meredith atwood board

 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 Meredith Atwood, who you may know as Swim Bike Mom. Meredith is a mother of two (ages 6 and 7, or 14 months apart) near Atlanta.

My running history:  Until a few years ago, my history of running consisted of getting in the car and “running” to the nearest Dairy Queen for a giant Blizzard. I was never a runner, and I never cared to be. But I woke up one morning and couldn’t believe what I had become—an angry, out-of-shape, stressed-out, working wife and mom—and I wanted to change. So I decided that I would take up the sport of triathlon—which not only involves running, but two other sports (swimming and cycling)—two sports, which for the record, I also could not actually do.

Like a giant hot mess, I slowly and painfully learned how to swim, bike and run, and throw it all together in one race.  I kept plugging away at my training, and little by little I became a triathlete.  Since that time, I have finished dozens and dozens of running races and triathlons, including two full-iron distance triathlons.

My writing history: As a practicing attorney, I had many opportunities to write, but not the things I wanted to say. Also, I thought I could use my law degree for good and not evil, so in 2010 I started the blog SwimBikeMom.com with this first post: “I have decided to become a triathlete.”

I have religiously blogged since that time about my triathlon journey.  At the end of 2012, after my first half iron distance race, I wrote a book, Triathlon for the Every Woman, which is a guide and how-to for everybody to go out and tackle the sport. I wrote the book because I wanted to pull more women into the wonderful sport that I had grown to love. I also wanted women to see that, despite all the obstacles that stand in our way, we can accomplish amazing things in the bodies that we have (tall, short, thin or not-so thin—ah-hem, my size).  I also have a regular column in Triathlete Magazine called “Beginner’s Luck.”

“I Just Try Really Hard” is about: my journey to owning and believing myself to be an athlete. Even after I completed my first Ironman, I was allowing negative words in my headspace like, “Why are you so fat? Why can’t you run faster? You aren’t a real athlete!”  When I took a moment and gave myself a break (and some credit), I realized that I had actually worked hard and I had become a great athlete—in the same old body I was living in.

Where the Lycra-clad devil lives these days: I still struggle with her constantly, but with every workout I know I am getting stronger and I cling to that.  Every day that we, as women, can acknowledge the great things our bodies can do (regardless of shape, size, pace or otherwise), we become stronger in body, heart and soul.

Recent memorable run: My coach has me running 4-6 days a week (4-5 shorter or tempo runs, and one long run a week).  I have noticed that because I am running more frequently, it is getting so much easier. I know that is probably a “duh” statement, but running has always felt hard to me.  I hopped on the treadmill after a three hour bike ride this week, and it felt easy. For me, that is a crazy memorable moment.

Recent horrible run: I can’t believe it. I have not had a “horrible” run in months. I won’t even jinx it…  Are some slower than others?  Harder? Yes, but all in all, I have had some great running moments lately. Really starting to fall in love with running more than ever.

Next up on my calendar: Ironman Lake Placid in July. Yes, that includes a 2.4 mile swim and 112 mile bike for the marathon warm-up, but who’s counting?