Do you get paid to run?  Are you endorsed by running shoe companies to wear their shoes while running fast, with the hopes that it’ll influence watchers to go out and buy XYZ shoe brand so they can be fast too?  Do you get to include daily naps and massage and a dietician into your lives so that you can run and train all day every day at maximum ability? Do you have a nanny that comes and keeps watch over the children so that you can go log miles?  For the vast majority of you, this is NOT our reality or running way of life.  Today’s Holy Mother Runners from Iowa blog post features two “real” women from the Midwest and how they have kept running in their lives despite work, families, and the day to day chaos so many of us keep as a barometer of normalcy.  It may find you just as motivated if not more to put that next race on the calendar, once you hear how relatable and real these “mother runners” from Iowa are.

Response to the Holy “Mother Runner” Campaign

Last week after posting a contest for my Holy “Mother Runner” campaign, two local Moms won an RMC t-shirt and guest feature for my RMC podcast.  Ironically both mother’s who have daughters that run cross country at the school I coach at.  Their daughter’s have both participated in the program as 7th and 8th graders and will be entering their third year this coming fall season as incoming Freshman.

Holy “Mother Runner” Campaign

Iowa “Mother Runner” Suzie Johannes

Suzie has two teenage children both heavily involved and active in sports and activities.  She herself is a child physical therapist and has a service-oriented career.  I believe she may also assist her husband at times with his custom home building endeavors.  Needless to say Suzie lives a busy life but still tries her best to live an active life of fitness as well.

Suzie strives to teach her kids that being active and setting goals for themselves should be fun.  And to do what you can thru the process towards those goals so that you can “look back with no regrets”.  As a mom who understands the importance of the journey, she says she does all she can to offer support but let her kids somewhat define what that support looks like.  She offers to take splits for them during their races, and of course emphasizes the lifestyle of eating well, and helps them with the at home physical self-care that’s necessary to prevent injury.

First Time “Half”er Tami Flockhart

Tami had running seeds planted at an early age with her involvement in track and field as an short and middle distance track runner.  Since then, she’s continually defining her running life and returned to it after a bet with her husband that he’d take dance lessons.  Tami has recently trained and completed her first ever half marathon.  She chose to run the Des Moines Women’s Half Marathon as her first and says she may choose to do another this fall.

Tami also attests to the difficulty of how to manage work, kids, life and yet have enough ambition to complete long runs on the weekends.  She inspires for her daughter to follow suit and turn it into a life sport.   And of course takes the opportunities with her daughter to teach life lessons from her participation i...