Becoming a Mother Runner
Happy Mother’s Day to the fellow Mother Runners out there.
It’s funny – I used to really associate myself with the phrase “mother runner” – and that has changed.
As soon as I started showing with my first, I got a cute tank top that said “running for two”. (It took me FOREVER to show, so by the time you could actually recognize my bump, I was not really running – it was a waddle/walk).
As soon as it was considered allowed to run with my baby in the stroller I did (and worried about judgment since there were mixed opinions on when it was allowed – was it head control? or was it the manufacturer’s label?!).
Finding Community as a Twin Mom Runner
When I was pregnant with the twins, I created a Facebook community around being fit while pregnant. Back in the Instagram hashtag hey-day I was constantly using & searching #motherrunner and #twinmomrunner to find women like me. (The amazing thing was – I found a lot of other twin moms who were runners, and to this day, still stay in touch with some of them!)
Returning to Running Too Quickly After Pregnancy
I returned to running too quickly with both pregnancies. There wasn’t as much information on postpartum fitness or running back then (and this was only 8 years ago) – and honestly, I was so eager to regain my fitness that I’m not sure I would have followed it. (Of course now that I’m older and wiser, I know that I should definitely have waited longer).
The Reality of Running With Young Kids
Being a mother runner dominated my life for many years — as a stay-at-home mom/coach on a major budget, we had limited childcare and twins who woke at unpredictable times – there was a lot of “making it work” – running at random times, with a stroller, on a treadmill, cutting runs short. I leaned more into home workout videos from BODi than I did big running goals, but Saturdays have consistently been “my morning” to get time for me for the last 10 years (thank you, Mike!).
Why I No Longer Identify as a “Mother Runner”
Now that my kids are 8, 8 and 10, I don’t feel as drawn to the identity of a “mother runner”.
I am a mom. I am a runner. I don’t feel that the two intersect the same way as one unified identity.
When Motherhood and Running Felt Completely Connected
When I was in the trenches, with 3 in diapers, a double jogging stroller (never a triple, so that didn’t work!), going on playdates at the park, and fitting in workouts during nap time or while they watched “Little Baby Bum”…. mother and runner simply couldn’t be separate.
How Running Feels Different in This Season of Life
Now, it’s no big deal when I go for a 12 mile run with my run club, and stay for coffee (unless of course, Scarlett has a 9 AM soccer game) – my husband is no longer overwhelmed and grumpy when I return with runners high because he’s been solo parenting. If I travel for a race, it’s a lot easier to have the kids go to a friends’ after school or get a ride to soccer than it was to hire a babysitter or have my mom come in town to watch them and help Mike.
One of My Favorite Motherhood Photos
This photo – below- is one of my favorites because it epitomizes how all-consuming it was raising 3 kids born within 2.5 years of one another. Holding all 3 on me, while they pull down my shirt and expose my bra in public.
Every Season of Motherhood Changes
I know that THIS phase is fleeting – in a few short years we’ll have middle and high schoolers – and my long runs will be impacted by having to pick up a kid at a party at 11 PM (way past my bedtime).
Savoring This Season of Motherhood
This Mother’s Day, I’m soaking in the beautiful season we’re in right now. I already know my heart will melt seeing the homemade cards and hearing those still sweet, squeaky little voices say, “I love you, Mama.
Final Thoughts on Motherhood and Running
To moms — whatever phase of motherhood YOU’RE in — I hope you know that running can be something just for you.
You can be a mom. And you can be a runner.
Happy running,
Nicole Dobransky
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