the Mother Runner

I’ve heard it said that you never get over the fear of the marathon. No matter how many times you’ve done it, 26.2 miles is a long way and no matter how well-prepared you are, there is plenty of time and space for unpredictability. And also, it hurts. Most marathon runners I know have had [...]

Just letting you all know that the race is well and that our family is okay. We were hobbling back to our hotel room when he explosions happened. More about the race later, but now our thought and prayers are with those who were in harms way and dealing with the aftermath of he explosions.

Have I mentioned that I’m running a marathon on Monday? In Boston? The Boston Marathon? I can hardly believe it. The weather in looks like it’s going to be perfect on the 15th: a few clouds, with a high of 57. Lovely day for a run. My fingers are crossed that it stays that way. [...]

I’ve had a couple of thoughtful people ask me for gift ideas to contratulate friends on finishing their first race, or a new distance, or a race that is important or significant for any reason. This is obviously a brilliant idea and I love it. It’s taken me much too long to do this, but [...]

UPDATE: The marathon has been cancelled. So we will not be cheering runners along 4th Ave. or Lafayette this year, as we have before. Best wishes to all who are helping with recovery efforts, and condolences to those who have been training for this race for so long! Despite everything (namely Hurricane Sandy), the New [...]

It’s been a little over 4 years since Micah and I (and Manchild, of course) stood at the finish line of the Boston Marathon and wondered if we’d ever get to cross it as runners. At the time, our marathon PR was 4:01. I scoffed when Micah told me he thought I could cut more [...]

It’s true. They do. Midwives have helped two of my people out, and I’m ever so grateful that they did. I don’t really know if it is possible to repay someone for helping you deliver a child (obviously, they get paid, but there is still an emotional debt), but I do try to support midwives [...]

(Squish with our friends’ new baby girl, born on the 4th of July.) It was an innocent thing, really, just me awkwardly scooting off the bed last Saturday night. But something about the movement made an image jump into my head and practically stopped me in my tracks. I imagined giving birth on that bed. [...]

So, the race. Like last year, my family was heavily involved in the Utah Valley race series. My dad ran the half (his first) as did two of my sisters and a brother-in-law, and a brother and sister ran the full marathon as well. Manchild and Squish ran the kids 1K, and Micah and I [...]

I surprised myself on Tuesday by getting a little competitive at a teeny tiny 5K my sister and her youth group put together. I ran it, and I did the best I could do. But I was 5 minutes slower than my personal record. And I was the second woman by almost a minute. I [...]