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Posts Tagged ‘Another Mother Runner’

My Favorite Running Podcasts

Posted in Running, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on March 17, 2017| 2 Comments »

March is the month that podcasters are encouraging their listeners to share their favorite podcasts in an effort to get more people to try a pod.

Screen Shot 2017-03-13 at 10.02.20 AM

I am happy to share my favorites as a thank you to those podcasters who have gotten me out the door for many a run. I’m one of those kooky people who do not listen to music while I run (yes, we do exist). I love to listen to podcasts and audiobooks though, and I rarely run without one or the other.

My favorite podcasts are:

1. Another Mother Runner: These ladies first introduced me to podcasts and I’ve loved them (the ladies and their podcasts) ever since. Not only do they have great guests and content, they also are completely relatable and I simply enjoy catching up with them each week. So many times I’ve laughed out loud as I listened to their opening dialogues and interviews. This podcast grew out of their books Run Like a Mother, Train Like a Mother, and Tales from Another Mother Runner and the wonderful Another Mother Runner community that has sprouted around those books. New podcasts come out every Friday, just in time for listening to on a weekend long run. And guess what? I sent in a voice memo about training with my teenager for a half marathon and you can hear that clip on today’s episode (at about the 12:30 mark if you want to fast-forward to it): How to Get Your Kid(s) Involved in Running.

2. Run to the Top Podcast from RunnersConnect: Tina Muir does an excellent job hosting this informative podcast with high quality guests. She’s an elite athlete who manages to be both humble and inspiring as she shares content that appeals to beginners and professional runners alike.

3. The Rich Roll Podcast: If you’re a fan of Rich Roll and his book Finding Ultra then you might also enjoy his podcast. He has a unique perspective and his podcast is one of the few that goes long-form with one- to two-hour interviews with a wide variety of guests, from celebrities to fitness experts. He hits heavy on the topics of sobriety and veganism, but there’s something there for everyone.

4. The Conscious Runner Podcast: Listening to the Conscious Runner host Lisah Hamilton is like listening to your own personal coach and running friend. She has a lot to teach a new runner and anyone who wants to improve running form and speed. Her guests range from experts to everyday runners, and they all share a passion for running that will keep you inspired to get out there and do your best.

5. Human Race Podcast by Runner’s World: This relatively new podcast features human interest pieces that share the stories of various runners and the running community.

6. The Runner’s World Show: This show hosted by Runner’s World Editor-in-Chief David Willey is an interesting mix of running news, tips, and interviews.

Are any of these on your favorites list too? What are your go-to podcasts, running-related or otherwise? I would love to hear your recommendations!

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Looking Back, Looking Forward

Posted in Blogging, ElliptiGO, Family life, Inspiration, Marathon, Running, tagged , , , , , , , on January 3, 2016| 6 Comments »

I find it a little funny that my first long run of ’16 was 16 miles! I didn’t plan it that way; in fact I thought I was supposed to run 14 and I was dismayed to see that 16 when I double-checked my Boston training schedule. It’s week five of training, 15 weeks to go. The run went well. I took it easy at a 10:00 pace and listened to podcasts by Another Mother Runner and Runners Connect. I just finished listening to a great audiobook for runners: My Year of Running Dangerously: A Dad, a Daughter, and a Ridiculous Plan. CNN correspondent Tom Foreman narrates his own book and makes it entertaining and informative about coming back to running at an older age, running with your children, and dipping your feet in the ultra marathon waters. I have contemplated running my first ultra as the next big goal but it doesn’t sound like it’s for me, especially after I just burned out on a plan that called for running four to five times per week. I’ll stick to three times a week, thank you very much. I would like to get into trail running, however.

Looking Back at 2015

Here are the highlights for me for 2015 — a wide range of things that made me feel proud. I’ve put links to posts I wrote if you’d like to read more about any particular item.

  • Qualified for Boston 2016 in a PR time of 3:36:58 at the Phoenix Marathon in February
  • Used my own compost to grow a great summer harvest of tomatoes, basil, and hot peppers
  • Helped create a team of 53 members for the iCureMelanoma 5K to raise $5,418 for melanoma research
  • Volunteered each week at my girls’ school, working both in the classrooms and in the school library
  • Crossed off a bucket list item when my girls and I volunteered at the Girls on the Go Los Angeles Half Marathon in Bonelli Park
  • Proofread a friend’s memoir of her experience growing up under the oppression of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia
  • Set a PR in the 5K of 22:19 at the Downtown Anaheim 5K in June
  • Harvested over 200 pounds of lemons with my teenager and donated them to a local food bank
  • Qualified for Boston 2017 by a 15 minute, 52 second margin at the REVEL Canyon City Marathon in November
  • Performed with my middle daughter in six shows of The Nutcracker in December
  • Reached out to ElliptiGO and overcame my nervousness about trying something new, and was handsomely rewarded with finding a new workout I absolutely love!
  • Got a job for the first time in 13 years (aside from writing/blogging), working in the school district as a substitute assistant in the special education classrooms
  • Wrote up a training plan for my husband and teenager to train for their first half marathons next June, the Fontana Days Run Half Marathon

Looking Forward to 2016

I am eager to see what 2016 has in store for me! My first day on the new job is tomorrow, working 12-3 in the special education classroom at my girls’ school! The next race on my calendar is the Boston Marathon in April — my first time running that race and my 7th marathon overall.

Boston jacket

My sweet friends insisted that I take a photo in my prized new Boston jacket that Mike gave me for Christmas!

The only other race on my calendar is the Fontana Days Run Half Marathon in June. If the budget allows (i.e., I get enough work substituting in the district and my husband gets a new job), I hope to try my first big trail race (a half marathon, a full, or maybe even a 50K in spite of what I said about ultras not being for me — the Chino Hills Trail Run Series 50K is so close by and the timing would be perfect in November).

What are you proud of from 2015? What are you looking forward to in 2016?

 

 

 

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Celebrating Mothers

Posted in Inspiration, Running, tagged , , , , , , , on May 15, 2015| 2 Comments »

I hope all the mother runners out there had a wonderful Mother’s Day last Sunday and everyone else had a lovely weekend. I slept in and then rallied my husband for a two hour run/hike that I just did not want to end. It was so gorgeous outside and it was wonderful to spend time with Mike (knowing that the kids were happy at home).

When we got back, Mike made omelets for everyone and the girls gave me flowers and cards. I’m calling it a huge parenting win that my 6-year-old thinks my favorite food is “greens”:

Mother's Day card

Later in the week I packed up thirty technical shirts that were left over from the iCureMelanoma 5K. The printer mistakenly printed our 53 team shirts on cotton tees and when it mailed the right technical shirts, the shipment included several extras.

Technical shirts

They’re really nice, soft shirts and I knew just the people who could put them to good use. I sent them to Denise Dollar at Heart Strides, a non-profit organization that gives running shoes and running gear to mothers who need encouragement to care for themselves as they care for critically or chronically ill children or children with special needs. If you want to learn more about Heart Strides, listen to this great podcast of Denise being interviewed by Sarah and Dimity of Another Mother Runner. (I love listening to Another Mother Runner podcasts on my long runs!)

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Saucony Spring Outfit and Gear Review

Posted in Gear, Running, tagged , , , , on August 21, 2013| 2 Comments »

You might recall that last spring I won a Saucony spring trio of running clothes from the lovely ladies at Another Mother Runner.

Saucony spring running outfit

Saucony spring running outfit

I promised to post a picture of me in the gear as soon as I got my act together enough to take a photo of myself. Problem is I was a little too busy actually working out in the gear to take a decent pre-workout photo of myself and it wouldn’t quite be fair to Saucony to take a post-workout photo — trust me! The good news is that I have tested the gear all summer long during marathon training and I love it!

And here's the awesome Saucony spring trio in action! Yes, I put on my new green running shoes to match my green jacket, but I swear I only bought the green shoes because they were the cheapest, not because I care about being matchy-matchy!

And here’s the awesome Saucony spring trio in action! Yes, I put on my new green running shoes to match my green jacket, but I swear I only bought the green shoes because they were the cheapest, not because I care about being matchy-matchy!

Now that I’ve put the gear to the test I can list some things I like about each item:

Saucony Run Lux short-sleeve running shirt: the tailored fit is great, but the thing I like best about this shirt is the bright pink color. I wear this shirt on all my long runs when I am going to be out on the road and need to be as visible as possible to car drivers.

Women’s Ignite Tight Capri (on sale now for $13 in black-on-black sizes XS and M!!): I wear these when I want a little more coverage than my skimpy compression shorts provide. They are comfortable and practical for all sorts of weather. Best thing about them though is the zippered pocket in the back where I can store a key during those shorter runs when I do not wear my fuel belt.

Saucony Transcendence Jacket: Fortunately I haven’t had to wear this windbreaker/rain jacket in any bad weather here in Southern California but I anticipate wearing it more often this fall. I love that it’s lightweight yet functional, and it has thumb holes in the sleeves. My 11-year-old saw me in it yesterday and begged to me to let her wear it, so you know it has the cute factor going for it!

Thanks again Saucony and Another Mother Runner!

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Winner Winner Mother Runner

Posted in Gear, Inspiration, Marathon, Running, tagged , , , , on April 22, 2013| 5 Comments »

Running emboldens me and humbles me at the same time. I can go from the high of finishing a great race to the low of gutting out a tough training run. Through it all I open myself up to feeling vulnerable, to meeting new challenges, to learning more about myself and the sport. And inevitably along the way I find little nuggets of encouragement, often when I need them most (Thank You Kind Sir, Twenty Mile Run to the Ocean, Twenty Miles on Coyote Creek Trail).

On Saturday I finished up week 11 of 16 weeks of training for the Mountains 2 Beach Marathon. Five more weeks to go. I’m vacillating between “Let’s do this already” and “I can’t believe it’s coming up so fast.” I’ve completed four of five 20-mile training runs. As the training ramps up and up and up, I find myself doubting my plan. Can I complete it without getting injured? Is it wise to follow an advanced marathon training plan for my second marathon? Saturday’s 20-mile run to the beach went well but left me feeling spent (as a good long run naturally should!) As I sat on the beach, warming up after soaking my tired legs in the cold Pacific Ocean:

Note that I am wearing a Saucony running visor. Then read the next sentence!

Note that I am wearing a Saucony running visor. This will be important.

I received word that I had won a Saucony running outfit from one of Another Mother Runner‘s “hump day giveaways”! I had just run 20 miles wearing my Saucony running visor, and I won a Saucony outfit!

Saucony spring running outfit compliments of Another Mother Runner!

Saucony trio compliments of Another Mother Runner!

Would you believe that I do not own any running capris? Or a running top that has a zippered storage pocket in the back? Or a windbreaker running jacket? How lucky am I?! It’s lovely to receive this much-needed running gear. Even more lovely is the encouragement it gives me. I choose to take this lucky win as a good omen, one that says, “You’re on the right path. Keep going! You can do it!”

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