Tales from Another Mother Runner: Triumphs, Trials, Tips, and Tricks from the Road

by Dimity McDowell, Sarah Bowen Shea

Overview

"I no longer try to outrun heredity. I run to make my own history." —Nicki, another mother runner

Every mother runner has a tale to tell. A story about how she realized, fifteen years after being told that she’s best being a bookworm, that there is an athlete inside her. Or the one about how she, fifty pounds overweight and depressed, finally found the courage—and time—to lace up her running shoes. Or maybe it’s about setting a seemingly impossible goal—going under two hours in the half-marathon—and then methodically running that goal down and tearing up across the finish line. Or it might be an account of friendship: she was new to town, was having a hard time making friends, was asked to join a group run, and now she's got four BRFs (best running friends) who are her allies, her cheerleaders, her reality checks. Maybe it's just a simple story of the beauty of starting the day off with an endorphin rush. Or, sadly, it could be about how, through the guidance of a thoughtful running friend, she found the space and rhythm to process being raped—and regained her strength and sense of self through every footstep.

In Mother Runners, elite runners Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea share not only their own stories of personal triumph on the pavement but also the inspiring stories of many members of the vibrant mother runner community they've built on their popular site, Run Like a Mother. While the common theme is running, the variations that happen through the miles are as endless as the miles themselves: losing weight, gaining confidence, finding yourself, connecting with friends, expecting more, setting goals, dealing with disappointment, figuring out how to train efficiently, clearing your head, reconnecting with your memories, building a better you. Whether you've run more marathons than you can remember, or you're just getting started, you'll find the inspiration you need to get out there, keep pushing, and run like a mother.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781449449902
Publisher:	Andrews McMeel Publishing
Publication date:	03/03/2015
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

 A veteran of eight marathons with a competitive streak a mile long, Sarah Bowen Shea is a freelance writer specializing in fitness, health, gear, and parenting. She contributes to a variety of publications, including Shape, SELF, Runner's World, Whole Living, and the New York Times. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, Jack, and three young children, including boy-girl twins.

 A dedicated if not natural runner, Dimity McDowell writes regularly about sports and fitness for a range of magazines, including Runner's World and ESPN: The Magazine. She lives and runs (at 5,280 feet) in Denver, Colorado, with her husband, Grant, two kids, and two dogs.

Table of Contents

Introduction xi

01 Ownership: You Are a Runner 1

Taking the Title and Running with It Nicole Blades 2

I Just Try Really Hard Meredith Atwood 9

Baby Bump and Run Jenny Everett 16

My Running Path 21

02 Perspective: A Mile Is a Mile 29

Running for My Life Nicole Knepper 30

Mother Runner Defined Kara Douglass Thorn 38

Expectations Are Everything: A Tale of Three Half-Marathons Alisa Bonsignore 46

Defying Gravity Dimity McDowell 54

What A Mother Runner Looks Like 61

03 Support: You Can't Go It Alone 71

Friends with Benefits Tish Hamilton 72

Taking the Long Way Home Heather Johnson Durocher 80

Running Apart Jennifer Graham 89

Unsolicited Advice 92

04 Joy: Open Heart and Light Legs 101

Running with jo-eey Kristin Armstrong 102

Recipe for Double Digits Adrienne Martini 107

A Ghost Story Marit Fischer 112

Celebrity Dream Run 116

05 Strength: You Are More Badass Than You Thought 127

Dreamed We Were Running Alison Overholt 128

The Middle Finger Susan Schorn 134

Up the Down Escalator Michelle Theall 140

In Her Shoes 145

06 Ambition: Dream Big, Step Up 161

Who Needs Prada? I've Got Coach Bethany Meyer 162

A Speck Through Space Katie Arnold 170

Coming of Age Sarah Bowen Shea 179

Tmi, The Extended Edition 184

07 Persistence: Hang on; You've Got This 189

If You Don't Run, You Can't Win Terzah Becker 190

3.1 Miles: Taking Control of Me Amy Bailey 197

Nine Runs, Nine Lives Rachel Walker 202

Today I Ran 208

Author Biographies 214

Acknowledgments 219

Editorial Reviews

... an inspiring and informative text that almost any runner—even those who are not mothers—will enjoy.” (Zella (Runner's World))

"... a literary runner's bible for women that is not to be missed." (The Huffington Post)

“... A deep well of feel-good vibes, practical insight, and hard-won enlightenment for moms committed to their running life and their family life … each quote and essay in the book is an offering, a generous gift from one mother runner to another, variously marked by honesty, humor, heartache, and passion.” (Women's Health)

From the Publisher