The Mother Runners Podcast: Moms Chasing Personal Bests

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Turning 40 doesn't mean your best running years are behind you — it means the way you train has to change. In this episode, we sit down with MY running coach Nick Klastava (USATF & RRCA certified, head coach of Running Explained and co-host of the name sake podcast) to break down what the science actually says about masters running, and how to build a smarter training block after 40.

We cover:

🌀Why aerobic fitness decline after 40 is real, but mostly optional if you keep training

🌀How training should change for runners over 40

🌀Appropriate goals for runners over 50

🌀His approach to my training as a 45-year-old mom going for her fastest marathon time (low 2:50s)

🌀Why your ceiling — VO2max, lactate threshold, even PRs — stays highly 

Whether you're chasing a running PR over 40 or just trying to keep showing up strong, this episode gives you the science-backed playbook for training smarter, not less.

RESOURCES:

IG: @runningexplained & @nklastava 

Website & podcast: runningexplained.com

Whitney Heins is a mom of 2, a lifelong runner, a VDOT-certified running coach for moms who run, and founder of the resource, themotherrunners.com. When training for her first marathon as a mom, she found a dearth of information related to running and motherhood. She also felt extremely isolated as a new mom. As a former TV journalist and a freelance writer she decided to use her skills to fill the void with an online resource and community, called The Mother Runners. Whitney also recognized a need for run coaches who understood the demands of motherhood, so she also became a running coach—unearthing a passion for helping moms reap the rewards and empowerment of running. Coming out of a long injury cycle, she ran a 2:54 marathon and 1:20 half marathon in her 40s. She lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, two kids, and three dogs.

• www.themotherrunners.com
• Instagram: @themotherrunners
• YouTube: The Mother Runners
• [email protected]

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Ever stuck with something just because you said you'd do it--even if that goal didn't serve you anymore? I think we all have. Today's guest completely upends the perseverance culture with her new book, The Case For Quitting. 

Lindsay Crouse has spent her career at the intersection of running and storytelling — and her new book will completely change how you think about quitting.

Lindsay ran at Harvard and later, came within 8 minutes of the Olympic Trials Marathon standard. But most of you probably know her name from The New York Times, where she spent fifteen years as a senior editor and producer, breaking some of the biggest stories in women's sports — including the reporting that helped push Nike to guarantee pay for pregnant athletes and the story of Mary Cain's troubling time at Nike.

Now Lindsay is channeling everything she's learned about grit, ambition, and burnout into her first book, The Case for Quitting. 

We dive into:

🌀What drove her to challenge this idea that PERSEVERANCE is always the answer

🌀How quitting can be one of the most courageous & empowering thing we can do

🌀Signs (& questions to ask yourself) that it is time to quit 

🌀The importance of intention in the choices we make (big & small)

RESOURCES:

Book, The Case for Quitting

IG: @lindsaycrouse

THANK YOU, SPONSORS:

💗 BEAM MINERALS plant based liquid minerals. Save 20% with code MOTHERRUNNER.
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TIMESTAMPS:

1. 00:00 — Mother runners and perseverance culture
2. 03:20 — “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”
3. 09:34 — Healthy hard work versus pointless grinding
4. 13:18 — Is your hard work actually working?
5. 17:32 — When a marathon goal stops serving you
6. 18:36 — Letting go of an Olympic Trials qualifying goal
7. 22:32 — Chasing faster marathon times and moving goalposts
8. 23:05 — Training through injury and redefining success
9. 27:25 — Running in seasons, not constant progress
10. 45:27 — Healthy striving versus detrimental striving

Whitney Heins is a mom of 2, a lifelong runner, a VDOT-certified running coach for moms who run, and founder of the resource, themotherrunners.com. When training for her first marathon as a mom, she found a dearth of information related to running and motherhood. She also felt extremely isolated as a new mom. As a former TV journalist and a freelance writer she decided to use her skills to fill the void with an online resource and community, called The Mother Runners. Whitney also recognized a need for run coaches who understood the demands of motherhood, so she also became a running coach—unearthing a passion for helping moms reap the rewards and empowerment of running. Coming out of a long injury cycle, she ran a 2:54 marathon and 1:20 half marathon in her 40s. She lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, two kids, and three dogs.

• www.themotherrunners.com
• Instagram: @themotherrunners
• YouTube: The Mother Runners
• [email protected]

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Today we are hearing from someone who has lived and breathed running pretty much her whole life. 

Angela Reckart ran Division III at The College of New Jersey, where she was a seven-time All-American and part of two national championship relay teams. From there, she moved into coaching — North Florida, North Carolina, six seasons at Penn State helping lead the Nittany Lions to a Big Ten title, and Duke.

But off the track, she's 'Coach Reck' — girl mom to two daughters, a woman of faith, and someone who's had to figure out, in real time, what it looks like to build a career around running while also building a family.

Today, Angela is going for an Olympic Trials Qualifying time in the marathon in her 40s. That, after she didn’t race for 16 years, and then went from a 2:55 to a 2:45 marathon in 16 months, running her PR just this past April in Boston. 

In this episode, we dive into:

🌀The transition from competing to coaching

🌀Her experience in returning to racing

🌀What her training looks like as a mom in her 40s going for the Olympic Trials

🌀Her top mother runner hacks...and mistakes

TIMESTAMPS:

1:39 — Motherhood and running’s “busy season”
12:45 — Navigating coaching, travel, and a newborn
14:23 — Why she started marathon training
15:54 — Marathon running as a personal reset
17:36 — Racing goals in your forties
18:47 — The power of stacking training cycles
20:27 — Running mechanics for stronger, more durable runners
22:53 — Think like your own coach
24:39 — Identity beyond motherhood and running
42:18 — Managing injuries without spiraling

RESOURCES:

IG: @coach_reck 

Site: NGU Coaching

THANK YOU, SPONSOR!:

💗 AQUA OMEGA High-quality Omega-3s. Save 20% with code MOTHERRUNNER.

Whitney Heins is a mom of 2, a lifelong runner, a VDOT-certified running coach for moms who run, and founder of the resource, themotherrunners.com. When training for her first marathon as a mom, she found a dearth of information related to running and motherhood. She also felt extremely isolated as a new mom. As a former TV journalist and a freelance writer she decided to use her skills to fill the void with an online resource and community, called The Mother Runners. Whitney also recognized a need for run coaches who understood the demands of motherhood, so she also became a running coach—unearthing a passion for helping moms reap the rewards and empowerment of running. Coming out of a long injury cycle, she ran a 2:54 marathon and 1:20 half marathon in her 40s. She lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, two kids, and three dogs.

• www.themotherrunners.com
• Instagram: @themotherrunners
• YouTube: The Mother Runners
• [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

Fuel Goods co-founder Laura Jorgensen is on a mission to make sports nutrition simpler, and she's doing it while rebuilding her body and raising a newborn.

Laura's relationship with movement has never followed a straight line. After three ACL tears ended her collegiate basketball career at Swarthmore, she turned to running, then cycling, and rode it all the way to the pro ranks with 50+ podiums and a spot on the U.S. National Team. Along the way, she co-founded Fuel Goods, the discovery marketplace and Fuel Planner built to take the guesswork out of endurance fueling.

This January, Laura had her knee replaced. This summer, she became a mom for the first time. Now she's easing back into running through run-walk physical therapy, chasing a very different kind of comeback.

The advice that changes everything? You can do it all, you just can't do it all at once.

In this episode, we talk about:

🌀 The story behind Fuel Goods and the Fuel Planner, which turns your training plan into a fueling plan you can actually buy
🌀 How becoming a mom changes your relationship with ambition, time, and performance
🌀 The "highest and best use of my time" question Laura uses to make faster, saner decisions
🌀 Redefining what it means to be a runner in a new season of life

This conversation goes beyond sports nutrition. It's about resilience, patience, and learning how to stack hard things that fill you up instead of drain you. 

RESOURCES:
IG: @fuel_goods

Grab a free personalized fueling plan at fuelgoods.com/fuelingplan.

THANK YOU, SPONSORS!:

💗 BEAM MINERALS plant based liquid minerals. Save 20% with code MOTHERRUNNER. 

💗 AQUA OMEGA High-quality Omega-3s. Save 20% with code MOTHERRUNNER.

Whitney Heins is a mom of 2, a lifelong runner, a VDOT-certified running coach for moms who run, and founder of the resource, themotherrunners.com. When training for her first marathon as a mom, she found a dearth of information related to running and motherhood. She also felt extremely isolated as a new mom. As a former TV journalist and a freelance writer she decided to use her skills to fill the void with an online resource and community, called The Mother Runners. Whitney also recognized a need for run coaches who understood the demands of motherhood, so she also became a running coach—unearthing a passion for helping moms reap the rewards and empowerment of running. Coming out of a long injury cycle, she ran a 2:54 marathon and 1:20 half marathon in her 40s. She lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, two kids, and three dogs.

• www.themotherrunners.com
• Instagram: @themotherrunners
• YouTube: The Mother Runners
• [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

What if your training week doesn’t go according to plan—and that’s actually okay?

In this special solo episode, I am breaking down why chasing the “perfect” training week can create unnecessary stress, especially for us busy moms. Fitness isn’t built from one perfect workout or week—it’s built through consistency, adaptation, recovery, and playing the long game.

I share how to handle missed workouts without guilt, when to modify or skip a workout, and why you never need to “make up” every run.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why consistency matters more than perfect training
• What to do when you miss a workout
• The difference between green-, yellow-, and red-light training weeks
• Why recovery is an essential part of training
• How busy moms can build flexible training plans that survive real life

Because you don’t need a perfect training week to become a stronger runner—you just need to keep laying the bricks. This episode will empower you to take control of your training & handle mishaps with grace and resilience. 

THANK YOU, SPONSORS:

💗LITTLE SPOON meal/snack delivery for kids ages 0-12! Save 30% with code MOTHERRUNNER.

💗 GOODR functional, fashionable, fun, and affordable eyewear. Save $10 off at the link!

Whitney Heins is a mom of 2, a lifelong runner, a VDOT-certified running coach for moms who run, and founder of the resource, themotherrunners.com. When training for her first marathon as a mom, she found a dearth of information related to running and motherhood. She also felt extremely isolated as a new mom. As a former TV journalist and a freelance writer she decided to use her skills to fill the void with an online resource and community, called The Mother Runners. Whitney also recognized a need for run coaches who understood the demands of motherhood, so she also became a running coach—unearthing a passion for helping moms reap the rewards and empowerment of running. Coming out of a long injury cycle, she ran a 2:54 marathon and 1:20 half marathon in her 40s. She lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, two kids, and three dogs.

• www.themotherrunners.com
• Instagram: @themotherrunners
• YouTube: The Mother Runners
• [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

What happens when you walk away from the “perfect” life on paper and create a life that actually feels like yours?

Today, I talk with Lisa DiNoto Glassner, a former Big Law attorney who traded her legal career for a new chapter—and eventually discovered running and runDisney. After completing more than 100 runDisney races, Lisa has become an expert on everything from race logistics and costumes to corrals, characters, and the magic of the experience.

Now, she’s sharing everything she’s learned in her new book, The runDisney Companion.

In this episode:

🌀Lisa’s journey from Big Law to becoming a runner and runDisney expert

🌀Her best runDisney tips, secrets, and race-day advice

🌀What first-time runDisney runners need to know before race weekend

🌀How to make the most of the characters, courses, and magic

If you’ve ever thought, “A Disney race sounds amazing, but I have no idea how this works,” this episode is for you!

RESOURCES:
Website & book: https://thecastlerun.com/
IG: @thecastlerunner

THANK YOU, SPONSORS!:

💗 BEAM MINERALS plant based liquid minerals. Save 20% with code MOTHERRUNNER. 

💗 AQUA OMEGA High-quality Omega-3s. Save 20% with code MOTHERRUNNER.

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TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 — Lisa’s journey from Harvard Law to Run Disney

07:24 — Grief, motherhood, and feeling out of balance

09:46 — How running helped Lisa through her father’s illness

12:11 — Running a Disney half marathon to honor her dad

15:17 — From runner to Run Disney expert and author

16:17 — Why the Run Disney community welcomes every runner

25:41 — First-time Run Disney tips: train like it’s a real race

27:45 — Sleep, recovery, and managing family expectations

36:37 — The biggest mistake moms make on race weekend

51:17 — Why the pursuit of a goal matters more than the finish line

Whitney Heins is a mom of 2, a lifelong runner, a VDOT-certified running coach for moms who run, and founder of the resource, themotherrunners.com. When training for her first marathon as a mom, she found a dearth of information related to running and motherhood. She also felt extremely isolated as a new mom. As a former TV journalist and a freelance writer she decided to use her skills to fill the void with an online resource and community, called The Mother Runners. Whitney also recognized a need for run coaches who understood the demands of motherhood, so she also became a running coach—unearthing a passion for helping moms reap the rewards and empowerment of running. Coming out of a long injury cycle, she ran a 2:54 marathon and 1:20 half marathon in her 40s. She lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, two kids, and three dogs.

• www.themotherrunners.com
• Instagram: @themotherrunners
• YouTube: The Mother Runners
• [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

Most runners are told to wait until life gets easier before chasing big goals. Megan Cooke proves the opposite is true. In this conversation, the founder of Never Give Up coaching shares how she went from elite rowing and years of coaching to running sub-3 marathons as a mom of three, building a fast-growing coaching brand, and refusing to let motherhood erase her athletic identity. 

I get to pull back the curtain on Megan’s real life: three kids, three schools, endless car lines, late-night treadmill miles, and a training approach built on consistency, threshold work, and the courage to aim higher. You'll discover:

🌀Why Megan stopped treating motherhood and ambition like an either-or decision

🌀The training principles behind her Boston, London, and Cincinnati breakthroughs

🌀How she built Never Give Up Coaching from a brand-new Instagram account to a thriving business in under a year

🌀Why she believes moms should stop apologizing for wanting time to train

🌀How HRT, perimenopause, and honest self-advocacy fit into the picture for women in their 40s

Her message is clear: you do not need to disappear inside motherhood to be a good mom. This one is essential listening for moms who want to run faster without feeling guilty, athletes rebuilding after babies, and anyone who needs a reminder that your best race might still be ahead of you.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:31 — Parenting three kids

03:45 — Running every day amid family life

18:07 — Twelve marathons for self-empowerment

30:53 — Coaching, mentorship, and “holding the mirror”

32:35 — Letting go of shame around big goals

34:11 — Pursuing your goals alongside your kids

35:17 — The pressure to overcompensate after a long run

37:32 — Modeling empowerment for your children

38:44 — Being honest about fatigue and recovery

59:36 — Make time, find support, and be brave 

THANK YOU, SPONSORS!:

💗 GOODR functional, fashionable, fun, and affordable eyewear. Save $10 off at the link!

💗CURE HYDRATION delicious & clean hydration: Save 15% with code MOTHERRUNNER.

💗LITTLE SPOON meal/snack delivery for kids ages 0-12! Save 30% with code MOTHERRUNNER.

RESOURCES:

Coaching: ngucoaching.com

IG: @runningcoachmegan and my coaching website www.ngucoaching.com. 

Whitney Heins is a mom of 2, a lifelong runner, a VDOT-certified running coach for moms who run, and founder of the resource, themotherrunners.com. When training for her first marathon as a mom, she found a dearth of information related to running and motherhood. She also felt extremely isolated as a new mom. As a former TV journalist and a freelance writer she decided to use her skills to fill the void with an online resource and community, called The Mother Runners. Whitney also recognized a need for run coaches who understood the demands of motherhood, so she also became a running coach—unearthing a passion for helping moms reap the rewards and empowerment of running. Coming out of a long injury cycle, she ran a 2:54 marathon and 1:20 half marathon in her 40s. She lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, two kids, and three dogs.

• www.themotherrunners.com
• Instagram: @themotherrunners
• YouTube: The Mother Runners
• [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

If you’ve hit a plateau, haven’t nailed your race, are navigating midlife running, or are trying to figure out how to keep improving without burning yourself out, this conversation gives you the real story. I chat with Carolyn Coffin, a running coach, podcast host of Inspired Soles, and competitive marathoner whose story spans late-blooming success, coaching, and an ongoing quest to rediscover what running can feel like.

We discuss:

🌀How injuries, DNFs, perimenopause, and motherhood have shaped Carolyn's perspective as a runner

🌀The role easy running had in her breakthrough

🌀 What it really means to play the long game and why your best running may still be ahead, even in your 40s and 50s

🌀How she is approaching coaching her husband to a 2:35 marathon at the age of 45

Carolyn also opens up why she’s now taking a scientist’s approach to her own running instead of forcing a result. 

Her perspective is equal parts honest and hopeful - a reminder that a rough patch does not have to become the whole story.

TIMESTAMPS:

• 02:16 — Late-blooming runner starts in her 30s
• 03:13 — Easy running breakthrough and training structure
• 05:27 — Early PRs from 5K to half marathon
• 06:26 — First marathon disaster and why it stuck
• 08:29 — Motherhood, military life, and running community
• 13:25 — Why running “sucks” at the beginning
• 16:43 — Boston Marathon pacing mistake and heat
• 22:51 — Extreme heat race cancellation
• 30:17 — Easy runs feel worse; blood sugar and perimenopause
• 40:14 — Public goals, pressure, and marathon mindset

RESOURCES:

Podcast: Inspired Soles

IG: @inspiredsolescast or @carolyn.c.coffin

THANK YOU, SPONSORS!:

💗LITTLE SPOON meal/snack delivery for kids ages 0-12! Save 30% with code MOTHERRUNNER.

Whitney Heins is a mom of 2, a lifelong runner, a VDOT-certified running coach for moms who run, and founder of the resource, themotherrunners.com. When training for her first marathon as a mom, she found a dearth of information related to running and motherhood. She also felt extremely isolated as a new mom. As a former TV journalist and a freelance writer she decided to use her skills to fill the void with an online resource and community, called The Mother Runners. Whitney also recognized a need for run coaches who understood the demands of motherhood, so she also became a running coach—unearthing a passion for helping moms reap the rewards and empowerment of running. Coming out of a long injury cycle, she ran a 2:54 marathon and 1:20 half marathon in her 40s. She lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, two kids, and three dogs.

• www.themotherrunners.com
• Instagram: @themotherrunners
• YouTube: The Mother Runners
• [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

What if you gave yourself permission to stop doing everything “right” with your running?

In a special solo episode of The Mother Runners Podcast this week, I explore what happens when training, mileage, paces, fueling, and race goals become another source of stress—especially when you’re already balancing motherhood, work, family, and life.

I am sharing seven permission slips every mother runner may need...Because running should add to your life—not become another place where you feel like you're failing.

In this episode, I discuss :

🌀Why your easy pace doesn’t define your fitness

🌀When to skip or modify a workout

🌀 Why rest is part of training

🌀 How to chase a PR while still enjoying running

🌀Finding balance between running, motherhood, and real life

Most importantly: You are allowed to run in a way that makes your life better—not more stressful.

Send this episode to a mom runner who needs a permission slip—or maybe seven;).

THANK YOU, SPONSORS:

💗CURE HYDRATION delicious & clean hydration: Save 15% with code MOTHERRUNNER.
💗AQUA OMEGA High-quality Omega-3s. Save 20% with code MOTHERRUNNER.

Whitney Heins is a mom of 2, a lifelong runner, a VDOT-certified running coach for moms who run, and founder of the resource, themotherrunners.com. When training for her first marathon as a mom, she found a dearth of information related to running and motherhood. She also felt extremely isolated as a new mom. As a former TV journalist and a freelance writer she decided to use her skills to fill the void with an online resource and community, called The Mother Runners. Whitney also recognized a need for run coaches who understood the demands of motherhood, so she also became a running coach—unearthing a passion for helping moms reap the rewards and empowerment of running. Coming out of a long injury cycle, she ran a 2:54 marathon and 1:20 half marathon in her 40s. She lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, two kids, and three dogs.

• www.themotherrunners.com
• Instagram: @themotherrunners
• YouTube: The Mother Runners
• [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

If you’ve ever felt like your body is working against you, this episode is for you. We’re joined by Caitlyn Germain, a former standout runner and mom who battled mysterious lower-leg pain before discovering she had popliteal artery entrapment syndrome.

Caitlyn shares her journey from being sidelined from running to finishing the Boston Marathon, and how self-advocacy, patience, and trusting your body helped her move forward. This conversation is a powerful reminder for runners and moms to listen to their bodies, protect their health, and keep going.

In this episode, we discuss:

🌀Caitlyn’s running journey and mysterious lower-leg pain

🌀Her diagnosis of popliteal artery entrapment syndrome

🌀Returning to running, Boston Marathon, and lessons in self-advocacy

Caitlyn’s insights on meeting yourself where you are and the power of persistence—is sure to move you. 

THANK YOU, SPONSORS!:

💗BEAM MINERALS plant based liquid minerals. Save 20% with code MOTHERRUNNER. 

💗LITTLE SPOON meal/snack delivery for kids ages 0-12! Save 30% with code MOTHERRUNNER.

RESOURCES:

caitlyngermain.com

IG: @caitlyn_keeps_tri.ing

TIMESTAMPS

0:01 — Caitlyn is introduced as a standout runner with elite speed, setting up her identity as a competitive athlete.

0:06 — She talks about how running shaped her identity, showing how deeply tied she was to the sport and performance.

0:31 — She’s still trying to return to running, which highlights the long road of recovery, resilience, and getting back to the sport.

0:51 — She begins telling her origin story as a runner, which is useful for runners interested in how an athlete builds a training base and competitive mindset.

1:17 — She describes reaching the NCAAs while dealing with pain, showing the tension between competition, endurance, and hidden injury.

2:01 — This is where she starts to suspect something is wrong, an important runner moment around early injury signals and listening to your body.

2:20 — She admits, “I thought it was me,” which reflects common runner self-talk around self-blame, mental toughness, and ignoring symptoms.

2:53 — She describes legs throbbing after hard efforts, a relatable runner keyword moment around training load, recovery, and unusual pain patterns.

4:36 — She remembers being told that pain meant she worked hard, which shows how runners can normalize discomfort, effort, and overtraining signals.

6:45 — She talks about the pain becoming more frequent, marking the shift from manageable discomfort to a real injury pattern, declining performance, and a need for answers.

Whitney Heins is a mom of 2, a lifelong runner, a VDOT-certified running coach for moms who run, and founder of the resource, themotherrunners.com. When training for her first marathon as a mom, she found a dearth of information related to running and motherhood. She also felt extremely isolated as a new mom. As a former TV journalist and a freelance writer she decided to use her skills to fill the void with an online resource and community, called The Mother Runners. Whitney also recognized a need for run coaches who understood the demands of motherhood, so she also became a running coach—unearthing a passion for helping moms reap the rewards and empowerment of running. Coming out of a long injury cycle, she ran a 2:54 marathon and 1:20 half marathon in her 40s. She lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, two kids, and three dogs.

• www.themotherrunners.com
• Instagram: @themotherrunners
• YouTube: The Mother Runners
• [email protected]