AMR Love Week: Pam Wakeman
The definition of a badass mother runner–even if the final “r” is missing. (I’d been saving this visor because of its defect, which I kind of loved, but knew Pam was the perfect recipient.)
Revisiting this post from February 2014 during Kara Goucher week since we just ran into Pam–and a bunch of other inspiring #motherrunners—last night; read through her (amazing) story, and then read the update at the very bottom. Love that running—and this community–brings us BRFs exactly when we need them.
Call me a cynic, but it seems like the holidays are more about the finding and buying the things that represents the holiday, rather than celebrating the feelings of the holiday. (I mean, when Cadburry eggs are on the endcaps of the Valentine’s Day display at Target, how can you not feel cynical?) So we wanted to devote this week—which, we realize, is devoted to a holiday that exists only for commercial gain—to AMR Love. We’re going to tell a handful of stories about mother runners who need a boost; in return, we hope you send them positive vibes, inspiration, rah-rahs, spirit, compassion, and flat-out XOXOs. Although there will be opportunities to donate to special charities, that certainly isn’t necessary or expected.
July 2013: I give a talk at Training Peaks—10 Truths for Mother Runners—and while I have a robust audience via the Internet, there are only two people in the Boulder office watching me. One of them is Pam Adams, who I had the pleasure of running before the talk; she is preparing for Ironman Tahoe, and during our 30 minute run, we talk about her upcoming race, how she started running at age 40, and her recent move to Colorado from Ohio. During my talk with more “ums” than I care to admit, I am so grateful for her smling, interested face, and we become Facebook friends.
Pam slaying yet another hill in Tahoe.
Setpember 2013: Pam takes on IM Tahoe, her first race of that distance. The day before the race, as she was out scouting the bike course from her car, it was snowing. Hard. “I wondered if they would cancel,” she says with a laugh, “I kind of was hoping they would.” It rains all night, and that morning, the race is on. The steam coming off the lake makes it impossible to sight during the 2.4-mile swim; the chilly, 112-mile bike ride takes more effort than she anticipates; so when she gets to 26.2-mile run, the sun is going down, making the “high” temps nosedive. “At the turn around point, I thought finishing the race was unfathomable,” she says, “I didn’t think I could do it.” Thanks to a friend who jumps in to help her, she crosss the line in 16 hours, 44 minutes—16 minutes shy of the cut-off time. “My finish line picture is terrible,” she says, “I was crying and have my hands over my face.”
December 1, 2013: Pam runs a local 5K—her first race since Tahoe—and then heads to her basement’s storage space, which requires a ladder to access; she’s hosting her running club’s holiday party next weekend, and wants to have her house be festive. As she’s descending the ladder with a metal tree, the ladder slips and the “trunk” of the tree—a 3-foot iron spike—shoots through her chest on the left side, intersects her superior vena cava (a majory cardiac vein), and comes out her right side.
Her oldest child of three, Jack, 16, calls 911, and while they’re waiting for the ambulance, their neighbor, a pediatrician, comes by to soothe Pam and hopefully keep her from going into shock. “‘Lisa, am I going to die?’ I asked her,” she recounts, “Because I want to say goodbye to my kids.” Despite knowing how dire the situation is, Lisa reassures her she’s going to be fine.
Her surgeon’s hand next to the pieces of the metal tree they cut off before operating.
After using dremel saw to cut off the visible parts of the tree so Pam could be loaded into a CAT scan, surgeons set off on a five-hour complicated, innovative surgery to remove the rest of it. Her superb physical fitness is a real factor in her survival. “My heart kept beating as they removed the spear,” she says, “The doctors were amazed at that.”
Despite getting through the surgery, Pam isn’t in the clear. Her spear situation is hopeful, but she’s allergic to the blood thinners she is given, and develops life-threatening blood clots in her lungs, among other complications.
How Pam spent her 2013 holiday season.
December 11, 2013: Pam moves to a post-op floor, which is a great sign—especially because it’s her birthday—but she suffers a collapsed lung and her usually bright spirit is far from it. She isn’t sleeping well (or at all, really), and although the delusions she experienced in the ICU were on their way out, reconciling where she was three months ago, and where she is now, during the holidays, is ridiculously hard. Her husband, Doug, brings her IM medal to hang from her IV. “Nobody who came into my room let me forget I am an Ironman,” she tells me.
“All the time I was training for Ironman Tahoe, I thought I was training for a race,” she says, “Ultimately, I was training for this.”
December 23, 2013: “I knew I turned a corner on the Monday before Christmas,” she remembers, “I finally felt like everything was going to be ok.” Her bloodwork still isn’t at the level it needs to be for her to be released, but only three weeks after she nearly speared herself to death, she’s feeling like she’s got some rumble remaining in her. “All the time I was training for Ironman Tahoe, I thought I was training for a race,” she says, “Ultimately, I was training for this.”
December 24, 2013: After fighting hard for her release, Pam is allowed to go home for Christmas. (“My doctor was going to the Bahamas,” she says, “I was like, ‘You get to go to a beach, and you’re going to leave me here in this bed?'”)
February 4, 2014: A week after she is cleared to run, Pam and I sit down for coffee. She tells me she was walking on the treadmill in January, and I think my face must have given away my disbelief: so soon? “If I don’t do it now,” she says, “I’m afraid I’ll never get back to the way it was.”
A charity run for Pam, put on by her Ohio pals.
I listen to her whole story, not sure whether to cry or laugh; she has a dry, awesome sense of humor. Most of all, I love her thoughts on community. “We moved here because I wanted to be outside and to train; I kind of wanted to live in a bubble. Then this happened, and I couldn’t believe how people pulled together, both locally and across the country, from different times in my life. Everybody I ever met, but haven’t seen for years seems to have reached out to me and told me how they felt about me,” she says, “I didn’t know I had that kind of support.”
Yep. We agree.
She’s dressed to go to the gym, and I ask her what’s up for her next. “I want to run the Bolder Boulder in May, and maybe a marathon in the fall,” she says. Again, I have no poker face. Thinking about 26.2 after barely getting out of the ICU? “I can’t not do something,” she tells me, no hint of hesitation in her voice, “There has to be a strong ending to this story.”
September 10, 2018: Pam shows up at the Kara Goucher podcast party, and reintroduces herself to me after the podcast. She’s moved to Longmont, and hasn’t been running much. “3.5 miles is my longest run,” she tells me almost apologetically. No wonder: she has three kids (two in college nearby), is now a single mom, and now lives in Longmont, a newer town for her. Plus, she’s got a full time, demanding job at a software tech company.
The speed bumps of life, as we all know too well, can get in the way of the best intentions.
But she’s got news to share. “I just randomly met a new running friend tonight,” she says, “I’m meeting her at 5:50 am tomorrow morning. I know she’ll be waiting for me.”
Ten Reasons We Love Kara Goucher (and Welcome to Kara Goucher Week!)
We’re bursting at our capri seams to announce our second week dedicated to an elite—and incredibly inspiring—#motherrunner: Kara Goucher.
During this week, we’ll have an excerpt of Strong: A Runner’s Guide to Boosting Confidence and Becoming the Best Version of You and, of course, we’ve got a giveaway of some of her favorite Oiselle + other running gear—and a few copies of her book—queued up. We’ll bookend the week with a live podcast with Sarah, Dimity + Kara, which we’re recording tonight in Longmont, Colorado.
To kick off Kara Goucher week, though, we wanted to share ten reasons why we love her:
One: She’s spent her formative years in Minnesota. (And yes, this reason solely belongs to Dimity.)
Two: She’s a fan of pen on paper, as she told Competitor recently: “People have asked me if Strong is going to be an e-book, and I’m like no, this is a thing you have to work through,” Goucher says. “You need to put your hand to the page with a writing utensil and take the time and reflect; it should only take five or 10 minutes a day.”
Three: Her cheering skills rival her running skills.
Four: She isn’t afraid to be human.
Five: She’s succeeded on the track, on the road, and now is thinking about the trail and going really long. “I definitely want to try an ultra, and it’ll either come next year or the year after depending on how this marathon goes in the fall,” Goucher said in the Duluth News Tribune. “That’s the cool thing about running — there are so many different adventures and things to try.”
Six: Did we mention we get to do a live podcast with her tonight? (Might be time for a photo redo, not in front of an emergency exit door!)
Seven: She gets weepy on the first day of school (join the crowd!); and her son’s favorite color is pink.
Eight: She got pregnant just before Run Like a Mother came out–and while Sarah was still focused on freelance writing. The scoop of her career? Announcing Kara’s pregnancy in her beloved New York Times.
Nine: Like many of us around her at AMR, she also believes that good enough > perfect. (From Strong)
Ten: Her confidence wavers just as much as your’s or mine—and she’s not afraid to admit it. “Everyone here is better than me. I’m not ready for this. My knee hurts. Something is off,” she writes in Strong. We’re excited to dive deeper into this—and plenty of other topics—on the podcast tonight.
Have any questions you’d like us to ask Kara about confidence, vulnerability, her future? Let us know in the comments!
#328: AMR + Best of Both Worlds Podcast Crossover Episode
Sarah has a virtual sit-down with the two women behind the Best of Both Worlds Podcast, Laura Vanderkam and Sarah Hart-Unger, M.D. Both Laura and “SHU” are mother runners, and the trio was delighted this special episode was a suggestion from a listener of both pods. The BBW duo turn the tables, getting SBS to answer questions about the start of AMR and her own running-and-racing background. The Sarahs conceive a brilliant plan for SHU’s first post-baby marathon. Laura and SBS bond over exercise streaks, and Laura details her the intriguing inspiration of her 600+-day running streak. The trio debate the beautiful necessity of morning workouts, then they offer opinions and advice on balancing parental work-related screentime around offspring.
In the intro, Sarah gets her BRF, Molly Williams, to tell the tale about her attempt to hike around Mt. Rainier. (Spoiler alert: Molly’s current theme song is “Lonesome Loser.” Just try to get rid of that earworm!) The crossover portion of pod starts at 17:40.
Have a podcast you’d love to hear “crossover” with AMR for an episode? Tweet @SBSontheRun or post on AMR Facebook page.
Dry Martini: Tummy Time
I don’t talk too much about body image. It’s not so much that I find it uncomfortable or somehow taboo — I mean, we all have bodies and internal thoughts about them — it’s just that the topic is in the air women breathe already. Show me a woman who doesn’t have very strong feelings about her [insert body part or parts here] and I’ll show you a woman who hasn’t ever opened a magazine, looked at Instagram, or turned on the TV. She also might have been raised out on the prairie in a little sod house where there were no other people around to judge her. She is also lying.
As girls, we’re trained that our bodies are pretty much everyone’s business. As women, we learn that our bodies are ours — or, at least, that’s what we mostly learn. But a little voice pipes up every now and again to remind us that our bodies are not what they ought to be.
Mine does, anyway, especially given how much time I spend among badass mother runners, who are universally strong and well-adjusted and brave. As a rule, it’s so, so easy to compare your own insides with someone else’s outsides, even if you know that’s a fool’s game.
I am that fool.
Snapped at some point during an awesome hike in Ogden, Utah. Rather than the scenery, all I can focus on is my belly.
My belly has never been a thing of loveliness. I spent my teens and early adulthood trying to stay below 200 pounds. By mid-adulthood, I had a better handle on my weight, but would never have been a flatter abs model. Now, after stretching to hold two enormous babies, my tummy is disinclined to regain any of its previous elasticity. The upper part just under my rib cage is the most vexing bit and makes a lovely little shelf for me to obsess about.
My belly is the first thing I look for in pictures. I know I can’t buy shirts that are too tailored because it’ll just make the front all lumpy. It sticks out further than my boobs when I sit down so I always sit to camouflage it when I know someone might be watching.
I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time sitting for the past week because my most favorite sporting event ever — the U.S. Open — has been on. (Plus it’s like 9 billion degrees outside and our living room has AC.) As much as I’m enjoying the tennis, I’m fascinated by Serena Williams’ belly.
As the commentators keep reminding us, Serena had a baby about a year ago. Even for the greatest tennis player of all time, the road back wasn’t easy. But right now, she is kicking ass and taking names.
This is BAMTP.
She also has the same rib cage shelf I do. It’s not as pronounced, mind you — her body is an efficient machine for whacking the fuzz off of tennis balls and mine is perfect for surviving a famine — but you can see it when she’s not actively using her abs. As far as I can tell, Serena doesn’t care even a little bit what any of us think about her belly. Sitting there on the couch, I wondered why I put so much energy into caring about mine.
I wish I had some great conclusion to all of this, where I could say that I’m now so well-adjusted that local academics want to write papers about my glowing self-esteem. Yet I remain stubbornly human and have moments where I look upon my tummy and despair. Serena does, too, I suspect.
The older I grow, I have more moments like the one I had during last week’s long run. About 90 minutes in, some little bug decided to land on my thigh. I brushed him or her off and was shocked to feel my muscles working underneath my skin. I wouldn’t say my thigh was rock hard; I would say that it was rock adjacent, however.
Progress over perfection.
This guy — the dog, not my husband — will make a great running buddy, don’t you think?
I have no good segue for this: we adopted a giant dog a couple of weeks back. He seems to be part husky, part polar bear, and part Wookie. Once he learns his leash manners, I’m going to see how he does on a run. What could possibly go wrong?
Any tips from those with BRDs? Anybody have a rib shelf or tips for not obsessing about [insert body part]?
Making Time to Run with Laura Vanderkam
“Where did the time go?”
It’s a question mothers watching small children grow up hear often and ask themselves.
No, but really: Where DID the time go?
Seven years ago, my small child lobbied for a dog, a memory that FB helpfully resurfaced for me. Awwww.
Think about it: There are 168 hours in a week. Let’s say you work 40 and commute 5 hours a week (that’s a half-hour each way) and sleep 8 hours a night (jealous!), for a total of 56 hours per week. You still have 67 hours in a week. What do you do with all that time?
That’s the question that powers the life and career of Laura Vanderkam, as you may know, if you’re one of the 6.6 million people who’ve viewed her TED Talk, How to Gain Control of Your Free Time.
“Oh, yeah, I know her!” said my daughter, Nina, who starts ninth grade this week. “We watched her talk in Literacy last year.” See? Those kids ARE learning useful life lessons in school! HA.
Laura Vanderkam preaches time management
Maybe you’ve read one of her time management and productivity books, including I Know How She Does It: How Successful Women Make the Most of Their Time, or her most recent, appealingly titled Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done.
Or maybe you’ve listened to her podcast with her co-host and buddy Sarah Hart-Unger called Best of Both Worlds: How to Get the More Out of Life at Work and at Home.
In fact, our own Sarah will be on their podcast at an upcoming date, and Laura will be on the Another Mother Runner podcast this weekend because yes, that’s right…
Laura is Another Mother Runner, with four kids, ages 11, 8, 6 and 3.
She’s been running for 14 years; she ran through pregnancies until she couldn’t. Last year, she started a streak of at least a mile a day, which she writes, changed the conversation she has with herself: “I don’t ask, ‘Will I run today?’ I ask, ‘When will I run today?’”
And she has NO Mother Runner guilt about making time to run for herself.
But back to the time math: Since you’re here, you obviously spend a few of those hours running, or at least thinking about it, and hey, reading this blog counts too!
What else? Driving the kid to swim practice, grocery shopping, doing laundry, feeding dogs, mowing the lawn.
You still have time, and Laura argues that you have more than you think. She suggests you track your time by half-hours for a whole week (including weekends) and see where the time goes exactly.
Her point isn’t to scold but to help you change the narrative from “I don’t have time to do X, I’m too busy” to “X is not a priority right now.”
I like that! Hello, sticky kitchen floor, you are not a priority right now.
We got a dog! And then another… Luckily, dogs (and small children) don’t care about a clean kitchen floor anyway—the chemicals hurt their delicate noses!
Laura took time to answer some questions for us:
Give us a little bit about your running background: when, why did you start?
I began running in November 2004. I had just gotten married. My new husband ran for exercise, so I knew it was something we could do together. I was so inspired by watching Paula Radcliffe’s hard-fought victory in the NYC marathon — literally by seconds after 26.2 miles — that I had to go for a run. So I did. And kept going. My husband and I ran our first half-marathon together on our first anniversary in September 2005.
Still doing your run streak? Why? Related: how much do you typically run per day/per week?
I am about 600 days into a running streak; I have run at least a mile every day since December 24, 2016. I have long been fascinated by streaks, and after running every day over that holiday break, I decided to keep going. I was already running 5 days per week anyway, so bumping that up to 7 was really about adding in a mile on two more days. I can get in my running clothes, run a mile on the basement treadmill, and change in 20 minutes, total, if I need to (I work out of a home office most days so I don’t need to shower immediately afterwards). So I was really only committing to another 40 minutes or so per week of running-related activity. That didn’t seem so hard to pull off.
When people hear about my streak, they often ask me about injuries. I don’t run very far or very fast so that reduces the risk of that. I probably average 21 miles a week (about 3 per day). It’s almost never more than 30 miles a week. I run at about 10 minutes/mile — faster on the treadmill (because I find it boring!) and slower outside. If I know I’m doing a long run I will make sure to do a 1-mile day before and after.
How do you “find” (make) time in your schedule to run?
There’s no magic to it. I just make the time. I often run in the early afternoon during the week as a break from work. On weekends, I tend to run early (before all the kid activities). One of the upsides of the running streak is that it changes my conversation with myself from “Am I going to run?” to “When am I going to run?”
The second question is just a matter of logistics, and with some creativity, there’s pretty much always time for a run. Sometimes it’s 1 mile on a hotel treadmill at 4:30 a.m. before a full day of flying and speaking. Sometimes it’s been actual laps in a hotel room when there’s no gym, or I’m there with a small child who I can’t leave. The upside of the streak is that I’ve gone for runs in situations when I would have been tempted not to — like one early morning in Vancouver after landing at 1 a.m. Pacific time (4 a.m. for me!) I got up and ran along the waterfront, and it was so magical and beautiful it was more energizing than three espressos.
Seems like you are not that much into racing. Can you talk about why?
I’ve done one marathon (Big Sur) and a lot of half-marathons, but I don’t push myself to achieve time goals. I like running because it feels good, and running really fast feels painful. So I generally don’t push. As for races themselves, I’ve gotten a bit burned out on finding parking a mile away from the start, sitting in the cold for an hour before running, etc. I’ve also realized that one big reason people sign up for races is to motivate themselves to make time to run. I like to run, and make time for it anyway. So I don’t need races for that.
Do you plan talks/podcasts/blogs on the run?
I definitely get ideas for blog posts on runs! I talk through arguments and think about examples. I get ideas to use in all my writing — articles, books, etc. Indeed, if I’m having trouble thinking through something I’ll often go for a run to figure it out.
Do you have a BRF?
I mostly run alone, but I have a few friends I run with from time to time. One bit of running irony: though I started running to run with my husband, we seldom run together anymore now that we have kids. We tend to trade off on weekends!
Your podcast tagline is “How to get the most out of life at work and at home.” What does that mean to you?
People often say “you can’t have it all,” but I want to challenge that kind of limited thinking. It is definitely possible to do meaningful and enjoyable work, raise a happy family, and take care of yourself. Sarah (my podcast co-host) and I both love our careers, our families, and our hobbies. My favorite letters from podcast listeners come from young women who don’t have children but want them in the near future, and are happy to hear that being a working mother might not be all misery.
Laura making real memories with her four kids
You have talked about mom guilt… some mother runners suffer from an added layer — training. How would you tell Mother Runners to sidestep the guilt trap?
My first answer is that for guilt to be an appropriate emotion, somebody needs to be hurt. So who, exactly, is hurt by Mom going for a run? The kids get a bit more time with Dad or another adult in their lives. They see that physical activity is important. These aren’t bad things.
My second answer is that even if you’re training for a marathon, running might consume less time than you think. When I was training for a marathon many years ago, my long runs topped out at 4 hours. Add in a 2-hour run and two 1-hour runs and that’s 8 hours, leaving a great many hours for other things.
Your new book is called “OFF the Clock: Feeling less busy while getting more done.” Can you share a few high-level pointers for Mother Runners from it?
Off the Clock is all about how we perceive time. I have long wondered why some people with full lives feel relaxed about time while others feel like time just slips away from them. I had 900 people with full time jobs and families track their time on a normal March Monday, and I asked them questions about time perception. I found that the people who felt like they had the most time were highly likely to have done very interesting things on the day they tracked. People did things like going to a big band concert, going to salsa dancing lessons, or going to a movie. On a Monday night!
What’s going on is that when we say “Where did the time go?” What we’re really saying is we don’t remember where the time went. When we do memorable things with our time, then we remember — and we feel like we have more time.
So plan little adventures into your life! Go for a run somewhere beautiful. Meet a friend for lunch at a restaurant you’ve been meaning to try. Take your family to the playground after dinner instead of watching TV. You’ll form memories, and those memories will make you feel like you have more time.
How about you? How do you make the time to run? And have you had any little adventures recently?
Motherlode of Miles Weekend: September 22-23
One mile run by one #motherrunner? As we can all attest, there’s inherent power and strength in that individual feat of running 5,280 feet.
What happens when you run more than one mile—and then we virtually collect all the miles? We’ve been doing that our regular Sunday Pile of Miles on our Facebook page for years now, and the range of #motherrunners + miles that get piled on is always both awe-inspiring and motivating. (“5 miles (with hills) yesterday, 6 miles (flat) today. Both trail. 17 1/2 weeks pregnant!! writes Jennifer on this week’s post.)
Reality is always better—and, um, more real—than social media, though, so wanted to turn a fabulous virtual thing into a real-life, meet-your-tribe, get-in-some-miles-and-laughs event: get ready for
The Motherlode of Miles (#MOMweekend) :
September 22-23, 2018
Here’s how the Motherlode of Miles weekend is going to shake down:
1. We already have 47 group runs planned (see map and details below); we’d love to have you join one of those. Note: Runs with teal runner icon are on Saturday, September 22; runs with orange runner icon are on Sunday, September 23.
2. If joining or hosting a group run isn’t possible, we still want your miles on our #motherlode of miles. We’ll put out a call on our Facebook page on both Saturday and Sunday, and we want selfies, smiles, and miles! Similarly, we’d love to see #MOMweekend on Twitter, Instagram, and any other place your social media heart desires!
With logistics out of the way, we want to emphasize this: #MOMWeekend is for ALL runners and walkers, and was designed with community in mind. You don’t have to be training for something; you don’t have to be fast or fit; or even classify yourself as a runner. You just need to want to have some forward motion, laughs, and connection with like-minded women on a weekend morrning. Show up and you may find a new Best Running Friend–or some motivation that went MIA.
[[Note: All participants must sign a waiver and bring a copy to their #motherrunner host.]]
MOTHERLODE OF MILES GROUP RUNS:
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
CANADA
CALGARY
ALBERTA
Meet: Glenmore Landing, 1600 90 Ave SW in front of the Good Earth coffee shop.
Time: 8:00 am
Route: Glenmore Reservoir Loop going counter clockwise (~ 14 km), can be shortened with an out and back of any distance. Coffee afterwards at Good Earth if desired.
#Motherrunner Host: Heather Fahr
ALASKA
FAIRBANKS
Meet: Pioneer Park front entrance at 2300 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99701
Time: 10:00 am.
Route: Just over 3 miles, on a path along the Chena River. Route can be shorter/longer as desired. Stroller-friendly route
#Motherrunner Host: Brittany Trumbull + Stroller Strong Moms – Fairbanks
ARIZONA
TEMPE
Meet: Kiwanis Park, 5500 S Mill Ave, Tempe, AZ
Time: 6:30 am
Route: 3 mile out and back on Canal Path
#Motherrunner Host: Rachael Pettigrew
CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
Meet: Egret Park, Riverside Dr. and Arnold St. Los Angeles, CA 90031. (Plenty of parking nearby). Detailed directions here.
Time: 8:00 am
Route: Two options: 1.8 miles to La Colombe Coffee House for coffee, then run or walk home at leisure, or 3.6-mile out-and-back.
#Motherrunner Host: Lynne Garcia
COLORADO
DENVER
Meet: Washington Park, 701 S. Franklin St, Denver, CO 80209; meet in parking lot on west side; corner of Exposition + Downing
Time: 7:00 am
Route: 2.5 or 5 miles (1 or 2 loops of the park). Coffee afterwards at Wash Perk.
#Motherrunner Hosts: Dimity McDowell + Katie Sznewajs + Stephanie Garrett
CONNECTICUT
HARTFORD
Meet: Elizabeth Park at the parking lot near the greenhouses/Pond House. Look for your host in a bright yellow shirt near a black minivan.
Time: 8:30 AM
Route: 3 and 5 mile routes through lovely streets and the park. After the run, please stay to chat and enjoy complimentary fruit and energy bites in the park.
#Motherrunner Host: Mary Eberhardt
MARYLAND
BEL AIR
Meet: Charm City Run, 126 South Main St. Bel Air, MD.
Time: 7:00 AM
Route: 3 mile route, with option for shorter or longer through historic Main St area. Optional meet-up for coffee afterwards.
#Motherrunner Host: Kimberly Farace
COLUMBIA
Meet: In front of Whole Foods 10275 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia, MD 21044
Time: 7:00 am
Route: 5 miles, with an option for three.
#Motherrunner Host: Tricia Cecil + Train Like a Mother Running Coach Amanda Loudin
MASSACHUSETTS
AMHERST
Meet: Norwottuck Rail Trail, Station Road Parking Lot South Amherst MA
Time: 8:00 am
Route: 3 miles, with the option to go longer or shorter.
#Motherrunner Host: Aimee Bouchard
BOSTON
Meet: Artesani Playground, 1255 Soldiers Field Rd, Boston MA
Time: 7:30 AM
Route: Options for 3.2 miles and 5.25 miles.
#Motherrunner Host: Carrie Becker
WELLESLEY
Meet: Fuller Brook Park in parking lot at high school track (across from 15 Smith St). Additional parking available at high school (50 Rice St.)
Time: 7:00 AM
Route: About 2 miles out and back or 3 or 4mi loop, which includes part of the Boston Marathon course. Afterwards, meet for coffee/food at Bruegger’s Bagels, 97 Central St.
#Motherrunner Host: Mara Furlow
MICHIGAN
ANN ARBOR
Meet: Ann Arbor Running Company Kerrytown, 200 N 4th Ave., Ann Arbor, MI
Time: 7:00 am
Route: Out and back route that allows for 1-3 miles or any distance up to 20 miles! Water stations throughout the route. All paces welcome.
#Motherrunner Host: Christie Overgaard
MARQUETTE
Meet: Marquette Commons, 112 S Third Street, Marquette, MI
Time: 8:00 am
Route: 2 to 7 miles – along the city bike path (host will probably run 4ish). Coffee meetup at Babycakes afterward!
#Motherrunner Host: Kelsey Holmberg
MINNESOTA
MINNETONKA
Meet: Overflow parking lot at Williston Fitness Center, 14509 Minnetonka Drive
Time: 7:00 am
Route: Out and back on the Minnetonka LRT Regional Trail, about 4 miles with options to go longer or shorter.
#Motherrunner Hosts: Katherine Wacker, Becky Orphan + Melissa Murphy
MISSOURI
MARYVILLE
Meet: Donaldson Westside Park 1000 N. Country Club Rd. Park & meet in commuter parking lot inside entrance by green roof shelter/skate area.
Time: 7:30 am (see route info for earlier options)
Route: Trail/road out and back course for 1-3 miles. Arrive at 6am for 12 miles, 7am for 6 miles, or 7:30 for 1-3 miles. Stroller-friendly route. Reflective gear recommended for the 6 and 12 mile runners. Post-run coffee at Scooters Coffee, 1308 S. Main St. Maryville, MO.
#Motherrunner Host: Megan Hamilton
NEBRASKA
OMAHA
Meet: Chalco Hills Trail, 8901 S 154th St, Omaha, NE 68138. Meet at the parking lot by the Visitor Center.
Time: 7:00 am
Route: Two options: 7-mile loop or out-and back 3-miler.
#Motherrunner Host: Tracy Swearingen
NEW HAMPSHIRE
PLAISTOW
Meet: Plaistow Town Hall Green, 143 Main Street, Plaistow NH. Street parking available.
Time: 7:00 am
Route: 3 miles. Option for shorter route as well.
#Motherrunner Host: Melissa Theberge
NEW JERSEY
HADDONFIELD
Meet: Haddonfield Running Company, 121 Kings Hwy, Haddonfield NJ
Time: 8:00 am
Route: 3.1 miles, then returning to the store for shopping + mingling.
#Motherrunner Host: Brandi Dockett
MONTCLAIR
Meet: Montclair Running Company, 103 Forest St. Montclair, NJ
Time: 7:00 AM
Route: Options for routes include 3, 5, 6 or 8 miles, or join in with others for an even longer distance! All paces and distances are supported. Strollers welcome! Post-run meet-up and coffee optional at Montclair Bread Company
#Motherrunner Host: Rachel Crampsey
NEW MEXICO
LAS CRUCES
Meet: La Llorona Park at 3440 W. Picacho Ave. Las Cruces, NM.
Time: 7:00 am
Route: 4 mile out-and-back asphalt/gravel path that follows the Rio Grande River. Water fountains, pit toilet, plenty of parking in the lot, and a playground at the site. Coffee to follow at about 8:30 am at Border Brew Coffee on 2701 W Amador, Las Cruces. (SW corner of Motel and Amador)
#Motherrunner Host: Ann McPhee
NEW YORK
NEW YORK CITY
Meet: 59th St and Central Park South, NYC. Meet at the art installation by the subway stop.
Time: 7:00 am
Route: 4 miles in and around the lower loop of Central Park, with options for adding on. Chatter + coffee at Le Pain Quotidien, East 72nd St And, 5th Ave (inside the park) after the run.
#Motherrunner Host: Carrie Meconis
PITTSFORD
Meet: Towpath Bike Shop parking lot: 3 Schoen Place, Pittsford NY 14534
Time: 7:00 am
Route: Erie Canal path run, out and back from 3 miles or up to 6 miles. Meet for coffee after at Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters, 3349 Monroe Avenue (Pittsford Plaza) Rochester, NY 14618
#Motherrunner Host: Monica Bays
OHIO
ST. CLAIRSVILLE
Meet: National Road Bikeway: South Parking Lot. Roughly located at 49113 Reservoir Rd, St. Clairsville, OH 43950 (Off of Rt 9 at Reservoir Rd.)
Time: 8:00 am
Route: Out and back options from 2.5 to 5 miles. Coffee to follow at the Panera Bread by the Ohio Valley Mall (67800 Mall Ring Rd, St Clairsville, OH 43950).
#Motherrunner Host: Mary Lenczewski
OREGON
PORTLAND
Meet: Elizabeth Caruthers Park 3508 SW Moody Ave, Portland, OR 97239
Time: 7:00 am
Route: Southwest Waterfront for a 3-5 mile loop across the Tillikum bridge to the Steel bridge (5) or Morrison bridge (4) or Hawthorne bridge (3). Street parking is free before 8 am. Post-run, coffee and/or donuts at Blue Star Donuts.
#Motherrunner Host: Annaliese Dolph
PENNSYLVANIA
PHILADELPHIA
Meet: The Cedars House Café, 200 W. Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Time: 7:00 am
Route: 3 miles out-and-back. Participants can choose to go further (the trail is 10 miles long), and post-run can enjoy 10% off coffee and snacks at The Cedars House.
#Motherrunner Host: Schuyler Nunn + Kristen Liebsch
SOUTH CAROLINA
SPARTANBURG
Meet: Hub City Runners, 2932 Reidville Rd. Spartanburg, SC 29301
Time: 7:00 am
Route: Out and back route allows for 2 miles or more. Host will be running 7 and welcomes others to join for that distance. Post-run coffee/breakfast options are plentiful nearby.
#Motherrunner Host: Kristie Magnuski
TEXAS
SAN ANTONIO
Meet: In front of Hotel Emma at The Pearl, 135 E. Grayson St., San Antonio, 78212 (Look for a white Toyota pick-up truck with Downtown Run Group sign parked by the bike rack in front of the hotel) Parking available in the lot or free garage by the hotel.
Time: 6:45 am
Route: Out and back for total of 4.7 miles with opportunity to make it 2 mile or 3 ½ mile route instead. Option for coffee or breakfast tacos post run.
#Motherrunner Host: Pat Brockman
UTAH
SALT LAKE CITY
Meet: Liberty Park, 600 E 900 S, Salt Lake City, UT. Meet at the 900 S entrance into the park.
Time: 7:30 am for run (or 8:30 am for coffee)
Route: Park loop is 1.5 miles, run can be adjusted as needed. Coffee to follow at Beans & Brew at 8:30am
#Motherrunner Host: Julie Patno
SOUTH JORDAN
Meet: West Riverfront Park 11050 South Riverfront Parkway South Jordan, UT
Time: 7:30 am
Route: 3-5 miles along the Jordan River Parkway, with options for shorter or longer distances.
#Motherrunner Host: Catey Ball
VIRGINIA
STERLING
Meet: Cold Spoon Yogurt, 20789 Great Falls Plaza #106, Sterling, VA 20165
Time: 7:00 am
Route: Distances range include 3, 6, 9 or more miles. Stay for post-run coffee, the yummiest yogurt parfaits and awesome company.
#Motherrunner Host: Laura Lacroix-Johnson + The Algonkian Running Club
WISCONSIN
MADISON
Meet: Olin Park 1156 Olin-Turville Ct, Madison, WI 53715
Time: 6:30am
Route: Out-and-back 3 miles (can adjust mileage if you want to go shorter or longer).
#Motherrunner Host: Julia Miller
MOTHERLODE OF MILES GROUP RUNS:
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
[[Note: All participants must sign a waiver and bring a copy to their #motherrunner host.]]
CANADA
ONTARIO
KINGSTON
Meet: K & P Trail, Sydenham Road at Hwy 401, Kingston, Ontario.
Time: 8:15 am
Route: 3-5 miles out and back along the scenic K & P Trail, with many options for shorter or longer distances.
#Motherrunner Host: Jodi Snowdon
CALIFORNIA
HEALDSBURG
Meet: Healdsburg Running Company, 333 Center Street, Healdsburg California, 95448
Time: 9:00 am
Route: Distances are 5k to 10k and we will end with complimentary coffee, mimosas and treats.
#Motherrunner Host: Tiffany Bellize
SANTA ROSA
Meet: Aroma Coffee, 95 5th St, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Time: 7:30 am
Route: Greenway Trail out and back for a total of 3 miles (or more if you’re feeling it!) Return to Aroma for tasty coffee.
#Motherrunner Host: Andrea Foster
DELAWARE
WILMINGTON
Meet: Branmar Plaza, 1812 Marsh Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19810
Time: 5:00 am
Route: 3 or 5 miles or longer if desired, through safe, flat neighborhood roads. All runners + walkers welcome!
#Motherrunner Host: Licinia “LuLu” Kaliher and the Wilmington DE MRTT group
GEORGIA
DECATUR
Meet: Harmony Park in Oakhurst Village, Oakview Rd at E Lake Drive Decatur; meet at intersection of East Lake and Oakview.
Time: 7:15 am
Route: 3-mile loop, with options for going shorter or longer.
#Motherrunner Host: Pam Harris
ILLINOIS
WHEATON
Meet: Herrick Lake Forest Preserve, junction of Herrick Rd & Butterfield Rd (Rte 56), Wheaton IL. Park in lot off of Herrick Road and meet at the trail sign. (Do NOT park along Butterfield Road.)
Time: 7:00 am
Route: 3-4 miles in preserve
#Motherrunner Host: Train Like a Mother Triathlon Coach Elizabeth Waterstraat
LIBERTYVILLE
Meet: North Pavilion of Independence Grove Forest Preserve, 16400 Buckley Rd, Libertyville IL. (Just past the entrance booth, turn left to the North Pavilion parking lot.) Meet for post-run coffee at Hansa Coffee Roasters, 755 N Milwaukee Ave, Libertyville (3-minute drive from Independence Grove)
Time: 7:00 am
Route: 2.5 mile paved loop or 2.5 mile gravel path option; can be combined or extended on extensive trails. (Restrooms + drinking fountain available.)
#Motherrunner Host: Katie Ormson
IOWA
IOWA CITY
Meet: Hickory Hill Park – Bloomington Street Entrance
Time: 8:00 AM
Route: Run a 3 mile loop, return to the parking lot, and then another 3 mile loop if interested. All paces welcome – this is a no-lady-left-behind run! Host will provide Java House coffee to enjoy afterwards!
#Motherrunner Host: Robin Kopelman
MINNESOTA
NORTH OAKS
Meet: Caribou Coffee, 113 Village Center Drive, North Oaks, MN 55127
Time: 7:00 am
Route: 4-mile loop (can be extended). Meet back at Caribou for post-run coffee.
#Motherrunner Host: Kristen Genet
WOODBURY
Meet: Whole Foods, 305 Radio Drive, Woodbury MN
Time: 8:00 AM
Route: 5 mile loop that can be shortened into an out-and-back run, ending with coffee on the patio, if desired.
#Motherrunner Host: Kristina Ticknor + Woodbury Moms on the Run
MISSOURI
KANSAS CITY
Meet: Panera at 4700 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, MO
Time: 7:00 am
Route: 3 to 9 mile loop course that includes some of KC’s best areas + hills, but don’t let that scare you away! Come for the run, stay for the company!
#Motherrunner Host: Janice Rummel + KC Express
OHIO
CINCINNATI
Meet: Lunken Airport Trail – Meet at the Lunken Loop North Parking lot on Wilmer Ave by the baseball fields
Time: 8:00 am
Route: 5 mile loop or shorter out and back. Post-run coffee includes a 1 mile drive to Luckman Coffee, 5200 Beechmont Ave Cincinnati, OH 45230
#Motherrunner Host: Kristina Kew
OREGON
PORTLAND
Meet: Foot Traffic, 13306 NW Cornell Rd, Portland OR 97229
Time: 7:30 am
Route: 3 miles. Foot Traffic store will open early for post-run shopping, including AMR merchandise.
#Motherrunner Host: Susan Landolt
PENNSYLVANIA
BETHEL PARK
Meet: The Woods Cafe & Bikes parking lot at 30 Corrigan Drive, Bethel Park, PA 15102.
Time: 9:00 am
Route: 3 or 4 mile run on the paved Corrigan Drive Trail in South Park, a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA with an optional post run coffee/snack to follow.
#Motherrunner Host: Jacki Correl
BOILING SPRINGS
Meet: Caffe 101, 101 Front St, Boiling Springs, PA.
Time: 2:00 pm
Route: Out-and-back with options for 3 or 5 miles. Meet back at Caffe 101 for post-run chatter.
#Motherrunner Host: Nicole Hart
LITITZ
Meet: Appalachian Brewing Company, 55N Water St. Lititz, PA.
Time: 6:00 pm
Route: About 3.5 miles: to the Lititz-Warwick Trailway, out to the Township Building, then turn back for approx 3.5 miles with option to go longer on the trail. Meet back at ABC for post-run snack and drink.
#Motherrunner Host: Addie Bird
WASHINGTON
BELLINGHAM
Meet: Fairhaven Park, just south of 107 Chuckanut Drive North in the South Neighborhood, Bellingham. Meet in upper parking lot.
Time: 9:00 am
Route: Two options: 3 or 6 miles
#Motherrunner Host: Gina Ebbeling
WASHOUGAL
Meet: Steamboat Landing, Washougal, WA, just off SR-14. Turn right (coming from 205) at the stoplight.
Time: 8:00 am
Route: Out and back, many mileage options and varied paces and an option to meet for coffee after the run.
#Motherrunner Host: Jessica Fitch + Moms Run This Town (She Runs This Town) of Camas/Vancouver
[[Note: All participants must sign a waiver and bring a copy to their #motherrunner host.]]