Running Like a Mother

Some of you may know about my mild obsession with the Run Like a Mother book. The book, written by Sarah Bowen Shea and Dimity McDowell, is a combination of running inspiration, training tips, sympathy and motivation for moms out there hitting the pavement. No matter what running level they are at, there is a very large culture of Mother Runners out there and I’m proud to be one of them.

I have been following SBS and DMD since I read their Marathon Moms article in a 2007 issue of Runner’s World. I had just entered the world of running (literally, I was probably running 2K) and I was so inspired by how these two women managed running a household, running a family, running a career all while running. They made me feel like it was well…possible. That was the spark.

In March 2010 they launched the book and have seen a tremendous following of Mother Runners. Their facebook page has over 8,400 followers. They have a blog, they have t-shirts (which, ahem…are not available in Canada), they have podcasts and group runs. They have created a community that shares, listens, complains, motivates and inspires each other.

For their one year RLAM-iversary, the authors had asked the community to submit videos of themselves “running like a mother”. Whatever that means to you. I love this idea as I picture how creative moms can be, especially when it means getting  a couple hours of me-time.

However, when I thought of this question, I personally couldn’t think of how I run, and how being a mother effects my running. The things I did come up with can’t be shown on video. Not because they are indecent, but because it’s the little things that go on behind that scenes that make the difference.

So, here's a few ideas, not in video form, of how I “run like a mother”

• Feeling that twinge of guilt when leaving the house because I’m taking almost 2 hours of solo time for myself
• Hiding protein bars and energy beans, so no one eats ‘my’ snacks
• Having family discussions about which Nuun flavour we’d like to try next
• Saving exactly two energy beans to give to the kids as a treat for when I’m done my run
• Spending my only alone time thinking and worrying about my kids (school, friends, future)
• Creatively dealing with the unpleasant side- effects that running has on a “post-baby” body (if you have to ask…you just don’t know)
• Planning family dinners around my training schedule, so I’m not eating hot dogs right before speed training
• Being constantly paranoid of picking up any illness my kids bring home from school, because my training  didn’t plan for sick days
• Shopping for my own running gear in the kids section, without looking like a weirdo
• Secretly love it when my daughter casually asks me how far my run is going to be that day

I'm sure there are many more, but this will at least give you an idea of my own little running-mommy world.
How about you...are you a mother that runs? Anything to add to the list?