4. One word that describes you as a runner: Determined
You can find Renee on Twitter; on Instagram; and on her blogs here  and here.
Nancy at the NYC Half Marathon

Nancy Barlow, Mother of 2, Ridgefield, CT

1. When and why did you start running? This running life (I’ve had others) started in 2010. After being laid off twice in two years, feeling flabby, and being willed $100 from my grandmother, I decided to buy some running shoes and make a change. Now I run because it’s the one time of day that no one is asking me for anything.
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? Back in July, I ran across the new Route 52 Causeway/Bridge in Ocean City, New Jersey. It’s 4.5 miles out-and-back across the span with a wide pedestrian walkway, hill climbs, and spectacular views. It was such a lovely run, I swear I was sweating unicorn tears and sprouting Pegasus wings.
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? I am looking forward to my first leg (#8). It’s almost seven miles and I has a 1,000-foot climb in the first half. I’m going to enjoy the challenge and I can’t wait to Kill That Hill.

4. One word that describes you as a runner: JOYFUL!
You can find Nancy on Twitter; and on her blog.

Michelle at the finish line

Michelle Emme, Mother of 3, Hermantown, MN

1. When and why did you start running? In early 2010, I used a structured 10-week Couch-to-5K podcast  (I had to repeat weeks 6-8 multiple times) and eventually got to a solid 30 minutes of running.  In the past, I had fits and starts at running, but was never successful for many reasons, one of the main being my weight, which fluctuated pretty wildly starting just after high school and up until I decided enough was enough in July 2009.  To this day, I love being challenged, setting goals, and meeting them with determination and hard work.  Yes, I wanted to lose weight — and I did — 135 pounds to be exact, but running has given me so much more in return.
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? My favorite training runs so far have been my split long runs. It provides the solitary running I do so much of, but I can also do a shorter distance “leg” with a friend. Just this past weekend, I ran with my friend Anna (also my trainer), who has been with me since the beginning, and is a much faster runner than I am.  It was almost surreal running with her, as when I was so much bigger and out of shape, I couldn’t even fathom the idea.
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? I’m looking forward to Leg 3, since I will have conquered Leg 2 which is 6.7 miles in the dark through rural farmland.  Leg 3 is 2.2 miles on a trail, and I look forward to going all out as much as possible on pure adrenaline.
4. One word that describes you as a runner: Determined
You can find Michelle on Twitter; on Instagram; and on her blog.

 

Rebecca

Mom of two Rebecca Weld from Potsdam, NY

1. When and why did you start running? I started running when I was 32. I spent my twenties convinced that I couldn’t, but when I heard about C25K, I knew I had to try, and I had great success!  Nine months later, I ran my first half-marathon, and nine months after that, I had my first child!
2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? My favorite Ragnar training runs were a trail run I did combining two trails on a local college campus. I had to run one trail twice, and then run over to the other and through a beautiful cemetery. I did that in the morning, and late afternoon I did a very similar version of the same run. Since many of my runs start in the dark I don’t often go over to these trails, so it was a real treat!  Total of 13 miles!
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? I am looking forward to my last leg. I am #10, so it will be one of the last legs coming in to the finish. It’s on a paved trail along the water, and is a longer run. I plan on really going for it though at that point in the game we’ll see if that translates to any actual speed!
4. One word that describes you as a runner: Grateful
You can find Rebecca on Facebook.
Iliana Zuniga, a mom of two boys, who calls Silvermine, CT, home

Iliana Zuniga, a mom of two boys, who calls Silvermine, CT, home

1. When and why did you start running

I started running four and a half years ago. After having my second child, I was overweight and depressed. I started running to get in shape and lose the weight that had accumulated after my pregnancies. First it was a block, then two, then a mile. Now I have completed a full marathon and five half-marathons, along with other races.

2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? This past Saturday, I ran my fifth half-marathon as a training long run for my marathon training plan. I was meant to run 16 miles so I ran from home to the start line (three miles) and then the half. I was able to finish that strong on a long and elevated run. That is when I realized all the training had paid off.
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? 23. I have never run trails and I am going to be running this leg in a mountain at dawn. I cannot wait to see the sun raise while I run through nature and I conquer my second 10-miler of the event on a mountain.
4. One word that describes you as a runner: Correosa (Spanish for “resistant, that endures everything, long lasting”)
You can find Iliana on Twitter; on Instagram; on Facebook; and on her blog.
Lorraine at a marathon

Lorraine Robertson, Mother of 2, Atlanta, GA

1. When and why did you start running? I started working out in my early 30s after my daughter was born because I wanted to be healthy and have the energy to play with my children–and I wanted to look good doing it. I was a smoker before kids, was possibly the laziest person ever, and hated running. In 2005, I ran my first half-marathon because I wanted a new challenge. I conquered that challenge and since then have taken on 13 more half-marathons, three full marathons, and countless 10K, 5K, and fun run races.

2. What has been your favorite Ragnar training run and why? It was actually the Area 13.1 half-marathon I ran in August. It was a night race and the perfect opportunity to rock my cute headlamp and flashing lights!
3. What leg of yours are you most looking forward to running and why? Definitely the last leg–#36. I’m the anchor for Team Sarah and get to run across the Woodrow Wilson bridge and end the race at the National Harbor. I’m looking forward to my teammates joining me and crossing the finish line together.
4. One word that describes you as a runner: Passionate
Find Lorraine on her blog, Twitter, and Instagram.
Meet Team Dimity tomorrow!

 
 
 

 

 

 

 
 

 
 

All About Ragnar

The last quarter mile of the 193-mile journey in Ragnar Colorado. Gotta have a tunnel.

The last quarter mile of the 193-mile journey in Ragnar Colorado. Gotta have a tunnel.

Dimity, fresh off running the Ragnar Relay in the mountains of Colorado, and Sarah host Tanner Bell, the co-founder of the 15-race relay series. Tanner talks about what makes a Ragnar so “magical,” and how he and his energetic co-horts choose relay destinations—including the new trail running editions. Tanner and the ladies laugh about the creativity of team names and outfits (sorry, gals, tutus + our tees aren’t enough to win “best costume”—find out which out-there teams get bestowed that honor). The veteran of 10 Ragnar Relays shares his three top tips for success in the overnight races, which morphs into slightly gag-inducing conversation about dropping a cell phone into a port-a-potty. (A mishap that Sarah has borderline-phobic concerns about.) And, vocab-alert: Dimity tosses around a few $5 words, including, “detritus.”
If you’re digging our podcasts, we’d be super-grateful if you’d take a minute (because we *know* you have so many to spare!) to write a review on iTunes.[audio:http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/podcasts.pagatim.fm/shows/amr/amr_091913.mp3] **Also, the quickest way to get our podcasts is to subscribe to the show via iTunes. Clicking this link will automatically download the shows to your iTunes account. It doesn’t get any simpler than that!

The Most Important Mile of My Life: Julie Burke

Love the tank, Julie!

Love the tank, Julie!

Today’s Most Important Mile is from Julie Burke, mother runner of two who lives in Greenville, S.C.
Being diagnosed with MS was completely terrifying.  I knew nothing about this disease. The only plan I really had was to stay as strong as I could and try to not let it change my life. Great idea, but I didn’t know if I could really do it.
My first really big test came when I had a new flare-up that meant five days of intravenous Methylprednisolone. On day two of the treatment, I had an 8K race scheduled. I was determined to run that race despite what was going on. If I could run the race, I could prove that I was in charge.
Well I did run the race, but I felt awful. Suffice it to say, there are many side effects when you are pumping this much medication into your body. I decided not to run again until I was off the medication and feeling better. This felt like a huge defeat to me.
By day seven of treatment (no more IVs, but “tapering off” with large amounts of oral Prednisone), I felt sick, exhausted, and depressed.  I needed to go running. I decided to go easy on myself with a slow, short jog. Instead, I had the most amazing five-mile run that I have ever had. Getting back to what I love doing was exactly what my body needed. I needed to feel strong again. I needed the runner’s high much more than any other medication.  I needed the chance to think about everything and nothing at all. At some point during this run, I knew I was stronger than MS. I knew I would never let it stop me. I didn’t have to wonder anymore.

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