You always seem to be smiling in a race. Are you having that much fun? Yes, I am having that much fun! I smile because all the work it takes me to get to the race is done, and now all I have to do is run. My day with five kids is major multi-tasking. So to do one thing is quite relaxing to me. Sometimes I think I relax too much and wonder if I didn’t stop so much to say hello to everyone if I would be faster. But I guess I wouldn’t want it any other way.
You have a big family. What do you say to people who think they can’t be a mom and a runner at the same time?
I have my own business called Whole Running where I do help many mothers achieve their goals in running—to go beyond their comfort zone. My running has made me a better mom, and being a mom has helped me be a better runner. These two are off balance a lot but I wouldn’t be good without the other. I don’t watch TV, nor do a lot of other time killers that people will do. I run. Example, for Easter, I had my husband drive to the different families we were visiting, and I ran. That added up to many miles. Being up night after night with little kids, sicknesses, and such has really given me the strength to do what I do. Now to see my kids love running, that is totally cool. My future crew. Who knows, maybe the roles can be reversed and I’ll be their crew. But getting back to the point, moms are tough. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Mothers are like teabags, you don’t know how strong we are until we get into hot water.”
