Real Runners

Real stories about how running and motherhood change each other.

If you're struggling to fit in your run, steal these tips.

Maine runner Kirsten Beverley-Waters is running for a bigger cause: "I would do all of these runs for one child."

Gillman is getting the final details put together before she and her family head out for Monday's Boston Marathon.

Thanks to a new largely virtual training group, Amanda Phillips is focused on reaching her full running potential.

It’s fun to follow elite runners in their training, but how is a mother and full-time worker gearing up to run her bucket list race? We’ll be checking in with Jess Gillman every couple of weeks until the marathon.

Fun and fast running go hand-in-hand for the elite runner.

When Olympic Trials qualifier Tori Gerlach won a local 5K, the race director had doubts about her performance.

When Catherine Popp was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at age 53, her partner quit his job so they could make the most of their time together, by traveling and running.

Now the youngest person to run 100 marathons, Dreamer Jocelyn Rivas recently finished her hundredth at the Los Angeles Marathon.

Here's how to the three-time Beer Mile champion does it.

Eleanor Beason may not be the fastest runner, but she knows a thing or two about how to commit to running and find longevity in the sport.

Karen Bei is known as "Sara Hall's mom" in some circles. And that's the role that has inspired her to take up running later in life, too.

The high school star is carrying on the legacy of Black women who came before her as she carves out her place in track and field.

Dana Henderson logs miles to find her strength—and raises funds in support of suicide prevention as she prepares for the Chicago Marathon.

Ida Keeling died at age 106.

Lauren Wilke contracted COVID-19 in March 2020. She is still seeking treatment for long-haul symptoms.

Liz DeLuca raised $12,000 for multiple sclerosis research.

Thanks to the hive mind on Twitter for helping an eager, but struggling new runner.

How pregnancy complications and a long term debilitating injury have reshaped ultra-runner Katie Grossman’s relationship with the sport she loves

Lucy Del Gaudio wasn't finding success with traditional meds. Early morning runs have made all the difference.

Two Connecticut women were runners who used to be strangers. Now, they're forever bonded after a liver donation.

Plus, how real women use the brain boost from running.

Avery Allmond was at her fittest and getting faster when she was diagnosed with a rare disease that ended her college track career. She shares her story so others won’t give up.

The 30-year-old Army Captain broke the women's record previously set by her friend.

The most important takeaways from three decades of running.

The 36-year-old nutrition scientist isn't letting anything (even a misdirected marathon course) slow her down.

Few friendships rival the kind between women runners. And this year, more than ever, we need them.

Alternating running and walking is nothing to be ashamed of—it's a great way to build fitness and prevent injury.

When my mother got off the sidelines, it shifted our relationship forever.

Atlanta Track Club Elite pro Ellie Abrahamson encourages runners of all levels to keep trying—no matter how difficult the struggle.

Grief inspired this woman to become a runner and a police officer. Years later, she’s eyeing her first-ever 50K.

Where and how you run doesn’t matter as much as the reason you put in the effort.

Two years after she fell off a cliff while fleeing an attacker, Hannah Gavios finished the NYC Marathon.

The trust between a blind runner and her guide dog becomes essential when the duo hits the trails.

Even if you lose your running way for several years at a time, it is possible to get your motivation back.

Music is what inspired her to start running. Years later, it’s still the thing that motivates her to lace up her running shoes.

Applying the “every runner is a real runner” mantra to your own athleticism can be much tougher than relaying its message to other runners.

Running helped this woman quit smoking 25 years ago—and she’s still running strong at age 66.

A high school athlete shares how the running communities she's built through school teams have created within her a real love for the sport.

This runner was told she'd never run again after her knee replacement surgery—but she's proven all the skeptics wrong.

One year after a disappointing race finish, this runner returned to the course and is now sharing her story of triumph.

This #RealRunner shares how running has impacted her life course through multiple miscarriages and an ongoing battle with diastasis recti.

This reader-submitted story shares the motivational mantras one runner created to inspire herself to become a stronger runner.

A runner shares a personal essay documenting her years as "the runner" in rural South Dakota.

After beating thyroid cancer and recovering from a broken leg, this runner's love for the sport is stronger than ever before.

No matter where an athlete chooses to hit the trails, running remains the sport that can bring people of different backgrounds together.

Check out Meghan Roos's author page.

Years after surviving bullying and exploring all options to get a ticket out of gym, this runner found her own path to embracing exercise.

Not all of us have a nail-biting backstory for why we choose to run. Some of us run simply because it's always been part of our identity.

This runner was training for a marathon when her doctor found blood clots in her lungs. One year later, she's raising awareness for others.

Nicola Curtis first started feeling a numbness in her leg in 2009. In 2015, she was diagnosed with iliac artery endofibrosis.

One runner shares her story of fighting for her country and maintaining her love for running-despite her Gulf War Syndrome diagnosis.

One runner shares how motherhood made her a stronger (and occasionally faster) runner.

This runner shares the story of how her 100-pound weight loss program led to her new love of running.

A new friend helped this runner break down the mental barriers she encountered while running a marathon so she could reach her goal.

While jogging to the starting line of a half marathon, this runner was involved in a car accident that forever changed her life.

One runner shares the harrowing story of how a trail run injury left her unable to run—and how excited she is to start running again.

One runner shares how she used running to heal her body and mind after a traumatic childbirth experience resulted in an unplanned c-section.

One runner explains why she chooses to "run away" from her problems–and why that can actually be a good thing.

Check out Caitlyn Pilkington's author page.

One runner explains how she decided to put her racing schedule on hold to pursue IVF treatments.

Jennifer Stahl shares how she gave herself permission to embrace running for speed instead of compliments.

One runner shares her long history with ultrarunning and explains how the sport helped her heal from a major surgical mistake.

Angela Cortez is the toughest 6-year-old runner around.

One runner shares how a family vacation turned into a bonding experience with her younger brother.

One runner describes the many ways in which her first ultramarathon was different from all the other race distances she's completed.

One Real Runner explains how taking and leading group fitness classes led her to become a better runner–and a better athlete overall.

After once believing her life experiences would forever prevent her from running, this Real Runner transformed and became a half marathoner.

Sarah Bryson shares her story of how she transformed months of maternity leave into the perfect goal-setting tool.

It's hard to lose the weight and even harder to lose the negative thoughts.

Kara explains why hills were her greatest weakness–until she decided to conquer them once and for all.

Coach Neal Butler's training methods focus on proper alignment to help runners like MariJean race to success.

A real runner shares her story of how running inspired her to maintain sobriety and pursue a healthier, more active lifestyle.

She heard a weird noise when it snapped and went to the hospital in her running clothes.

Check out Caitlyn Pilkington's author page.

And here are her bad habits.

Are you in?

Overachiever? Nah—just a dedicated human!