Today’s post is by Jackie Ayers, an Another Mother Runner brand ambassador who is gearing up to run the Portland Marathon again. Jackie, a night owl, lives in Bend, Oregon, with her husband and two young sons.  Hoping to stay engaged with upcoming marathon training when the weeks start to drag on, I decided to try out a more novel cross-training option: an Intro to Silks Aerial class. My friend Fed joined me, and we were the only adult novices in the packed class. For 90 minutes, we practiced new skills amongst tweens, teens, and a handful of more experienced adults. We each had our own ..read more

Whether #1 or #2, when you gotta go, you gotta go—even if you’re 2 miles from home on a run. Out here in Portland, the majority of home-reno/construction-project port-a-potties are padlocked, so it got us wondering where folks go when the urge strikes. Here are responses culled from a recent Facebook post—we hope you might discover a new place to go (and tactics for talking your way into using one!).  “I always identify potential bathrooms on my route in advance. On my morning runs, I do at least the first two miles (if not all) looping around the blocks near my house. I get quite anxio ..read more

We suspect images and stories from yesterday’s Boston Marathon are generating a swirl of daydreams in your brain. So today we are highlighting two mother runners who are raising the stakes on running Boston: They are on what is dubbed the Six Star Journey. Also called the World Marathon Majors (WMM), this undertaking involves running the marathons in Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York, and Tokyo. (Yeah, say it with us: WOWZA!) Martha Musto, 58, of Vail, Colorado, reached out to Lorrainne Stewart, 52, from Nashville, after hearing her on our podcast, and since then, they’ve been sharing ..read more

If you daydream about running the Boston Marathon, listen to this moving episode. The guests are two runners, one of whom is running Boston this year, and both are members of the Boston Bulldogs running club. With hosts Sarah Bowen Shea and Tish Hamilton, the guests detail: -how they found their ways to this inspired running club; -the lure of running the Boston Marathon; -helping recovered addicts strive toward their “true potential”; -why running is a powerful tool in battling addiction; and, -the exuberance of Boston Marathon spectators. The hosts talk women’s races before the first Bul ..read more

Dear Boston Marathon, I’m sorry. It’s not you, it’s me. When we first met, I was just 31, naïve and impressionable. I knew you were a Very Big Deal. That was the attraction—you were aloof, elite, hard to reach. People had to qualify for your attentions. Your exclusivity seduced me—as if running from Hopkinton to Copley Square conferred some kind of serious “real runner” status. We did have our fun. Remember when then-husband and I went to a Red Sox game with our husband-wife best running friends? And that time another friend and I drank red wine with linguini at a Back Bay restaurant and sipp ..read more

In this episode, the hosts dive into all things rucking, an exercise that’s trending for all the right reasons. It’s said to burn three times the calories of walking, strengthens your back and shoulders, helps with bone density, and has a low injury rate. Plus, it has a great communal vibe to it, which we get into with Sarah Sweeney, the race director for Tough Ruck 26.2 Boston, a rucking event that falls annually on the weekend before the other major marathon in Boston. Hear about: The history and basics of rucking; How to get started (hint: all you need is a backpack, some weights, a ..read more

When training for a spring race, chances are good you’ll encounter some rain. Sure, on those occasions, you can head indoors to a treadmill. But not on race day: You either have to face the conditions, or ditch the race. We recommend braving the elements because, news flash, you don’t melt. In addition, just like you test how you’ll fuel on race day and the shoes you’ll wear, we suggest you head outside for some wet training runs.  Raining buckets on SBS in Portland Don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what Lisa from Arizona told us on the Another Mother Runner Facebook page: “I ne ..read more

This is the ideal episode for anyone who gets a bit contemplative on a run: The guest is Sabrina Little, Ph.D., a former pro runner and author of The Examined Run. With hosts Sarah Bowen Shea and Coach Liz Waterstraat, Sabrina shares: -her heartwarming start in ultramarathons; -that pride doesn’t help you as a runner, but envy can; -how devices can “separate” us from our surroundings as we run; -how to rediscover wonder while on a run; and, -the role of suffering in the lives of runners. Sarah shares the continuing (!) saga of her son’s wayward birthday card to her before the guest jo ..read more

So many factors go into making a race a stand out: a plate-size finisher’s medal; brag-worthy swag; loads of high-fiving spectators; a connection you make with another runner on the course. For me (Sarah), it’s the scenery that stays with me long after I’ve donated the race tee to Goodwill.  I’m a sucker for a race with watery vistas: waves crashing against Stanley Park Seawall at Vancouver Marathon; sunlight dancing on Lake Harriet in Twin Cities Marathon; the Willamette River from numerous bridges during Portland Marathon.  So I was curious what race-day scenes stand out in the m ..read more

  Listen to this episode if you’ve ever contemplated starting a running group, like Sara. Or if your daydream is a marathon, like Heather, you’ll appreciate Coach Dimity’s advice. Finally, the host duo answers Mary’s questions about rest time between speed-building intervals.    Dimity details her personal step-count challenge (hint: it deals with college campus visits) before the hosting duo dive into questions. Register to Go the Distance. Call to record a question: 470-BADASS1 (470-223-2771).     When you shop our sponsors, you help AMR. We appreciate your ..read more