Train Like a Mother Survey: Part 1

The amazing ladies behind "Run Like A Mother" are getting set to write a new book, ("Train Like a Mother") and they have sought out their fans to get some info from "real" moms about how we manage to train for races. These are some SERIOUS essay-type questions and I realized... man, these are a bunch of good blogs right here. So, here's the first stack of questions and how I answered them. If you want to respond to their survey, click on their link and you can do so. Super fun, right??

How long have you been a runner? Began in 7^th grade (track) and ran through high school. Off and on after that (one ill-conceived attempt at Cross Country in college... so much beer! So little time!) fairly casually until I attempted to run the LA marathon in 2000 (injury/surgery prevented that). Then... determined to run a marathon before I had a baby and determined to have a baby when I was 30... I ran my first marathon in 2003 – when I happened to be a teeeeny bit pregnant but didn't know it yet. Ran casually after that, had another baby in 2006. Back to marathon training in 2009 when I found out my former sister-in-law was training for one. Seemed like the right time to get moving again.

Why did you start running? In school...because my “perfect” older sister didn't run and it was something at which I might be better than her. (Joke was on me – the next year she took up track and, naturally, broke all kinds of records and was champion of all things! I really love her, but COME ON!) Then it was left over inspiration from my senior year's track coach who became a dear friend. She was a runner and OLD (ahem... 32!) and always said how important it was to her. Before her I never knew any adults who ran, like, at ALL!

On average, how much/how far do you run per week? I run 4 or 5 days a week. Depending on what I'm training for, I ran as few as 20 or as many as 45 miles a week.

Road, trail, treadmill, or some combo? What do you like about each? Dislike about each? Road pros: convenient, free, hills & flats automatically included, varied terrain (in the sticks, I mean)

Road cons: 'round here, some dangerous curves and NO sidewalks and poor shoulders in a lot of places.

Trail pros: My road runs are pretty “trail-like” so I don't do any of these officially.

Treadmill: I've run on a treadmill about 8 times in the last 3 years... when I stay at a hotel with one and I can't get out.

What time of day do you usually run? Why? “Scary o'clock” 5 or 5:30AM- otherwise I just won't get out there and/or I'll be blowing off my family. Now that I'm used to morning runs, anything after about 9AM and I feel completely off.

When did you feel like you were a “real” runner? Since I started as a 12 year old, I never struggled to feel “real” in my running. But I totally get why it takes some people awhile to get there.