Another Mother Runner

Sarah and co-host Amanda Loudin welcome Dr. Lisa Corbin, a professor at University of Colorado School of Medicine and a mom of three, to discuss the causes—and cures—of feeling rundown. As in, what to do when your get up and go has got up and went! Dr. Lisa suggests when it’s time to see a doctor about low energy, plus other symptoms to take into consideration. She shares “grandma tips” for improving sleep along with recommending a great online resource. The trio talk about anemia—the various types, as well as the cures. The good doc details signs of hypothyroidism (even after SBS repeatedly botches pronunciation of the condition!); she also says why a mother runner might still feel draggy even after getting thyroid issues back in line. Hear the pros + cons of multivitamins. This episode’s Nuun drinking game: Chug at any mention of Betty Who! In the intro, find out a little-known fact about Amanda’s past athletic life! The expert joins the convo at 15:00. Enter to win an entry to the 2018 New York City Marath

There’s so much goodness from the previous ~100 episodes, we had to bundle about a dozen more clips into a second best-of episode. Host Sarah Bowen Shea kicks things off with a clip from a conversation with women’s running legend Kathrine Switzer. There’s food-talk with Melissa Clark of New York Times and Run Fast, Eat Slow co-author Elyse Kopecky. SBS and co-hosts chat with a few dude-runners, including Peter Sagal of “Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me” and the inimitable Bart Yasso. Dimity pops up in two snippets, including a candid conversation about getting right with not being able to run. Nearly a dozen clips in all. Enter to win an entry to the 2018 New York City Marathon + a $500 travel stipend, courtesy of Strava. Go to strava.com/nycmarathon to enter and read the official rules. And join the AMR Club on Strava! For a vehicle that’s friendlier to the environment yet can hold you, your family, and all that goes along with you, check out the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. Learn more at Chrysler.com Learn more about

Host Sarah Bowen Shea feels as elated as crossing the finish line of a marathon: She and her cadre of co-hosts have reached an important milestone—300 episodes of the Another Mother Runner podcast! This episode is the first of two shows with highlights from the past 99 episodes. Some are laugh-out-loud funny, like Molly Williams bonding with a green chef over turmeric, while other snippets might make you cry (pretend the tears are sweat!!), such as Maggie Palmer sharing her family’s experience post-Hurricane Irma. And then there’s the segment that might make you laugh and cry, when Sarah’s son, John, hopped on an episode. About a dozen audio clips in all, strung together with commentary from SBS. Enter to win an entry to the 2018 New York City Marathon + a $500 travel stipend, courtesy of Strava. Go to strava.com/nycmarathon to enter and read the official rules. And join the AMR Club on Strava! For a vehicle that’s friendlier to the environment yet can hold you, your famly, and all that goes along with you, c

Sarah and co-host Maggie Palmer converse about cross-training with Michele Olson, PhD., a professor of exercise science at Auburn University. The trio debate how to get committed runners to switch up their workouts, with Michele offering assurance that “doing something different isn’t going to make your running go to heck.” Dubbed “the Exercise Doctor,” Michele reveals the cross-training magic pill—and what the prescription for it is. She sings the praises of stationary cycling, especially runners flirting with injury. Maggie professes her love for OrangeTheory Fitness, while Sarah admits she’s crushing on Cyclebar. Dr. Olson explains the power of periodization (note: it’s a delight to hear an expert struggle to pronounce that mouthful-of-a-word!). In the intro, laugh along with SBS when Maggie discusses having a “safe word” for bailing on a OTF class. The workout expert joins the episode at 16:30. To enjoy three free Daily Harvest cups, go to daily-harvest.com and use promo code AMR Learn more about your ad

It’s Heart Health Month, so Sarah and co-host Molly discuss how the topic relates to runners with Dr. Ann Marie Navar, a cardiologist and epidemiologist with Duke University School of Medicine. The trio immediately dives into the deep end, addressing whether long-distance running is good—or bad—for your ticker. The doctor tells how to reduce risk factors for heart attacks, which leads to an intriguing discussion about cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins. Answering questions from BAMRs on the AMR Facebook page, Ann Marie explains what’s up with heart palpitations. During a talk about heart rate, the cardiologist offers up the reassuring gem of, “normal is variable.” Nutrition questions are interwoven throughout the convo, including advice about coconut oil. The good doc informs us high-intensity interval training (HIIT) might be better for your heart than previously thought, and she ends on an all-important message for mother runners. The Portland duo then welcome Marla Sewall, a Dallas mother of four wh

Sarah is joined in studio for a special conversation with Trisha Swanson, founder of Reason to Run, a training program designed to encourage and support both new and experienced runners who are incarcerated at the Oregon state women’s correctional prison, plus Mimi Clinton, a mother runner who was in the program in 2016. Trisha and Mimi detail the 8-week Bunk to 5K program that has inmates circling a 0.1-mile loop in the prison yard—or doing burpees on indoor days. Mimi describes what it was like to always have people—including prison guards--watching her run her first steps. She talks about how she found strength in the community of women in the program—and continues to experience the positive effects of the running community since her release. Marvel as Mimi describes in vivid detail her “glorious” first post-prison run. Tear up along with Mimi when she admits, “it takes someone else to believe in you to remind you that what we tell ourselves isn’t true.” The trio agree on the barrier-breaking power of runn

Sarah delights in being joined by another new co-host: Tish Hamilton, former executive editor at Runner’s World and multi-time marathoner. The two mother runners re-tell the genesis story of Another Mother Runner, as Tish assigned the article that got this party started. Then the duo welcomes Bart Yasso, who takes a break from packing up his Runner’s World office-of-three-decades to be a guest on the pod for a third time. (Here are his two earlier appearances.) Drawing on experiences chronicled in his latest book, Race Everything, Bart describes the elements of what he thinks makes a great race. He raves about multi-day races, including the Bermuda Marathon Triangle Challenge, which he had just returned from, and shares advice on running such races. This accomplished runner shares his take on how to achieve a negative split, the Holy Grail of racing. Talk with the three Masters-age runners turns to accepting the inevitable slowing down that comes with age—with a caveat from Bart about why he was a better runn

Sarah welcomes one of two new co-hosts (big reveal of other new one happens next week!), Maggie Palmer, a thirty-something mom of three. Asomewhat familiar voice to podcast listeners and blog readers, Maggie is the BAMR whose family lived through Hurricane Irma on Saint Maarten, three weeks after relocating to the Caribbean from Oregon. Listen to an update on Maggie’s family situation in Chicago, plus how working out is working out for her these days. Maggie reveals how her “monthly plight”—and her male high school track coach’s attitude toward her period—sidelined her from running. Find out why she ran a half-marathon on the aptly named holiday of Independence Day. Along with sharing many laughs, Sarah and her new co-host bond over falling while trail running (spoiler alert: both tales involve horse poop!). Get 25% off your first order at RXbar.com/amr and use promo code AMR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah and co-host Amanda Loudin, veterans of nearly 30 marathons between them, pull back the curtain and reveal best practices about training for a 26.2-mile undertaking. They start slowly with the importance of rest and underappreciated “easy” runs. Coach Amanda lays out what’s an appropriate base for marathon training, both in terms of how long you can run—and how long you’ve been running. She talks about the optimum length of a training cycle and the best number of days to run per week, plus variables that affect both elements. Serving up a dose of reality (and wit!), Coach Amanda tells why “couch-to-marathon” isn’t a smart move. She also shares why long runs are cornerstone of marathon training. (It’s not quite as “no, duh!” as you might think.) Invariably, the two Masters-age marathoners discuss how marathon training morphs as you age. The insightful conversation culminates with sage advice on sidestepping injury. First, though, the mother runners have a silly debate about the ideal stopping-point for nu

Sarah and Dimity welcome three coaches to kick your New Year off right! First up is Jenn Gill, who is a certified personal trainer and strength coach in addition to being a running coach (phew!). After telling a tale of a recent Ragnar Trail Relay race that involves “swamp bugs” and a 15’ alligator (!!), Jenn shares the keys to consistency and how to make exercise a habit. She also offers several good reasons why strength training should be part of every runner’s regimen. Next the ladies are joined by Justin Ross, a sports and performance psychologist who developed the Perform Like a Mother program. Like he does in that mental skills training program, Justin offers guidance on using your mind as an asset instead of a liability, while running, racing, or living life. Listen as Sarah gets swayed by his sound advice about cultivating a positive mindset. The final guest is Jennifer Harrison, one half of the triathlon coaching duo in the TLAM Club. This mom-of-twins tells an inspiring story about what can happen w

In this extra-long episode, Sarah welcomes each co-host to hear about their year in running. Fittingly, the first conversation is with Dimity, who sums up 2017 as a “year of transformation.” The AMR co-founder tells how she feels better than she has in year, both physically and mentally, and Dim talks about why “pressure is a priviledge.” Find out why SBS dubs her Dimity the Flamingo—plus learn Dim’s big 2018 goals. (Spoiler alert: It’s as big as the Grand Canyon. Literally.) Molly slides into the co-host seat to share how her 2017 goals shifted due to a lingering knee injury—and why it means she has apprehension about the June 2018 half-marathon Molly + Sarah are planning on. Bigfoot makes an appearance in this laughter-filled part of the pod. Next, Ellison hops into the co-host seat to share how menopause (and whooping cough!) caused her speed to decline, and how the situation has placed her in “an arranged marriage” with 5Ks. By this point in the pod, a theme crystallizes: Be kinder + more patient with you

Sarah and Dimity unite to talk with Coach MK Fleming of the Train Like a Mother Club, and the trio jumps into a straight-talk discussion about setting realistic New Year resolutions. Realize why picking one big goal actually adds up to 1,000s of little tasks, and learn to not conflate optimism + attitude with progress. (Like we said: straight talk!) Numerous analogies to mastering a foreign language or to learning to play the piano abound. Coach MK talks about how to be smart in the goals you pursue, and she shares three small daily changes you need to embrace to meet your goals. Find out why Dimity feels “unbreakable” right now—and what her secret goal is. (And why 2022 might be a big year ‘round AMR parts…) A great reminder toward end of the episode: Enjoy the real joy in the journey. This week’s Nuun-drinking game: Take a swig every time Coach MK mentions the self-defense system of krav maga. Talk of resolutions starts at 19:40. To enjoy a free month of Bark Box with order of a 6- or 12-month subscription,

Sarah and co-host Amanda Loudin welcome on five mother runners to talk about their pursuit of big goals, including a first marathon, ultra, and Ironman. First up is Kelli, a hardy mom of two who training to run a marathon on February 1—in the Yukon. Brrrrrr! The second guest is Shonna, putting in the miles for her first 26.2. This empty-nester tells the tale of her first running steps just a year ago on a treadmill that squeaked so loudly, her dog would leave the room! Megan is on next, and she’s aiming to nab a Boston-qualifying marathon time, something she hasn’t done since giving birth to her three young children. Find out how a somewhat-TMI comment from another racer prompted Megan to focus on core-work. Kate in NYC follows: This mom of twin preschoolers talks of how and why she started training for an Ironman triathlon when her duo were just 1.5 years old (after running a marathon when they were 7 months old!). Kate gives great advice about how to make time for training (hint: accept offers of assistance

Sarah and co-host Ellison Weist (a.k.a. The BookBully) gab about books, Netflix offerings, animated movies, and other pop culture goodies as they make the AMR reading-related a bi-annual happening. The good friends play catch-up in the beginning, with Ellison telling the tale of her return to racing—a 5K she nabbed 1st-place in her age group—plus the launch of her eponymous podcast, The BookBully. Learn who Auggie is (other than the hero of the YA novel Wonder). Buckle your seatbelt (tighten your sports bra?!) when they duo embarks on their discussion of books, as the conversation has countless curves and side trips! The mother runners talk about books they still regret reading the entire thing because they felt manipulated by it. They talk about how The Power is most certainly a parable of our times…but does it live up to all the hype? Numerous times, SBS equates reading books to running a race—and the gals talk about when they each DNF with a book. Historical references fly, as do Netflix suggestions. This

Introducing a new podcast from our very own Ellison Weist a.k.a. The Book Bully! You might know her from a tiny ol’ podcast about running, like this episode with Alysia Montano. Now you won’t have to wait for our annual summer reading podcast. The Book Bully is now available for your listening pleasure as you wrap gifts, run long, or foam roll. This new bi-weekly podcast will cover books, books, and more books! Join Ellison as she raves and rants about all things reading. It kicks off with a chat with Sarah Bowen Shea, who you might know as the co-creator of Another Mother Runner. If you’ve loved the AMR reading list podcasts, you’ll flip for The Book Bully. The Book Bully is available wherever you get your podcasts. Just search on iTunes or your favorite app. Prepare to have your reading list grow by leaps and bounds! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah is delighted to have Coach MK Fleming as her sidekick, with Ellie Kempton, a Denver-based holistic nutritionist and the official nutritionist of the Train Like a Mother Club, joining the convo. The trio dive into the question: Is it possible to lose weight during a performance-driven training cycle? They reveal why it’s so difficult for the body to multi-task (sound familiar, mother runner?!), including delving into the intriguing hormonal changes that occur during training cycle—and the implications of those alterations. The TLAM Club women discuss the effects of how a body adapts and changes during training—and why the body protects itself from losing weight during training cycle. (SBS tosses in a caveman analogy.) Ellie outlines what is required for weight loss to happen sustainably—and Coach MK shares a story about when (and why) she opted for performance instead of losing baby weight. Whether your goal is to rock your race or see a lower number on the scale, find out how to work with your body, ins

Sarah and co-host Amanda Loudin are joined by prolific Portland runner Paula Harkin to discuss ways to stay safe while running in the dark. A repeat guest, Paula starts by giving an update on her nearly 9-year running streak (!!). Then the trio dives into the street v. sidewalk debate. A long-time group-run leader, race director, and co-owner of Portland Running Company, Paula explains her street-smart practice of Defensive Running; she also talks about the importance of using all of one’s skills and senses to get through a run. Amanda tells of two of her running buddies, Disco Runner and Safety Ellie. Find out the gals’ favorite reflective gear, lights, and headphones. In the intro, hear how Romeo + Juliet went for Sarah’s twins (including whether any stage-kisses occurred!) and how Philadelphia Marathon happenings went for Coach Amanda. The stay-safe conversation kicks off at 13:45. 23andMe Ancestry Service Kits are only $49 when you buy two or more: Go to 23andme.com/AMR Use code AMR for 50% off your first

Sarah and co-host Dimity commune with Mackenzie Havey, author of Mindful Running. Mackenzie defines and demystifies mindfulness, telling how years of overtraining and repeated injuries had sucked the joy out of running—but how mindful running has restored it. This mother of a baby recounts how she gained a new appreciation for mindfulness when she was pregnant. She and Dim bond when Mackenzie equates mindfulness training to reps in a weight room, while it all clicks for SBS when Mackenzie talks about how thoughts can be like passing cars. The author shares some simple steps to get mindful, and how following them can result in a calmer run. The ladies talk about the value of acknowledging the hurt (burning lungs or quads, anyone??) we experience while running—and how to bring a curiosity to those sensations. And, yes, we openly acknowledge the irony of talking about mindful running on a podcast we suspect most of you will listen to while, yup, running. In the intro, Dimity tells the tales of her recent trip to

Sarah and co-host Amanda Loudin have a candid conversation with Dr. Elizabeth “Betsy” Barbieri, a doctor of reproductive medicine at Oregon Reproductive Medicine and a mom of three young kids, about running and fertility. The conversation starts off with a few laughs with a tangent about pregnant celebrities in US Weekly. The good doctor talks about hormonal shifts which can affect a mother runner’s cycle. Betsy gives advice on dealing with the stress of trying to conceive and why it’s important to continue running in moderation if it’s a sanity-saver. The conversation covers miscarriages and running—and why to banish any guilt. Like so many care providers, Dr. Betsy encourages women trying to conceive to not be afraid to seek help. Then Sarah welcomes Anissa Brown, a—spoiler alert! —mother of three children, who shares the amazing tale of how she “won” her twins via a 5K race! (And the help of the Footsteps for Fertility Foundation.) A must-listen story!! First up, Amanda and Sarah laugh about backpacking an

Sarah and co-host Adrienne Martini tuck in for a discussion about nutrition for runners with registered dietitian Jackie Dikos. As she does in her upcoming book, Finish Line Fueling: An Essential Guide to Runner’s Nutrition, Jackie offers advice for simplifying food and nutrition. In answering questions culled from mother runners, this dietitian talks about carbs to eat on a long run and great whole food choices after a workout. Find out her thoughts on Keto diets, as well as her recommendations for lean protein choices. She details the advantages of going through “windows of fasting” and gives suggestions for eating as you age (happens to the best of us!). Sarah gets Jackie to unpack her euphemism “healthy digestion.” At end of convo, Jackie talks about best supplements for runners. Before being joined by the guest, Adrienne and Sarah talk about Halloween and a #motherruner gathering in NYC on Saturday, November 4. (Email for details: BAMR [at] anothermotherrunner [dot] com) The informative interview start a