So is this runner still alive? Yes, don’t worry, and rest assured I’ve been putting in my miles like a good little Arty Runnerchick as well. I apologize for my slight dip into obscurity for awhile here, but the GOOD news is I’ve been working on a few awesome projects for you. So do stay tuned for more on that. Lots of artage and wordage is to be expected.
Today is a special day. The Earth actually paused for a minute, did you feel it while you were out on your run? It’s actually my mom’s birthday!! She’s also the person responsible for getting me addicted to this whole running thing in the first place. 🙂
Growing up I watched my mom get up at the crack of dawn to get her run in before dashing us off to school and then go to work. I believe the best way to beat this whole slothy-obesity issue is for parents to lead by example. She did that for all of us kids. What’s more is she is a living, breathing, excuse-buster.
She’s popped out four kids, works two jobs, is Team Mom for my littlest brother’s Football and Rugby teams, goes to every game or event possible one of us chillun takes part in, and STILL makes fitness a priority. Like me, she’s not shy in saying her workouts help keep her sane.
My mom was also my training partner while I was still living in their house. I’ve run more miles with her than anyone else in the world. Easy days, she would be a trooper and get up for my runs at unholy hours because I had to be at school. So today I’m sharing some things I learned from the best woman in the world…
1) Consistency: Everyone non-runner or non-worker-outer in the world has asked us ‘freaks’, “What’s your secret?” There is no flippity-flip secret to staying in shape and getting faster, stronger, and better. It takes putting in the work every day. Motivating yourself when you’re not feeling it, and doing the work. Be consistent and I swear you’ll improve.
2) Hardest Part is Done: We’d joke after our runs, “Well, hardest part of the day is done!” It’s kind of true to a point. Running, even those ‘easy’ days, is never purely easy. There’s always some discomfort, that’s the point, it’s work. Running also makes you tougher in life; it teaches you to persist, persevere, and work towards goals even when things get tedious.
3) Easy Does Count: I’m not a hypocrite here, but getting back to those easy days…you need them. My coach loved that my mom would ‘keep me honest’ and make sure I didn’t go too hard on many of those easy days. Runners need those easy days so they can recover and then be able to actually go hard on those hard days.
4) Love the Run: Every runner goes through lulls in motivation, but there is a difference between a lull and burn-out. My mom taught me that you should never come to begrudge running, because if you do that too long you’ll lose your passion for it. Cherish the run, and if you see the signs of mental burn-out, catch it for what it is, do what you have to do, and find that SPARK again.
I have an infinite amount of respect for mothers who are leading by example. Staying fit, making running (or whatever workout) a priority, and showing their children that running and working out is freaking AWESME! 🙂
1) Did you grow up with parents who were fit?
I thought every mom ran before school up until I started doing sleep-overs at my friends’.
2) What is something you say when non-runners ask you, “What’s your secret?”
3) How do you keep your running spark alive?
AWESOME post! I totally agree with everything you said! My parents always took us on walks as kids, and now that I’m a runner I have gotten my mom to run too! Also, thank you for the encouraging words; I have been in a bit of a running slump lately, but now I’m ready to hit the road again!
thanks!! how incredibly cool that you’ve gotten your mom to become a runner!! those slumps happen to us all…just remind yourself how much better you feel after your run and that can help get you out the door! 🙂
Loving to run now! Thanks for this post. My wife is really liking the new tradmill I got her for her birthday and now she is using it daily. Maybe she will be outdoors running more too…I love it as well and am getting into the realm of fitness now more.
I like your posts….
Will.
thanks so much, Will! hoorah for loving to run and helping to spread that passion to your wife…have to say that would be the DREAM birthday gift for me! 🙂 both of you keep getting your run on!
Cait, nice to see you again! 😉 This post reminds me of the time my mom tried to run a 5k. She did fine for having never run before, and her age, she ran around 30 minutes. But her form was hilarious. We she runs she bounces too high, so we joked that she went vertical more than horizontal. She also got passed by someone with a baby-stroller in the last 100 meters. =)
didja miss me? 😉 haha….oh, your poor mom getting teased for her heinous form! when i first started my mom never told me (until after) that she had to stifle her laughs every time she saw me, i had crazy arms. 😛 your mom should get major props for just finishing since she hadn’t run before, but going forward, NEVER let a baby-stroller runner pass her. 😉 jk
What an awesome post, with some excellent advice from your mom!! I’m a running mom and I hope one day my kids will have the same appreciation for me, that you expressed about your mom. As a former elite runner who’s been retired for 16 (yikes!!) years – my goal is to stay fit enough that I can run with my kids when they get to high school. 🙂
thank you and another AWESOME runner mom! 🙂 i’m certain your kids will thank you in the future, trust me.
Happy Birthday Mama Arty Runner Chick!
That is so cool you have ran so much together!
I hope to raise a family that thinks every mum gets up in the morning and runs :=) even if it’s not running I would love to help my kids with whatever their training is.
Can’t wait to share in all your art and writing. Need a big dose :=)
thank you!! don’t worry, as for mommy runners you are definitely among the top of my fav list! u also have the right attitude, like my mom, she didn’t care what we kids chose to do, just that we were moving and had fun exercising. 🙂
I agree runner moms are the best moms! My mom does nearly every race with me and I love that at 60+ she is still training for and running 5ks, 10ks and half marathons. Such an inspiration and I can only hope I am still running all those miles when I’m her age!
what an inspiration, i love hearing things like this! tell your mom she ROCKS and i hope to be 60+ and getting my miles fix too! (unless i lose my legs i’m planning on it…hehe)
I know this wasn’t the point of the post, but my favorite line: “There is no flippity flip secret…” Amen to that!
Enjoyed hearing about how your Mom inspired – and aided – you in your running career. My Mom ran on the first Post-Title IV women’s track team her high school fielded…and then stopped running for 35 years. She recently started again, and I couldn’t be more proud. She definitely inspires me!
hahaha…i could have gone on a wild tangent and really delved into that ‘secret’ thing with the post….more fodder for the next one, right? 😉
Nice to see you! 🙂 My parents weren’t necessarily fit, but my dad was always active and could run around with us kids in the yard or do whatever other hairbrained game we thought up. My sister and I are grown now, and he has gotten into biking and rides his bike a lot, especially on weekends. He still comes to as many of my athletic endeavors (growing up it was swim meets and soccer games, now it’s road races) as possible!
supportive parents are also the best kind, knowing that he’s there cheering always feels good! 🙂 haha…hairbrained games, that sounds like my childhood too. 😉