Motherhood and Running plus a few scenes from yesterday
Hello there and happy, happy Wednesday! Have we made it to the middle of the week yet? Honestly, this week has gone surprisingly well (Landon just had a job change with longer hours) but it also has felt like two weeks packed into a couple days. So, you will excuse me as I grab a cup of coffee.
Ahh, much better. I may or may not have grabbed a handful of chocolate chips too. You’ll never know 😉
Yesterday was seriously SUCH a good day. Niah and I had a great 4 mile run in the morning (in beautiful 55 degree weather) and I talked to my mom for the last mile. I had one of my close friends over for an mid morning play date and Niah took a glorious nap while I ran a couple extra miles, drank coffee, and ate chocolate chips. DAY MADE.
Something I want to talk about today is motherhood and running. I know I’ve blogged about this before, but I wanted to share a little more into why I run as a mother and what I’m learning through this journey of running with an almost two year old. (Que all the emotions)
First lesson…
Mother running is crazy sometimes.
Like Monday, I woke up at 5, fully convinced that I would get my 5 miles in before Benaiah woke up. And (not really to my surprise) Niah woke up two miles into my run. So, I stopped got him fed and eventually we went outside to run another 3 (easy, I thought.) That’s before I realized we had a COMPLETELY flat stroller tire. So, I slugged my way through 1.5 miles (a flat tire with a toddler is no joke, guys) (thank goodness for the Ali on the Run show to keep me entertained!) and then we stopped at the park.
Niah and chased birds and then slugged another .68 miles to library (while we waited for the bike shop to open so they could air my tires.) Eventually we ran .34 miles to the bike shop and for AIR. With new hope and new tires, I ran a speedy 1 miles, before finally hitting my planned, “easy,” five miles.
And when I thought about all of the chaos to get a simple run in, I had to smile because running is more than numbers and splits and miles and times. It’s about embracing the journey and discovering the beauty that Running truly is. And it’s so special to share that with my son.
Yes, or may be a little (a lot) harder at points, but seeing him run around the house and say “run, run,” and look at a curious George book and say “mama” when he sees a picture of someone running, makes it all worth it. I remember when I first had Niah, I wondered if I was ever going to be able to run and chase my goals like I used to, before kids. I knew I wanted (and planned to) be that stroller mom, but I didn’t know how that would actually work, what it would look like, and if I really would be able to. And I think it is so sad, how so many moms feel like their life or goals are over after kids. If that’s you, I hope to encourage you, that it ISN’T. Yes, it is a lot harder and yes, your runs (or workouts) may look a little like my Monday run. But, it is possible and totally doable! And just think of what a special gift it is to set an example for your kids. I know Niah watches EVERYTHING I do. And with that in mind, I hope to set him an example to first and foremost, love Jesus. And then, I hope to set an example to chase after goals with courage. With tenacity. With resilience. I hope to teach him to dare to dream and try hard things and never give up. I hope to teach him to learn from failure and celebrate victories. I hope to teach him to accept no limits and to use his unique gifts (whether running or not) for God’s glory. And I hope to show him the joy of running. The joy of the journey. It’s a honor to set an example. It’s a joy to share the season with him. Yes, mother running is crazy and hard and somewhat unpredictable, but it is also, beautiful.
Questions of the Day
- Are you a mother runner? Why do you do it?
- What was your day like, yesterday?
- How many days a week do you run?