We’re excited to return to our regularly scheduled Tales From Another Mother Runner Thursday and to keep the #TAMRTour momentum going. (TAMR rhymes with BAMR, btw.)
Today we’re profiling Ms. Kristin Armstrong, writer of the popular Mile Markers on Runner’s World Zelle, as well as a recent (and oh-so-insightful) guest on our podcast.
Kristin is going to join Sarah, and Susan Schorn, another TAMR essayist, for a rockin’ night in Austin on March 26th at the Texas Running Company. Don your best boots–or your running shoes!—and join us. RSVP here for a free, fun night full of prizes, laughs, and mother runner connection.
My running history: I jiggly jogged after having babies but started running in 2003 in the middle of my divorce.
My writing history: I have been a contributing editor for Runner’s World since 2004. I have done freelance work for USA Today, Parents, Glamour, O Magazine, and write regular columns for Tribeza and Living Faith. I am the author of seven books.
“Running with Joo-ey” focuses on: When we tap into our inner joy (sounds like Joo-ey when my African coach says it) we are able to run for the love of running and break free. We run the risk of ruining the things we love when we forget why we love them. Running is like that. The best way to go running is not, “I need to run” or “I have to go run” but “I get to go run.” Our best running partner is Jooey.
About that podcast reading: Dimity here…Kristin and I worked through a couple revisions of her great essay, and a piece of it that didn’t fit into the final version in the book resonated deeply with many of you–and us–when we had her on the podcast. So here it is…
Gotta-have gear: good shoes. Not too old not too new.
Favorite pre-race meal: a breakfast taco, with egg, cheese, spinach, and avocado
Recent memorable run: Two hours in cold pouring, slant rain. I didn’t have to go, I wanted to. What’s wrong with me?
Recent horrible run: Same damn run
Next up on my running calendar: A 50K on trails in May in California
Quick, easy ask from us: If you have purchased and found the time to read Tales From Another Mother Runner, we’d love, love it if you could take a minute a put up an honest review on Amazon, which, for reasons we don’t totally understand, is huge in spreading the TAMR word and helping women find the book. Thanks in advance!
Kristen, during the podcast with Dim and Sarah, at one point you referred to a point in running as “touching suffering” . I could never figure that emotion or sensation out in my head before. That comment as innocuous as it seemed, hit the nail on the head. There are those “times” when you know, your pounding the cr*p out of yourself because of (fill in the blank). And, although you can’t take someone’s pain or grief away, or possibly help out in any other way, the feeling of mutual suffering eases the feeling of helplessness we feel in certain situations. I think anyway.
Loved Mile Markers and am going to continue reading your books. I had no idea you had written that many! The Mother/Daughter Devotional one will be next! Thank you for broadening my little literary world!
:)
Well, this is just lovely.
Thank you.
I loved the podcast and loved the final quote she shared so much! All things I want to teach my kids. I also would love to notice the things I am grateful for daily in my life. Thanks, Kristin and AMR!
I also had no idea you had written other books. I have appreciated the honesty and beauty of Mile Markers and the blog entries. Thanks for sharing, now I’m off to look for the other books!
Kristin is my guru. Thank you for this and for the podcast. I’ve already listened to it several times, and I actually made my husband listen to the part that she reads from her essay about the lessons she wants to teach her children. http://www.momontherunsanity.com
Everything my daughter (now 28) has learned from me, (her words) was being present while I taught kids with special needs, being her mom (never wavering) and preening her feathers as she grew her own wings (no lectures, just being there..) My running, cycling, swimming, etc. was in the background helping me through the other, more necessary “stuff” so I could pay bills and keep a roof over our heads.
I LOVE Kristin’s summary statement! I have listened to the podcast twice and was gong to type is out myself. Thank you for passing on the entire statement. This will go on my fridge, mirror, facebook page and anywhere else I need a reminder. You summarized the hopes and feelings of a lot of mother runners.
The “thing” that wears my A$$ out is not parenting, running or my marriage…it’s my career as a special needs educator!
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I cried. As an athlete and mother of four athletic daughters, Kristin’s words resonated. She clarified what rolls through my mind as I train and compete. When a recent race start was moved ahead an hour because of the consuming heat, I told the girls they didn’t need to be there for race start. “Are you kidding, said our 18 year old, the oldest, I love race day!” Cool.