Way back in spring 2010, not too long before I started the Michigan Runner Girl blog, I wrote posts about running for a northern Michigan trails organization. I’d been running for a few years, had several races under my belt, and was really starting to ramp up my mileage and health and fitness writing. The sport definitely had become an essential part of my life. And when I wasn’t out on the roads or trails, or writing about the mental and physical benefits of exercise, I was reading about running—magazines, web sites, books, whatever I could find. One of my absolute favorites to this day: Run Like a Mother by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea—two women I “knew” at the time only through their bylines in Runner’s World magazine.
I made a request for a review copy—a perk of being a freelance journalist—and from the moment I received it in the mail, I couldn’t put it down. Covering all aspects of running and how to find time for it amid family and work, it completely spoke to me and where I was at in my life. I’ve since shared it with friends, and I have enjoyed watching Sarah and Dimity’s success build as they’ve created an incredibly strong tribe through AnotherMotherRunner.com, social media, weekly podcast, online training groups, yearly retreat, as well as with a second and third book and by traveling across the country to connect with other mother runners at races and other special events. If you’re a parent and a runner, you’ve likely heard of—and probably are a part of—the community.
Sarah and Dimity join me on this latest Michigan Runner Girl podcast episode to talk about how the mother runner movement began, the three books they’ve published, how their thriving community has evolved over the past several years (this year they’ve been celebrating their 7th AMR-versary), what it’s meant for each of them to connect with so many women across the country (and beyond), and the exciting plans they have for further connections with mother runners in the coming months. {To listen to our full conversation, click on the player above. Or download the episode on your favorite podcast app.}
I was thrilled to be a contributor to their third book, Tales from Another Mother Runner: Triumphs, Trials, Tips, and Tricks from the Road. You can learn more about my essay—and how to order your own copy of this book—here »
A special thanks to Mike Moran, Mike Youker and Jonny Tornga of Quarter After Productions in Traverse City, Mich. for producing the show. Check out this studio’s work here.
