Mountain Mother Runner

Felling less than enthusiastic about waking up early to run? Dreading the potential boredom of hitting the treadmill? When I find myself wanting some extra motivation, I tend to get that much needed boost through quotes and mantras. (If you're trying to become a more balanced runner , click over to read some helpful tips.) Here are 12 encouraging running quotes that will motivate you to simply get out the door, switch up your training plan, or even go on your very first run! You can do it! “Run often. Run long. But never outrun your joy of running.” –Julie Isphording “Training is what you are doing while your opponent is sleeping in.” –Brian Owen “Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.” –Dean Karnazes “Even when you have gone as far as you can, and everything hurts, and you are staring at the specter of self-doubt, you can find a bit more strength deep inside you, if you look closely enough.” –Hal Higdon “If one coul...

This morning my husband curiously asked, “So how’s your blog going?” My heart skipped with a little bit of guilt and a whole lot of frustration with my reply, “Well, I haven’t written in a while. I haven’t had much extra time. It hasn’t really been my priority…” I could go on and on and on. Finding yourself stuck in a rut is a natural phase for anybody, but as a mother, it’s a much easier trap to fall into. Are you ready to break through? As moms, we regularly put others' wants and needs ahead of our own. Raising, feeding, teaching, and nurturing little ones is a major task! At times, life can be so busy and exhausting that when we do get time for ourselves, all we want to do is rest. We want to do nothing, because we are used to doing everything. Trust me, I am a full supporter of going to bed early or sneaking a nap in while your child naps. But check this out…why wouldn’t you do something that makes you happy? Why wouldn’t that be one of your priorities? This month s...

With my second half marathon coming up, it only seemed appropriate to look back and review my very first half, the Honeywagon Runs Half Marathon ! Although honey sure sounds sweet (we LOVE to stock up on different local honey varieties), the term “honeywagon” literally means, well, let's just say it's stinky, like cow patties. The race was held on Saturday, April 9, 2016 in Everson, WA and was hosted by the Greater Bellingham Running Club. I was able to easily register online and since I’m a GBRC member, my registration was at no cost. That’s right, free! The half registration fee was $25 for non-members. In addition to the half marathon distance, there was also a 4 mile distance open to walkers and runners. The race started and ended at Nooksack Valley Middle School. That entire community is fairly rural and the extensive farmlands made for a peaceful backdrop during the race. After about a 30 minute drive, I showed up to the parking lot at 8:15am. It was early still ...

It always seems like once our family actually starts enjoying summer and taking advantage of the wonderful weather, autumn starts creeping into view. This is only our second summer living up here in the Pacific Northwest and I still have to adjust to the shorter summer season. Luckily our “hot” weather is in the 70’s-80’s which makes a big difference for runners! I cannot imagine even remotely enjoying a long run in high humidity and 100+ degrees (if I didn’t pass out first!). Big props to all of you runners that live in places with extreme heat! Now, let’s get talking about my July miles and training! Stroller run to Whatcom Falls Park Week 1: 1-2: 6 miles Week 2: 3-9: 28.28 miles (including Chuckanut Foot Race) Week 3: 10-16: 14.71 miles Week 4: 17-23: 19.97 miles Week 5: 24-30: 33.55 miles Week 6: 31 st : 6.47 miles  Total miles for July: 108.98!  Looking grouchy in the PNW summer heat! The second week of July was the Chuckanut Footrace, a 7 m...