Lori and BRF Julie running the Towpath 10K in Cleveland last October.

Insert yourself here. (You can just hear their laughter, right?)

Welcome to the First (Annual? Maybe. We’ll see.) AMR 5K, a training program and run where we, righteous, fierce badass mother runners that we are, will all push each other out the door and across the finish line.
Here’s the 4-1-1- necessary to get your 5K on:
Why are you doing this?
Taking a wide view, because we know that the more mother runners there are in the world, the better place it is.
Focus in, and we’ve heard from plenty of you that you need some tough love and a gentle shove (hey: that rhymes). You want to figure this running thing out, but for some reason—time, schedule, motivation, inspiration, frustration—it’s just not working for you. The collective strength, support, and just general amazingness of the mother runner tribe, we’re confident, can get you on the regular running habit. We’re all here to push you out the door—and hold you accountable, cheer you on, and toast to your success with a bottle of nuun.
Why should I do this?
If you can commit to 10 weeks of dedicated workouts, chances are, you’ll soar across the finish line. This program isn’t just about the 3.1 miles, though; they’re about making running an integral and coveted part of your life. Commit to these 10 weeks, and you’ll see running—and yourself— in a whole new light.

Become a runner, and you too can wear coordinated, adorable outfits with your BRFs.

Become a runner, and you too can wear coordinated, adorable outfits with your BRFs.

Ok, enough of the inspirational talk. What are the details? Training plan? Dates? Other info?
If you are someone who:
*is having a hard time figuring out how to become a runner
*is sputtering; you stop, you start, you hit a speed bump, you stop again
*is coming back from a serious injury (out for at least 6 weeks)
*has recently had a child come into her life and have lost your groove
we recommend that you follow the 5K: Finish It Plan (a .pdf file) from Train Like a Mother. It’s a walk/run plan that builds up your running and confidence in a safe, smart fashion.
If you’re farther along in your running, follow any other TLAM plan. (See the distance question below.) We don’t want to get bogged down in too many details; our overarching goal is to throw miles of support and inspiration into the universe, so all levels of mother runners can succeed.
The 5K: Finish It training plan is bookended by two of  our favorite holidays: it starts today (Sarah’s birthday: HBTY SBS!) and ends on May 11th, Mother’s Day. That’s 10 weeks.
We are going to posting the daily workout in our AMR Connect Forums, under the beginners section. There’s already a small army of mother runners who have posted there and are ready for this party to start. Don’t be shy about chiming in and introducing yourself, talking about your workout (my no-whining policy that I try to institute in my house does not apply), generally chatting each other up. You never know who you may connect with–or inspire.
Can I switch up my workouts?
Yes, you can move your workouts around in a week as much as you need to. Our only bit of advice: don’t backload your week if you can help it. There’s something delicious about knocking out one sweat session on Monday morning, if your situation allows.

High 5's all around for the AMR Virtual 5K.

High 5’s all around for the AMR Virtual 5K.

What if I miss a workout or a week?
No biggie. Just pick up as quickly as your life and health allows, and keep on going. If you’re not sure if the sniffles should excuse you from a workout, the AMR Connect Forums is a great place to ask. Just be prepared to maybe not like the answer so much. (“Sniffles? Lace up, lady. I mean that in the nicest way possible.”)
Can I train for a longer distance?
Absolutely. The more miles—and mother runners—the merrier. There are already a handful of ladies in the AMR Connect Forums who are gunning for 10K’s and Half-Marathons.
Is there a real AMR race on May 11th?
Nope. So you can sign up for a local 5K (or other distance) and have at it. (Here’s a list of women’s races if you need help finding one.) You can also just run 3.1 miles from your house and celebrate Mother’s Day in blissful silence. Or you can go somewhere in between: invite a couple pals to run with you, then head home and celebrate with your offspring. Your call.

Mother's Day: babe + race. Perfection.

Mother’s Day: babe + race. Perfection.

Oh, and there’s something special here that I can’t think of a fake question for:
We are going to record our first-ever, 60-minute podcast out just in time for the AMR Virtual 5K. We’re going to have tunes (or snippets of them…as much as copyright laws allow) and pacing tips and a bunch of other fun stuff, so if you’re running alone you don’t have to be, you know, running alone.
What if my race or run can’t be on May 11th?
Do it on May 10th or 9th or 12th…we’re not super strict around here.
How will you know we did it?
We are going to make up some virtual bibs, and we want to see a picture of you either pre-, during or  post-run with your bib on.If you’re in a real race, just hold your virtual bib up for a pre- or post-race…we want you to wear your race number. Once we see that, we’ll be happy to send off our version of a medal: your very own BAMR sticker.
If you have a camera malfunction or just can’t happen, no worries: we trust that you did it.

BAMR

Huh? BAMR sticker?
Yep, these beauties, a testament to your ability to set a goal and work your badass off to reach it, are not even for sale yet. Send us a pic and your address, and we’ll officially dub you a BAMR. (Oh, and BAMR means Badass Mother Runner, in case you weren’t sure.)
What else?
We’ll use #BAMR5K on Twitter (we also have #motherrunner and #TLAM2013 as frequent tags, so feel free to throw those puppies on as well). We’re going to profile mother runners taking on the 5K here, as well as have regular updates over the next 10 weeks, so rest assured: there will be plenty of coverage.
If all of this feels too overwhelming, here again are the basics:
1. Start training today with the 5K: Finish It Plan.
2. Check in regularly in the AMR Connect Forums for support and accountability.
3. Finish at least a 5K on (or around) May 11th.
4. Send us a picture of yourself with our AMR virtual bib, and we’ll send you a BAMR sticker!