#AMRinSaucony: Don’t Think; Just Go, Y’all.

Amy’s April Highlights! A visual!

Amy Blake, our #AMRinSaucony, reflects on April and her favorite saying. ()ne guess as to what it is…) By the way, stay tuned to our #AMRinSaucony channel tomorrow, as we’re hosting a super fun—and easy—contest! Details here on Wednesday!

Okay, I’ll just own up to it right now: I am an introvert. I’m not a huge talker, but my inner dialogue is quite active. I also tend to overthink things. Dwell. Let certain thoughts take up residence in my headspace for longer than they should.

I am especially guilty of over thinking when it comes to running. When I first started running races—this was before there were kids in the picture—planning for and just thinking about the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other occupied a lot of space in my head. I debated clothing to an insufferable degree. I planned and replanned  and drove or biked routes for exact mileage. (This was before the magical GPS watch.) I obsessed over shoes. And when should I run? Morning? Afternoon? Night?

When I decided to run my first marathon in 2004, the long run became a crazy all its own. Am I drinking enough? Should I be drinking a sports drink?  Are these the right gels?  I forgot sunscreen. I remembered sunscreen but now it’s dripping in my eyes. I can already feel these shorts chafing. Is that a rock in my shoe? Why did I wear THIS PAIR of socks? What if I have to take a “comfort break?”

Planning ahead is smart, but obsessing like a crazy person is useless.

Since becoming a mom, I’ve had to relinquish some of that headspace from worrying about running minutia to concentrate on things like functioning as a useful member of society on very little sleep and not peeing my pants when I sneeze. And when it comes to planning runs and training schedules, I’ve had to make one change, one that I think has been a good one, and also happens to be one of my all time fave AMR sayings.

This was the first AMR shirt I bought and was my introduction to the AMR community. I love the simplicity, the lack of room for argument and excuse making, especially when it comes to running.

I’m trying to be less of a head case when it comes to lacing up and getting out the door.

When my husband walks in the door from work and the baby’s just drained the feedbags and the kids are peacefully coexisting? I don’t think. I just go.

See? They can all get along!

WhenI find myself awake earlier than I need to be in the morning (usually because of the baby) and the rest of the day looks iffy for fitting in a run? I don’t think. I just go.

Sometimes there’s an actual beauty to rising and running before the rest of the world.

When I’m at work and it’s noon and I’m losing my mind and know a sweat will save me (and my coworkers)? I don’t think. I just go.

Saucony Ride 7s saving my sanity and Action Wipes saving my co-workers from having to smell me

Having a set of running gear at the ready and the willingness to go at a moment’s notice makes it a little tougher to schedule runs with friends, but at this point in my BAMR life, it’s what I have to do. The good news is that there is rarely time to over think and talk myself out of a run.

Speaking of Just Going, when Jonna Bass Parr asked me if I was interested in coming out to be on Team AMR for the Run + Refresh Retreat, my immediate reaction was ABSOFREAKIN’LUTELY YES, YES, YES. After I calmed down and came back to earth, my mind went into its familiar overdrive. A running retreat? At the time, I could barely string a few miles together. Second, THINK OF THE CHILDREN, especially your four-month-old daughter who relies on your body for daily sustenance. Could I really leave her with my non-lactating husband? 

It’s all good, Mom. I’ll be okay. The question is, what about you?

But when I floated the idea to my husband that same day via email, he replied with 100% support. It was mid-morning and he was at work, so I’m pretty sure he wasn’t under the influence of an outside substance when he agreed to solo parent for four days.

Before I could convince myself why it would not be exactly practical to leave the baby, or work myself up into a frenzy over what the house would look like when I came back, or if the other kids would solely subsist on Captain Crunch while I was gone, I acted.

Don’t think; just go.

Don’t think, just book the damn plane ticket before your husband comes to his senses.

So I did. And as you can probably guess, Little Rock exceeded my expectations. I spent four incredible days with Team AMR and a group of amazing Mother Runners from all over the world in what was hands down the most beautiful place I’ve ever stayed in my life.

I wish I’d taken more photos of the hotel itself, but I was too busy drooling over spiced pecans.

Refresh

The first thing I noticed when I walked into the bathroom in our gorgeous suite was the huge bathtub. Soaking in a bathtub in peace? In hot water? Without kids clawing at the door? Also not a regular occurrence in my life. The little things like these: I took full advantage. Glorious. 

I hydrated with tasty beer from Diamond Bear Brewing. Sitting and enjoying a cold beer is a rare luxury these days as a breastfeeding mama. I embraced the opportunity. 

And yes, you’re wondering if this sleep-deprived mama slept? Indeed. There is a luxury to not having to share a bed with other humans and dogs for a few nights.

I did not sleep with toffee; it was part of the hotel turndown service every night.

Learn

I learned than I expected I would. The sessions with Coach Christine, Cassie Dimmick, Sage Rountree, and Trigger Point Therapy were informative, interesting, and quite applicable to where I am in my running life. Long run training and mental toughness? Even though I’ve trained for many marathons, I am talking myself out of success before I’ve hit the halfway point. Nutrition? An area I struggle with. Yoga for Runners? That is EXACTLY the yoga I want and need. Massage therapy? I now know how to use my grid roller, previously housing my son’s wooden toy trains. I’d leave a session and pronounce it my favorite, only to have it trumped by the next one.

Refuel

I ate food. Good food, y’all. Food that wasn’t plain spaghetti or resembling a chicken nugget or packaged in a blue cardboard box. Our Farm to Table dinner at the Dunbar Community Garden was by far one of the most memorable meals I’ve enjoyed.

All the running

And of course, I had to run. To have dedicated time for running and not worry that something in my husband’s work schedule was going to interfere was truly a gift. I embraced it wholeheartedly, possibly pushing the limits a little by the end of the weekend. But here’s the thing: when you have a chance to run with Dimity and there’s a possibility you will even be able to keep up with her? Maybe? It was a chance I could not pass up.

That run, by the way, was the speediest I’ve had in months. It felt so good. (Well, it felt awful, but so good to push the pace a little bit.)

I have a lot of photos of rear ends running away from me, and I apologize; my instinct is to snap a visual souvenir (of the running, not the rear ends). That said, look at the calves on Ariel (dark blue shirt)! Get it, girl. Big Dam Bridge was…big. I hope I have better form than Wall Lady. And I had to snap a selfie with my running buddies from Friday morning’s group run.

This was a completely new experience for me, and as I told one of my roommates (the fabulous Denise Dollar!) upon arriving, I was completely out of my element. When I started to unpack at the hotel, I was on the verge of tears. I wasn’t even sure why. Maybe it was the grandiosity of the place, the realization I was so far away from my kids, and that I was going to have to really step out of my social comfort zone. But as this Mother Runner community is known to do, I felt completely welcome and supported. I am overflowing with gratitude to the AMR family.

Another Mother Runner, Y’all!

A Saucony Vizi-Glo Heart of Running Love. I heart you, Sarah and Dimity.

I came home from Little Rock with 51 new BAMR friends and a renewed enthusiasm for running. My legs are lighter, and my heart is full. I’m finding my  Strong with every run—and strength workout, Dimity!

Most of all, I was reminded that running is truly a gift we are all so fortunate to have. I’m excited for the upcoming summer running season and putting into practice everything I’ve learned about running, nutrition, and training. And sharing some of what I’ve learned with you too, of course.

Speaking of May, I’ll be lining up in Corral D for the Cellcom Half Marathon this month in Green Bay, WI. No goal time, no lofty expectations, no apologies if I have to walk a little. If you’re going to be at the race, let me know! I’d love to meet up with some fellow BAMRs.