August 2017

What We Did On Our Summer Vacation: the Tribe

Because summer is winding down, we though the would be a good week to reminisce about what we did during the sweaty months. Yesterday, our Train Like a Mother Club coaches and experts wrote their essays. Today, it’s the Tribe’s turn.

We asked over on Facebook what all y’all would remember from the summer of 2017. We didn’t expect so many great responses! Just a few of the 100+ are in this blog post — and it was hard to choose from so many good stories. We recommended hopping over there to breeze through the rest of them…

Sunrise in Key West

Key West Florida! Ran along Highway 1 as the sun rose over the ocean. It was hot humid and one of the happiest things I have ever done! — Ariadne Weisenburger

Mr. T and Krista

My son and I spend 3 weeks at my mom’s in Gilroy, California, and she still lives in the home I grew up in. This summer’s visit coincided with my 30th high school reunion. The morning of the reunion I ran 8.7 miles for the class of 87. I ran along the route that a high school teacher and coach Mr. T used to run almost daily. Everyone knew if you drove along Santa Theresa you’d probably see Mr. T running! Well, there I was heading south and he was coming north. He doesn’t run anymore but he still walks the same route! It was such a serendipitous moment and was a perfect way to start my reunion day. — Krista Hagenbuch Rider

5K FINISHER and family

Ran my first 5K today actually! I’ve worked very hard to get here. — Amanda Pommerening

At the start of #6

I ran 166 miles in 6 days and raised $26,000 for MS. My brother and i both have the disease and I knew I just had to do it. I also happened to start on my 40th birthday. — Deanna Badura Tysdal

At the water’s edge in Nova Scotia

We visit Nova Scotia every summer. It’s my favorite place in the world to run! Running on the undeveloped beaches and through the woods is soul rejuvenating. I dream about those runs during the cold winter nights. I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to run in one of the most beautiful places in the world! — Kaelea Tewksbury

Karen went up and down.

I finished the 87KM Comrades Marathon in South Africa, the world’s oldest and largest ultramarathon. I earned my back-to-back medal, signifying finishing both the Down Run and the Up Run in consecutive years. I’m so proud my kids were there to witness me competing in The Ultimate Human Race. — Karen Shopoff Rooff

Kid-free on Tybee

My husband and I went on our first vacation with no kids since our honeymoon! We went to Tybee Island, Georgia, and also visited Atlanta, Savannah, and Virginia Beach. I was on a run streak, so I ran every morning. Running on Tybee was fantastic! I ran on the beach and through the quaint little town. I love running on vacation because it’s such a great way to experience new surroundings. — Joyce Greenland Stath

On the left was a few days before Amanda went into labor and after a hot summer run. Right is a few months postpartum at the track.

I had my third baby on June 10th! I successfully ran through all 9 months of pregnancy (which was the goal!) Including a half marathon at 23 weeks. First place AG finish in at 5k at 33 weeks (it was a tiny race!) And I ran when I was IN labor (just didn’t quite realize it until the contractions didn’t stop). Now baby is 11-weeks old and I did my first 5k postpartum in 22:28 and won my AG! Now my little man and I hit the road together. Since he’s exclusively breast fed (goal is a year)he’s always close. Goals now are to get stronger and faster and get back to my 5k PR and then blow past it! Stroller miles should help that right ?  — Amanda Partee-Manders

An ordinary day on the track

This was a summer to make memories out of ordinary days and “just keep running” amidst the always expanding balancing act of mothering, working, and living. What happens when it’s 6:45 pm, you’re out with your family, realize you haven’t run yet, and discover there’s a track nearby? You get ‘er done, in flip flops and a dress! And your oldest daughter joins you, on her birthday, for a barefoot mile. –Elizabeth Devine

#274: Time-saving Hacks from a Coach + a Nutritionist

Sarah and co-host Amanda Loudin are here to help you get moving more quickly and how to get yourself (and maybe your kids!) out the door, back at your desk, or off to bed after a workout. This episode is all about trimming time and simplifying your routine to fit in your runs. First up, Sarah and Amanda share tips and hacks from other mother runners plus anecdotal advice from their own decades of running (and, in the case of Amanda: coaching!). Ways to wake up–and get out of bed–more consistently and how to start putting your miles as soon as possible after your feet hit the floor. How to remove obstacles that slow you down, like contact lenses or having to prepare a pre-run snack (thank you, GoGosqueeZ!). Then the duo talks to Sally Kuzemchak, the genius behind the websiteReal Mom Nutrition and author of the time-saving cookbook, Dinnertime Survival Guide. A font of great advice, Sally suggests figuring out your mealtime “pain-points” are (no, she doesn’t mean the kids constantly bickering!!)—then offers solutions to eliminating that barrier. (Including this website and downloadable handouts from Sally’s site.) Sally offers loads of lunch-making guidance, plus ideas for healthy snacks for mother runners. Laugh along with Sarah’s slip of the tongue for another name for a slowcooker, and find out what YoYo Night is—and why it’s a brilliant idea!

The advice-giving from Sarah + Coach Amanda starts at 08:22. Special thanks to GoGosqueeZ for sponsoring this episode.

*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. Many thanks.

**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. We’ve also joined the Acast podcast network, download their app to hear our podcast and many others like it!

Maggie’s Miles: It’s About the Journey

Running represents life to me. It’s all about the journey, not the destination. If you focus on the end, you can’t relax into the moment you’re in. Motherhood parallels this idea. So often we focus on the goals – and forget to be in the moment. Of course, when the moment involves your toddler throwing a fit on the floor of your grocery store, all of those people telling you to “cherish this time, it goes so quickly” become your worst enemy.

My view when I try to get away for a quick run.

The same can be said for the people holding signs saying, “You’re almost there!” at the halfway point of a marathon. That’s why as runners, and mothers, we’ve slowly conditioned ourselves to focus on the journey to keep us sane enough to make the destination. Also, as it turns out, the journey is actually really amazing.

Once I settled into understanding this, I started enjoying every day and every moment more. I started enjoying the run by looking at the trees, noticing the flowers, feeling the sun or the rain on my face. I started seeing the beauty in the mundane, every day moments. My son’s dirty face and wide eyes as he explored the backyard, my daughter’s hair blowing in the ocean breeze, early morning cuddles in bed. It’s as if time slowed down to a more manageable pace once I decided to focus on the moment and not the outcome.

It’s 4 a.m. Sure you can crawl into bed with me.

My first long run after my son’s birth felt like freedom. It felt like I was back in my body for the first time in a long time. I only ran about 2 miles but it felt like 10. I noticed my hips, my glutes, my thighs and how capable and strong there were. I hushed the negative thoughts in my head that whispered about the jiggle and the bounce, and focused instead on the pounding of my feet on the pavement, the curve of my back and how strong our bodies are to create and carry life.

Freedom on the open road.

Running gave me confidence and purpose. Motherhood gives me confidence and purpose. If ever you feel the need to slow down your life, go for a quick run. Look around, look up, look down. Be in the moment. Except at the grocery store during a toddler’s tantrum. It’s totally okay to not like that part.

Share your first post partum run memories in the comments below.

#273: How to Get Out of a Training Slump

This show is almost like a trio of co-hosts: Sarah and co-host Molly pick the brain of Coach Amanda for insight into a training slump – and advice on how to pull yourself out of one. The coach asserts that, despite what it may feel like, mostly likely the source of your ennui is mental, not physical. She breaks things down, assuring you feeling “tired, hungry, and harried” is to be expected when training for a race, then she outlines how to discern those symptoms from overtraining. Discussing the common conundrum of wanting to skip a run due to exhaustion, Coach Amanda grants you a hall pass to skip an occasional run. Talk turns to the seasons of life—and why sometimes it’s just not the right time to run a race. Molly introduces the notion of “the pleasure of discomfort,” and both she and Sarah give anecdotal advice on how to lean into that feeling. Learn the Rx for missing a week of training, plus the value of a throwing in a benchmark run or workout to re-kindle your enthusiasm.

In the introduction, Sarah and Molly talk about #OReclipse mania. The conversation with Coach Amanda kicks off at 12:40.

*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. Many thanks.

**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. We’ve also joined the Acast podcast network, download their app to hear our podcast and many others like it!

This BAMR Still Smiles After 50 Miles

In October 2015, Mother Runner Heather wrote about running her first marathon. In 2016, she hit the 50K milestone and ran her first ultra. Not one to rest on her laurels, Heather stepped it up another notch and just finished the Burning River 50 Mile Endurance Run. We caught up with her a few days after she crossed the finish line.

All smiles at mile 39. (photo courtesy Pat Dooley Race Photography)

Why did you want to run 50 miles? 

I like hitting new milestones. So after my first marathon, a milestone would necessarily mean either further or faster. And honestly, I was a little burnt out on training for fast. So I went after my first 50k last summer. I immediately fell in love with trail running and ultrarunning and started daydreaming about doing a longer distance. Right now, my kids are small enough that we’re not into the afterschool activity rat race yet and I have a job with a pretty flexible schedule, so it seemed more doable this summer than it might be for a long time.

How did you pick this race? And how long was your training?

I adore everything about Burning River. This was my 3rd consecutive year running it, previously as part of a relay team. It is incredibly well-organized, has great aid stations and support, and a gorgeous course through our metroparks and Cuyahoga Valley National Park. And it’s practically in my backyard! So there was never really any question that BR50 would be my choice. My biggest dilemma was “front 50” or “back 50.” Burning River has multiple races taking place on the same day: 100 miles, front 50, back 50, a 4-person relay, and an 8-person relay. The front 50 is less technical but takes place in the heat of the day. The back 50 starts at 6pm and runs through the night over pretty technical trails. I’d done much of the back stretch as part of the relay teams and love night running, but I was concerned about sleep deprivation for my first 50. So, front it was.

What did you prepare the night before?

My husband John and my BRF Abbie were going to crew me for the event. I wanted to make it as easy as possible for them (plus, I may have a teeny bit of a type-A streak in me) so I packed all my supplies (everything from lip balm and Bodyglide to Nuun and Pringles) into carefully labeled totes and cinch sacks. I also made up a checklist of what I wanted them to ask me (and later, expecting my ability to make decision to deteriorate, to tell me) at each crew station. Of course I overpacked. I never needed my ibuprofen, never made it through my stash of gels or waffles. But two unexpected wins were peppermint oil and iced coffee. Both provided a much-appreciated jolt of fresh energy at mile 39. Please note: use separately.

Ice bandana vs. John

Were there any moments when you thought you wouldn’t make it? How did you get through them?

I had two training races – Mohican Trail Marathon and Buckeye Trail 50k – leading up to Burning River. Both are known for their difficulty, showcasing technical, hilly terrain in the worst heat of summer. Mohican Marathon, for added punishment, decided to test out a noon start time this year. In both races, there were absolutely moments when I didn’t think I was going to make it through them, let alone the upcoming 50-miler. During BT50k I moved in and set up camp in the very darkest part of my brain. It was so bad that while crawling along, I was mentally composing the article I would write about being ok with my future 50-miler DNF. I knew I was being ridiculous, but couldn’t shake the miserable headspace I was in. I eventually finished out of pure stubbornness, but was left with serious doubts about my ability to run 50 miles. For a couple days I even considered dropping out, but I knew I’d regret it forever if I didn’t at least try. Plus, my kids knew I was training for a huge race; I didn’t want them to see me give up before I’d even started.

Abbie points the way.

Were there any moments when you were having the best time ever?

Race day brought with it the best weather of the summer. Temperatures topped out in the upper 70s and humidity was low – basically unheard of for Ohio in July. For the first time ever, I raced without my GPS. I kept it on my wrist, set to plain ol’ time, and only checked mileage sporadically. I never once looked at my pace. I’m certain this is one of the things that kept me in a positive headspace. There was no questioning whether I was running fast enough, or too fast – I was simply running.

So many friends wove through my head throughout the run: My coach, Connie, telling me to “run relaxed and easy.” My friend Danielle, cheering me on to “just run super slowly once you powerwalk to the top of the hill! Even if you don’t feel like it, just real slow!” My friend Emily: “Remember to smile. It’s such a great release.” As it happens, Emily’s advice was superfluous. I felt like smiling the entire 13 hours. I spent at least 12 of those hours marveling at what a lucky girl I am to be able to undertake a challenge like this, with overwhelming support from my family and friends.

A Heather-sized dot in the big woods.

Two moments stand out:

1. At around mile 31, the farthest I’d ever run previously, my parents told me I was running 40 minutes ahead of what I’d predicted. I was feeling great, and that was the moment I knew without a doubt I’d finish.

2. Leaving an aid station around mile 43, I had this moment of clarity, that this was what I’d been training so hard and so long for. I’d been working so hard all summer, and I only had 7 miles left. I’m historically terrible at living in the moment but I was able to sit with that, take it in, and feel so happy and grateful to be there. I hope I never forget that feeling.

What did you think about? Or did you really think about anything at all?

I really did spend loads of time thinking about the wonderful people in my life, and thanking my lucky stars for them. My crew was made up of two of my favorite people: My husband, who picked up so much of my slack during training and yet still somehow remains my biggest cheerleader, and Abbie, one of my very best friends and my BRF. I loved coming into a crew station knowing I’d get to see them.

I also listened to a lot of music, including the new girl-power mix from AMR & Rock My Run. I’ve never listened to music on the trails, so I was surprised how much I loved powering up hills lip-syncing to Fight Song.

How did you feel when you crossed the finish line?

After a final steep ascent up the “piano keys,” the last half mile is all downhill. I could hear the cheers and cowbells a quarter mile away as I wove my way down, and got incredibly choked up knowing I was almost there. Burning River front 50 ends with one of my favorite sections of the Buckeye Trail, so I’d run that stretch a lot in training, always imagining this moment. It was every bit as sweet as I’d imagined, and more. I burst out of the woods totally teary, seeing not only my parents and beloved crew, but also an unexpected bunch of my MRTT tribe and their kids, all holding handmade signs and shouting my name.

Heather with her hard-earned bling.

I’m still riding the high. The next day my quads were on fire, but within 24 hours the physical pain had almost completely receded. I’m enjoying the break from intense training, but am already daydreaming about my next ultra.

One thing I’d like to make clear: The fact that I had a total blast for almost all 50 miles does not mean I was not physically hurting. My hip flexors, which never once gave me trouble in training, started complaining loudly around mile 5, and hurt for most of the race. A weird cramp manifested itself in my foot around mile 15 and also hung out for the remainder of the day. By mile 35, everything hurt, including new and interesting muscles you’d think are mostly unrelated to running (in my back, for example.) But it was just muscle soreness, and temporary. After this experience, I’m convinced that the keys to a successful ultra are a great support system, a positive attitude, and a willingness to be uncomfortable. Which, when you think about it, may also be the keys to a happy life.

What Would Another Mother Runner Do: Wildlife Edition

Mother Runner Amy S. sent in an interesting quandry that also has an audio/visual component.

Mr. Chompy wants to go for a run?

This video was shot in the city where I live,” she writes. “I personally don’t run in this area; however, one of my good girlfriends does. The day after the video was posted to Facebook she cancelled her run because, let’s get real, the thought of coming face-to-face with that guy is TERRIFYING!”

Would you have canceled your run? 
SBS says: Heck no! While that’s one scary-looking creature, I figure there are probably always alligators near running routes in Florida. It kinda goes with the territory. While there are many threats out there in the world, my blend of pragmatism and optimism would lead me to believe that I’m not destined to be that one in a million to be caught in its jaws. It’s the same way I feel about the lottery: Yes, someone is going to win, but it’s not going to be me. I am not going to let fear dictate my actions. Plus, I figure I could outrun the gator. It has such stubby legs!

Your new BRF.

Dimity says: I pretty much go by the cliche that animals are much more scared of you than you are of them—even if they are surprisingly agile reptiles that seem to be oblivious to the world as they cross a busy road. That said, I would have done some very serious research, and would go by the helpful information like from the expert Captain Jack’s Airboat Tours: There is no documented evidence of alligators running after human beings or any other land animal to prey upon them. So I doubt I would’ve changed my route, but I won’t lie: I would’ve been a little more high stepping and observant.  (Now, a Burmese python in Florida? Different story. I still can recall this New Yorker story from 2009. )

What would you do if you? Run or bail?

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