I am a proud Run Like A Mother veteran—five years running to be exact. But my streak nearly ended before it began, because I’d been late to hear about the run and registration for the event in Ridgefield, Connecticut had already closed. Fortunately, a hopeful email to info@runlikeamother.com got me in.

I love this race. I love what it represents and I love that my family knows that this is how I want to start every Mother’s Day. Running alongside those wonderful women of all ages, all levels of skill, mothers and daughters, friends and neighbors, all trying to do our best while being cheered on by our families…it just meant so much to me.

Shortly after starting working a new job from my Colorado home, I was asked to check out runlikeamother.com.  My response? “No need. I know it and love it!” Within days, I was working on this amazing event with RLAM founder Megan Searfoss and a team of wonderful women across the country.  I have spent the last three months living and breathing Run Like A Mother, deciding on shirt colors, preparing signage, securing water and laughing with Megan daily at the absurd things I didn’t know about organizing these races in 8 cities, with nearly 10,000 participants and volunteers.  I mean, is there a formula to figure out how many T-shirts you need of each size? 

This year, while I didn’t spend my Mother’s Day at “my” Ridgefield race, I enjoyed the experience of seeing Run Like A Mother from a different perspective, from the starting line, the finish line, the awards ceremony and everything in between. To say it brought tears to my eyes is an understatement. The joy and encompassing emotion I have felt each of the past years running in Ridgefield, I relived through seeing so many women, children, friends and loved ones come together to Run Like A Mother across our country.

So, as I headed out this Mother’s Day with my 11- and 8-year-old daughters to do my first “virtual” Run Like A Mother 5K, I felt pangs of joy and sadness.  Joy, for playing my part in helping bring this amazing experience to thousands of women across the country, and sadness that I wasn’t heading to Ridgefield for my annual Run Like A Mother race.  That sadness didn’t last long as I shared every beautiful step of my 5K with my girls. As we headed into the final stretch, my younger daughter said, “Mommy I’m gonna do Run Like A Mother with my kids someday.”  My response, “If I have anything to do with it you will.”

I thank Megan every Mother’s Day for letting me sneak into that race back in 2009 and for what has become my eagerly anticipated Mother’s Day tradition. So, did I achieve my personal best this Run Like A Mother? The looks on my girls faces says yes.

I am a Run Like A Mother veteran, 5 years and running…

until next year, as Megan says,

Run On.

Benita

Are YOU in it to WIN it?

Well are you?

Today on Facebook a fan stated that someone told her that in order to be called a runner, one must run an 8 minute mile otherwise you were JUST a jogger.  If you didn’t see the post, take a moment to read the comments.  Those comments were written by women of all shapes, sizes and most importantly speeds and nearly all of them call themselves a RUNNER and defend it with passion.  I read each one and by the end of the 100+ comments, I felt like standing on my roof, thrusting my arms into the air and yelling to the world that “I am a RUNNER! AND so are YOU!”.   You are worthy of the term no matter the speed, no matter the gait and just really, no matter what!  As soon as you tie your shoes and step out the door, YOU have transformed.  Believe it, say it and wear it proud.

You have done it!  Completed the training and are ready to run.  Many of you have run 5Ks before; once a year, every other week…in fact many of you do much more.  This coming Mother’s Day weekend however, for most of you it is your first 5K and perhaps the first time you have committed to an athletic goal.  Now, are you ready to WIN it?  Your 4 year old who has watched you train will likely ask you if you are going to win.  Answer YES!  Ah, teaching moment here.

When you toe the line for a race or challenge of any kind it is important to think you are going to win.  In a running race, that doesn’t mean necessarily that you are going to be the first breaking the tape.  What it can mean is that you decide on a goal,  such as  a time goal, or a run/walk challenge interval and push to achieve it.  By doing this you are challenging yourself physically and mentally to “win your race”.  I have always felt that winning is when you test your ability and cross knowing you did all that you could to achieve it.

What happens when things don’t go as planned?  This usually happens when you let the tiniest bit of self-doubt in.  Keep things positive!  Look around you at Run Like a Mother and draw good vibes from the other athletes.  Find a person in front of you and make them a target to pass.  Some coaches will tell you that when you feel like slowing is when you should speed up, that a change of pace will change your mind.

So with those thoughts…

YOU ARE A RUNNER and

YOU ARE IN IT TO WIN IT!

Enjoy yourself at the 2013 Run Like a Mother 5K!  You deserve it!  See you at the finish line!

Run On!

Megan

I don’t know that I can accurately describe my feelings right now.  I am proud to be a runner.  I am proud to be an American.  Yesterday, at the Boston Marathon, I have never been more proud to be both.

From the day before at the expo, buying the famous Boston marathon jacket worn so proudly by so many to crossing the finish line yesterday around 2:40 PM, I could not have been happier to have this incredible experience I got to share with dear friends and so many from around the world.  Several women involved with Run Like a Mother were there and we couldn’t wait to celebrate Monday evening with a burger and a tall cold beer.

The morning was perfect.  My oldest daughter chauffeuring us to the start line before heading back to college; the car was full of happy pre-race chit chat and marathon stories.  Later, I reunited with a friend waiting in line at the port-a-johns, I hadn’t seen her in 7 years.  She was running her first Boston and had even flown her Mum  in from England to witness. I found a pair of boxing gloves and was dancing around with them.  All fun and silly.  We were running with a friend who was a top ten qualifier in the Female 70 age-group, and were so proud to be with her, acting as ceremonious body guards as we inched our way up in the corral.

We were in the last corral getting across the start line at 10:48 am.  As we started the first few miles, it was clear it was going to be a special day.  The sun was out and the weather was cool, a  perfect marathon day.  The crowds were top-notch; screaming, cheering, offering ice pops and Vaseline, and motivational signs that made you laugh and cry. We were soaking it all in.  The streets were lined with the National Guard and then there were military men in combat boats carrying HUGE backpacks walking the race.  We ran near a man for many miles who carried an American flag the entire distance and the chants of USA, USA were always near. So too were the voices of foreigners, running their first Boston Marathon and soaking up this iconic American experience.

My friend and I made the turn onto Boylston St., the crowds were intense and my heart was pounding, not only had we accomplished what we set out to do, we were doing it in front of what seemed like millions.  A solid 8:30 pace picked up to a 7 minute mile as we made our way to the finish, matching our run stride for stride.  We did it!

My husband and daughter were in the grandstands to see us in, then left to find us at our designated meeting spot, which was under the heated awning at the Fairmont Copley; just yards behind the finish line medical tent.  My friend and I made our way through the post-race food, space blanket distribution and then to grab our medals.  We were making our way to the meeting area when two booms happened.  Silence.

Was it a sonic boom or a revolutionary war cannon launched in celebration?  Was it a back fire of a generator?  It wasn’t until we saw people running towards us with tears streaming down their faces and hands covering their mouths that we realized something so terrible had happened.  Suddenly our celebration ended, gone in an instant as we tried desperately to find family and the whereabouts of friends still on the course.

Something was lost again yesterday. Our family and friends are all OK, physically unharmed, but the experience forever etched into our hearts and heads.  My family sat moments before celebrating the marathon with Newtown- Sandy Hook families that were there in honor of their tragedy.  The Boston Marathon had dedicated the 26^th mile to them.  Too many of them got to witness this tragedy unfold 50 yards from where they were sitting to celebrate the lives of their loved ones.  Why did YOU do this?

YOU, will never take running away from me. YOU will never take it away from the Boston Marathon or the thousands of runners around the world that hope to run it one day.  YOU are a coward and a whack to hurt  so many people that were celebrating life, health and wellness.

Running has given me peace through the worst and best times of my life. People like YOU make me need running more.  WE will be in Boston next year and for years to come. Our resolve is stronger than ever.  YOU likely don’t have a clue what it is like to have peace and are envious of those that have it. Perhaps YOU should try running so that you can have clarity and understand all that is right in the world and learn not to dwell on what you feel is unjust.  Running does that.

I pray for those are lost, for those that continue to fight for  their lives and for those that witnessed the awfulness.  Today was to be another glorious day in Boston, as marathoners wore their jackets and medals proud while hobbling their stiff legs down stairs, all badges of a race of a lifetime.  Indeed it was.

Oh, I love this time of year.  The Run Like a Mother time of year.  Working with amazing women around the country to bring the race to each of you reminds me again and again that I am not the only crazy women managing a family, work and trying to carve out a little me time.

Tonight as I sat at the kitchen counter responding to email and crafting Facebook posts, I shoveled the remnants of last night’s frozen burrito ( skillfully over-microwaved and chopped up into crouton like morsels then tossed over kale and mixed grains)into my mouth.  The kids off at practices and rehearsals had eaten a similar meal hours before.  To my horror and wonder, my husband walked in from a two day business trip.  Horror because I had nothing to feed him and wonder if he might be totally repulsed at the bowl of tossed mush I was attacking.  

Moments later I messaged with our National Race Director, Benita, who managed many race logistic calls today while her kids and husband were home due to a freak Colorado snow storm.  She asked me if I could teleport her dinner as she needed Plan B; her husband ate the pasta for lunch that was Plan A.

Does this sound like your life?  For my sake and Benita’s, please tell me it does.  As I briefly snuggle into the couch with one of our daughters, between switching loads of laundry, I remind myself of my run this morning.  All to myself for an hour, just me and the calm that running gives me.  Somehow that hour (which occurred oh, so very long ago), has carried me through this tumultuous day of work, car pool and laundry.  I am grateful for what the run did for me in that moment and for how it makes me feel now.  Running is a settler of sorts; preparing me for the day, allowing me to organize my thoughts and actions while keeping my heart healthy and my legs strong.  I feel peace when I run which  allows me to deal with the hectic.  It’s all good.

If you are beginning your running journey with Run Like a Mother, I wish you the peace of the run for the hectic in your life.  It just keeps getting better.

Run On Now,

Megan

Every runner from novice to Olympian has, at one time or another, experienced muscle soreness.  You may be sore from a new activity that your muscles need to get used to, or you could have just done an intense hill workout, and your hamstrings, quads and glutes are screaming for mercy with each step you take up the stairs.

Studies and empirical evidence have shown that including massage as a regular part of a training regiment dramatically reduces recovery time and post-workout soreness. One’s first instinct in the presence of workout related pain may be to reach for an anti-inflammatory pill.  The pill may help with the pain, but may actually delay healing of the muscle tissue.
Intense exercise causes tears in muscle fibers which leads to inflammation.  A study was conducted upon athletes working out vigorously.  Post workout, one thigh was massaged on each athlete, while the other was left alone. Biopsies were then conducted on the thigh muscles in each leg.

To learn the results of the study and the science behind post-workout massage, click the link below:

How Massage Heals Sore Muscles

by Susi Laura Manheimer

Susi Laura Manheimer, a runner and a mother of two, lives in Ridgefield, CT and owns Susi Laura Massage Therapy offering massage, organic facials & waxing.  Please visit www.SusiLauraMassage.com to view the full list of treatments.