If We Want To Run We Will Make It Work
Amid big life changes, Hungry Runner Girl shares how she will still make time to run—because she really wants to make it work.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
There are going to be a lot of changes this week for me and my little girl. I am moving to an apartment. I filed for divorce a year ago, and have been living with my parents in their basement until my divorce was finalized. Now that the divorce is through, I am ready to move forward and to start fresh. My daughter and I are stoked for our next adventure!
While I was living with my parents, I was able to go running at 5 a.m. every morning. I would put the baby monitor in my mom’s room before I left. Then I was able to run and be home by the time my daughter was awake. It worked out perfectly. Now that I am moving out, it is going to be harder to keep up with my training. There will be a lot more treadmill and jogging stroller miles. But that is okay. Thank goodness we will be living close to my mom. She will be there as a babysitter for those days that I need a good trail run or some track work. As I was thinking about ways to continue to make my training work, I started to feel rather selfish about how much I value my running. I then realized that I was being silly.
Having that time each day to run isn’t selfish—it is what helps me to be a better mom.
We all know that we have to take care of ourselves before we can take care of anybody else. Running gives me so much confidence. I feel like a million bucks after I finish a hard run or hit a goal pace. Pushing my body with workouts each day gives me more energy to chase and play with my 2 year old. I am setting an example for my daughter that taking care of our bodies is important. I am (and will be) teaching Brooke that becoming a parent doesn’t mean you have to give up your passions and hobbies. Running has been my antidepressant over the last year. It helps me to work through the tough stuff. I am able to count my blessings while I am out on a run, and find gratitude in the simplest things. This helps me in every area of my life. I hope that quality rubs off on my little one.
As I experiment over the next few weeks with how to keep up with my running, it may be more difficult to continue at times. Mark my words. I will find ways to make it work! Running helps me in so many ways, especially to be a better mom.