November 2017

The Struggle is Real: Dimity’s New Column!

Hi friends! I’m happy to let you that I’m going to start a new column here on AMR: The Struggle is Real. Because it’s the truth. Whether we’re talking about running, motivation, parenting, mental health, marriage, friendships, whatever, there’s always something that pulls on you (or me). I’m excited to open this umbrella and write more regularly; I have missed it.

Today I’m starting (relatively) light because it’s the end of a month that has been filled with turkeys—both the protein-packed and political kinds, and you might need a diversion or four.

Since running has been relegated to my no-go list, I’ve spent a ton of time in the gym. I wish my gym had oodles of windows and no random balls of crud in the corner, but that is not the case. Most of the light comes from the glare of televisions, usually playing dualing episodes of Law + Order, and I’m pretty sure there are drops of my sweat from 2014 petrified on the floor.

It is convenient and affordable though—the two most important features for me—and mostly tolerable, provided I have something to distract me from dustballs floating in the dark.

Fortunately, I discovered Netflix downloads this summer, a mere eight months after the company released them. They have made hours and hours on the Stepmill and bike actually enjoyable. I know multitasking as a concept is basically bunk, but I can watch and get in a moderate cardio workout at the same time, which is glorious. #BOGO Plus, like a Pavlovian dog, I now equate the gym with entertainment…climb nowhere and watch serial killers? Yeah!

If you’re not into Law + Order, here my latest recommendations; I like shows that are about an hour, which is how long I typically do cardio. Also, as you might be able to guess, I’m not into fantasy or fictional worlds. I really dig real stories and real people.

Netflix: Mindhunter

Documenting the beginning of the Behavioral Science Unit of the FBI, this series follows two agents around the country as they interview serial killers about their backgrounds and motives. It is not light fare by any stretch, so consider yourself warned.

That said, it works for the gym for me; if I focused exclusively on it, I would digest it too deeply. Instead, I follow the plot loosely and watch my RPM’s on the bike or glance up at CNN or the guy doing crazy stretches on the mat in front of me. I also really love how it transports you directly into the late 70’s with TWA boarding gates and Chevy Novas and other cars (and nobody wearing seatbelts).

Watch if: You’re a true crime fan, and don’t mind slower-moving plots + gory details.

Netflix: Last Chance U

This two-season docuseries follows the football team at Eastern Mississippi Community College. While the athletes excel at football, they’re at EMCC because they haven’t excelled in other parts of their lives; most of them were kicked out of their previous Division I colleges, and are hoping to rise again to that level after a few years at JUCO.

The EMCC coach is a piece of work; he can’t say two words without swearing, and he drives a golf cart around the football field at practice, which infuriated me; even in the air-conditioned gym, I could feel the dense Mississippi afternoon air and relentless sun. The whole situation weighed on me, as did the reality of the most of the players’ futures. Still, I couldn’t help but root for the Lions both on and off the field.

Watch if: You want an authentic peak inside the football world not seen on Sundays—and you don’t mind copious four-letter words.

Netflix: The Keepers

Another docuseries, this seven-part story revolves around the unsolved murder of Sister Catherine Cesnik (above, center), a nun in Baltimore, and a few of her former students (right and left), who bring the case (and the accompanying stories of child abuse) back to life. While the story itself is important and upsetting enough to warrant documentation, what I really loved watching were the armchair detectives, who adored their teacher and dug into the research and interviews with diligence and fearlessness. I greatly admire them—and the other victims of Father Maskill who came forward.

Watch if: You like seeing everyday people take serious action on a cause they are passionate about.

 

When my eyes need a break, here are two things that never let me down:

Gimlet Media: Heavyweight Podcast

“Awkward and uncomfortable in the best way,” is what one reviewer gave Jonathan Goldstein’s podcast, which follows one person revisiting an episode or relationship from his or her past. During Buzz, the first episode in which Goldstein tries to smooth over the relationship between his dad and his uncle, I couldn’t stop laughing; during Julia, in which an adult confronts the girls (now women) who bullied her in 8th grade, I couldn’t stop crying. I listen to a lot of podcasts, but this is the one I salivate over.

Listen if: You like real people stories interspersed with humor and perspective.

Spotify: Songs to Sing in the Shower

When I’m done with cardio, it’s time put down the drama and pump up the jam for strength training and PT work. Enter Don’t Go Breaking My Heart by Elton + Kiki; Uptown Funk by Mark + Bruno; I Want It That Way by The Backstreet Boys; and other upbeat tunes that I know by heart. Totally cheesy? Yes. But also totally effective: I often plank just a little bit longer—even on the dirty floor!—because I can’t wait to see what beauty comes on next.

Listen if: You like to Walk on Sunshine while you lunge.

Your turn: What do you watch or listen to these days to pass the time and/or motivate yourself? Whether it’s Hunger Games or Home Improvement, we want to know!

MOVE OF THE MONTH: DEAD BUG WITH SWISS BALL

Keeping the Dead Bug in regular rotation helps me stand up straighter. Truly.

Welcome back to Move of the Month.

Each month, we are going to showcase one (interesting, fun) move from an expert Train Like a Mother Coach that most runners can easily add to their routine to make their bodies more prepared for the miles.

This month, we’re hitting the core with Dimity, who likes to cheer really loudly in the Train Like a Mother Club. The Dead Bug with Swiss Ball is a variation on a move that physical therapists prescribe frequently; it’s safe for lower backs, provided you do it properly.

(Miss last month’s Nordic Hamstring Curl? Grab it here!)

A few pointers from Dimity, who learned this move from her PT, Alex Lanton of Atlas Physical Therapy in Denver.

First: Keep your spine glued to the floor beneath you; if you feel your back arch, you’ve extended your limbs too far.

Two: If moving an arm and leg simultaneously is too much, start with one arm, then one leg, and slowly build from there.

Do this move two to three times each week, whether to fatigue or in a couple of sets of 8-10 reps.

 

TMI Tuesday: Most Embarrassing Running Moments

Thanks to a question on Facebook, we’ve got the mother of all TMI Tuesdays today! There’s a little something for everyone, from wardrobe malfunctions to Code Browns and everything in between….

SBS and Molly. Further proof that every garment won’t fit every runner in the same way.

SBS kicks it off:  It was in a Portland half-marathon called Race for the Roses, and it was the first race Molly and I were running together. I was SO excited: I got us cute matching outfits, including a running skirt, which, it turns out, was too short for my 5′ 11″ frame. Around Mile 7, a gal I’d met at the expo ran past me and started to talk to me. I excitedly turned to greet her. Turns out she’d caught up with me to let me know my bum-cheeks were hanging out from the built-in undies! Oy!

AJ: Serious out of nowhere code brown… I had to call my husband to come get me and to bring a towel. It was horrifying. He mentioned it the other day and apparently thought it was just a shart. I didn’t have the heart to tell him nope, it was a full on code brown.  💩 😨 💩

Speaking of blow outs… Stephanie F: I was about 3 miles from home, running through a park, when I felt a sudden cold draft on my nether regions. Ducked into a porta potty and sure enough, the crotch of my running tights had totally blown out. Fortunately I wasn’t commando, but it still was a long, awkward run home!

Gertrude swears it was just *a little* bra chafe.

Gertrude B: I met my kid and husband at the children’s museum at the end of my 22 mile long run. All the kids were horrified to see me. I didn’t lube up well enough and it turns out those wicking shirts REALLY disperse liquid.

Megan E:  It all started off innocently enough, empty running trail, fog, Zombies, Run! app playing. I’m about a mile in and the episode is set at night and it was kinda creepy with the fog. I was starting to see things because I have an overactive imagination. Well, I’m looking into the fog and see a figure appearing. I laugh it off “boy, my imagination is in overdrive.” Then, the other runner popped through the fog and I screamed like a little girl. I mean – I screamed like someone was attempting to axe-murder me. The poor guy jumped and I’m yelling back an apology “I’m so sorry, it was Zombies, Run!” I could have crawled under one of the benches I was so embarrassed.

Kristi crosses Hope Pass. Eventually, she also found what she hoped for….

Kristi K wanted just one thing: I came running into the 50 mile turnaround at the Leadville trail race where my best running friend and her husband awaited me. As I rummaged through my pre-packed box, her husband asks “what are you looking for? I set it all out so I bet I can help you find it faster.” “A MAXI PAD, DAVE, I’M LOOKING FOR A MAXI PAD!” We all just bust up laughing. He said “I have a wife and 3 kids, I know what those look like. There isn’t one here but I heard another woman ask for a tampon so I bet we could find you one!” Runners are just good people.

How about you? Any TMI embarrassments to add?

Coach Amanda Says Goodbye to “Just”

Train Like a Mother Club Coach and AMR podcast host Amanda Loudin has been thinking about the word “just.”

The Mother Runner cheer squad at the Philadelphia Marathon.

As I was looking ahead to the Philadelphia Marathon weekend with AMR, I decided to register for one of the races. I was in shape to do a half, but decided instead on the 8k. It’s a distance I enjoy and one where I generally perform pretty well. I hit the registration button, and then had a small tinge of guilt. I was “only” running an 8k.

Then I caught myself with that language. One of my pet peeves is hearing runners say “I’m only running the half. I’m only running a 10k. It’s only a 5k.” You get the idea. Minimizing the effort and after, the accomplishment.

To my mind, this is language we should all ban. Yet we repeatedly fall into this trap. Telling ourselves that because the distance is shorter, the course “easier,” or the speed slower, our completion isn’t as worthy. That we somehow have to strive for a longer distance or a hillier course or some crazy combination of back-to-back races for it to matter.

How silly is that? Very. Think back to when you first began and how far you’ve come. Remember when simply running a mile was an achievement? Or how about the first time you completed a race of any distance? It felt like a victory, and it was.

Still cheering!

We live in a culture of more is better and we’re often caught up in the trap of believing that we’re not giving our all if we aren’t perpetually striving for that next rung on the ladder. I call bullshit on that.

Here’s the thing: if you are a mom and you’re training for a race of any distance, that’s enough. That’s a win regardless. You sacrifice your free time, your family time, and plenty of hours of sleep to get out there and get that training in. You’re out there in the rain, the snow, the cold and the heat. Or you’re digging deep and getting it done indoors on the dreadmill. It’s not easy, no matter how long the race you’re prepping to run.

If you never run longer than a 5k or a 10k, you’re still way ahead of the game. You still should be proud of the commitment you make to training and then crossing that finish line.

I’m willing to bet that you’d never tell another BAMR or friend “Oh, you only ran a (fill in the blank distance)?” So why would you say that to yourself? Instead, you’d congratulate your friend and sincerely mean it.

Treat yourself as you would others. Hold your head up, pat yourself on the back, and wear your medal proudly. Don’t let your monkey brain defeat you and make you feel like whatever distance you just completed wasn’t significant.

It was, and your time and effort matter.

Goodbye to the word “just.”

#287: Be Seen, Be Alert: Running Safety

First-time ever: Our Mother Runner Store is offering free domestic shipping on all orders on Black Friday (November 24) and Small Business Saturday (November 25). Shop away!! 

Bright idea: carrying lights on a run.

Sarah and co-host Amanda Loudin are joined by prolific Portland runner Paula Harkin to discuss ways to stay safe while running in the dark. A repeat guest, Paula starts by giving an update on her nearly 9-year running streak (!!). Then the trio dives into the street v. sidewalk debate. A long-time group-run leader, race director, and co-owner of Portland Running Company, Paula explains her street-smart practice of Defensive Running; she also talks about the importance of using all of one’s skills and senses to get through a run. Amanda tells of two of her running buddies, Disco Runner and Safety Ellie. Find out the gals’ favorite reflective gear, lights, and headphones.

In the intro, hear how Romeo + Juliet went for Sarah’s twins (including whether any stage-kisses occurred!) and how Philadelphia Marathon happenings went for Coach Amanda. The stay-safe conversation kicks off at 13:45.

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Use code AMR for 50% off your first month of vitamins at takecareof.com

Save $75 off your first order at Molekule, visit Molekule.com and use promo code AMR

Thanks to Sock Club for supporting Another Mother Runner. Get 15% off at sockclub.com/amr and use code AMR

To save $30 on purchase of AfterShokz Trekz Titanium headphones + get free sport belt, go to amr.aftershokz.com and use code AMR at checkout.

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