“To get some exercise and help calm my crying baby, I strapped her to me in our awesome sling and took off walking!”

“Staying in shape while pregnant showed me how strong I am and inspired me to challenge myself after pregnancy.”

“Running keeps me sane and gives me the strength to be a better mom. And it’s fun!”

“I am armed with my jogging stroller and have vowed to get back into the groove. I just entered a half marathon.”

My kids see my commitment to myself and my own health, and that reinforces the words we use to talk about eating healthy and making healthy choices.

My sister started running in Nov 2009, and the primary thing that got me going was thinking, “Well, if she can do it, so can I!” Competition can be a strong motivator! I didn’t really start until spring 2010, when my third child was turning 1 and settling into a routine. Then, based on several recommendations, I picked up the Couch-to-5K podcasts and started listening while out on walks. It was a fantastic, guided way to get going for someone who had *never* before run (for fitness) in her almost 40 years of life.

What kept me going has been support from friends. While I prefer running alone (it’s my quiet time away from everyone), my runner friends would always make sure to ask how things were going and give me lots of congratulations and encouragement for meeting my own personal milestones, even though I’m considerably slower than all of them. We’re not competitive with each other at all, but can be very competitive with ourselves. And once I got into a routine, I immediately noticed a difference in how I felt, my energy, my outlook, and my happiness. Even now, almost two years later, I continue to see improvements in my health, mental and physical, because I continue to run.

I did my first 5K in Nov 2010 with a friend (photo attached from that event) who slowed down significantly to stay by my side and encourage me through the whole thing. I “jogged” the entire three miles, and felt like I was going to die at the end, but felt so proud of myself. Compare that to the 5K I did last weekend, when I again ran the entire way (for only the second time ever), took 4+ minutes off my time from the first 5K, and felt like I could have kept going. I’ve done one 10K, and planning on doing several more, plus maybe a half-marathon, in 2012.

The difference in my stamina, energy, and overall health from two years ago is staggering to me. I still don’t always look forward to my runs, but I always feel great after.

But the best part of all is watching how this influences my children. My daughter, turning 3 this spring, always asks “Did you have a good run, Mommy?” when I come home. And a few weeks ago, after coming back from walking her older brother to the bus stop with my husband, burst through the door saying “I ran all the way home – JUST LIKE YOU, MOMMY!” My kids see my commitment to myself and my own health, and that reinforces the words we use to talk about eating healthy and making healthy choices.

Actions speak louder than words, right?

“I want our girls to grow up healthy and strong, inside and out.”

“The best running moment of my life – halfway through my half marathon…this is 100% happiness you’re looking at.”

“I want to be strong for her, and show her how to take good, healthy care of herself.”

“My kids see my commitment to myself and my own health, and that reinforces the words we use to talk about making healthy choices.”