I found Another Mother Runner in 2008 after Dimity and Sarah ran the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco and wrote about it in Runner’s World. I bought the books, listened to the podcasts, and joined the training programs.
I stayed with Another Mother Runner because I have found it to be the most inclusive, encouraging, and real group of women on the internet.
The BAMRs I know are genuine cheerleaders who want the best for me. The fact that a 14-minute mile is valued and praised right alongside a 7-minute mile is everything you need to know about this tribe.
Most of my social media running friends come from the AMR community. Their posts bring me joy and let me peek inside their days. Also, they tend to be the ones who inspire me to get outside and move.
But I do follow a few people outside of the AMR bubble. And while I manage to remind myself that social media posts are not real life, I’m only human. Like a cat who expends all its energy over a laser pointer light, I can be distracted by a version of reality that doesn’t actually exist.
For your viewing pleasure, I’d like to offer visual proof that what you see isn’t always what you get when it comes to social media running pictures.
What you see: an amazing post-run jump shot, on the trails of Colorado, feeling fast, frisky, and fine. All is right with the world.
Reality: my bladder emptied a little during this picture.
1. I’m wearing a Garmin, but I’m not showing you my Garmin. If I did, you would learn I walked a good portion of my “run” because my knee has been hurting lately and I’m trying to baby it.
2. I’m smiling on the outside, but on the inside I’m seething. Right before my run, my teenage son decided to “bring out the flavor” (his words) of his tortilla chips. He put them in the oven at 500 degrees, then walked away and forgot about them. Our entire house (and my hair) smells like greasy corn, and the rest of the day will be spent trying not to gag as I air out the fumes.
3. My armpits stink. Like, really stink. I haven’t had time to do laundry and I recycled this shirt. I shouldn’t have.
4. I look like I’m in the woods. I am not in the woods. I am at a spot next to our house, at the top of our driveway, where our dogs go to the bathroom. I’m lucky I didn’t land in poop.
5. Just off to the right, not pictured (obviously), is a stool. I can honestly say I lurched more than jumped off the stool get this shot. Also not pictured is my husband, who took 429 shots of me until we landed on what you see here. Most of them turned out like this:
Lovelies, why have I shared all this with you? Because 2020 has been hard enough without the struggle to compare ourselves with others. Whether it’s family holiday photos, an elite athlete’s post-workout glow, or a friend’s fresh cut and color at a salon–just off to the right there is some version of a driveway, a stool, and burnt tortilla chips. A photo is just that: one photo. Hidden in their camera roll there are 428 others that capture a more accurate representation of the whole story.
I have long since given up waiting for life to be perfect. Rather, I have learned that no one’s life is perfect and we’re all just doing the best we can with what we’ve got. This seems like a good time of year to take a breath, keep things in perspective, and check out of the comparison game. Just be the best version of you there is—smelly armpits and all.
This.is.awesome.
Absolutely amazing reminder!
OMG, Cathy, I couldn’t love you more! Thank you for opening the curtain on the social media fake news. I appreciate the openness and honesty.
Yes! 100% this ☝
Love this!! Grateful for something to make me laugh and smile first thing in the morning! Bonus- it’s all sooo true.
Thank you for this! Made me laugh first thing this morning when I read it. And also made me feel a lot better.
Wow, I really needed to read this at this very moment, thank you so much for sharing.
Love this! I this this reminder is especially important this time of year.
So very true! I post my sweaty selfies all the time with big smiles that are covering up many things most days.
Festive outfit? ✔️
Good angle? ✔️
Anxiety/self confidence issues/fear/worries/frustration……wait, those don’t fit the “story”
Goofy smile that hides all that? ✔️
Yep! If you can laugh at yourself, you will always be entertained. Thank you for this.
Im still laughing at « bring out the flavor! » This made my morning!!
YES!!!!!!! I could not love this more. ❤️
Adding to the love. This made my morning. THANK YOU!
Fan-tas-tic!
Thank you for sharing such an important message! I appreciate your humor and honesty.
Note to self: When feeling bad about myself because everyone else has “perfect”lives, READ THIS POST! Never judge your insides by other people’s outsides.
I needed this! Thanks for a good read with my morning coffee. Cheers!!
Love this!!!! ✨✨
Very true! Just what I needed today! Love ❤️
Such an important thing to remember. We only see a tiny glimpse of each other’s lives.
Quick jumping pic tip: video yourself jumping, go through the video frame by frame to find the very top of your jump, screenshot and voila! Perfect jump shot in one take!
This is SO good! It’s hard to remember that the people with the perfect pictures don’t have the perfect life.
This made my morning – and I can totally relate to the “bring the flavor” comment with my own 15 year old son! Thank you!
Love this and you, Cathy!!!
This is the best I’ve read all year!
I absolutely adore you, Cathy! Smelly armpits, 428 reality photos and all!
I would laugh at this, but I’d probably pee a little…..
It’s been awhile since I laughed this hard! Thank you.
Just thanks!
this is perfect.
Love every single word of this!!!
Omg. I absolutely love everything about this ams you and the AMR tribe! Thanks for keeping things real!
Love Love every thing about this and YOU! Thanks for keeping things real!
Thanks for keeping it real. But even with the sweat, the dog poop and the recycled clothing, you still look great.
Thank you so much for this!