Stroller Warriors Take On The PFT

For those non-military types, the Physical Fitness Test (or PFT) is a Marine Corps event that must be completed twice a year to certain standards. Being that Stroller Warriors is created from military spouses, our leader has us conduct the same test twice a year as well. It's a 3 mile run followed by a flexed arm hang (max of 70 seconds) and 2 minutes of crunches (max of 200). For some of our newer members who haven't done much running prior to joining, this test can be intimidating. Nevertheless, they show up with bedazzled shirts and tackle their fears. It's quite an awesome showing and many people surprise themselves with their performance!

Here are some pictures from the PFT we did yesterday:

First in...my friend and running partner, Jill!

Jane makes her second appearance in the blog because she's just that incredible!

Kat and Naomi bringing it in with a sprint - and if you've never sprinted with a jogger, it's NOT easy!

Super Stroller Warrior!

And sometimes the kiddos just have to get out and cross the finish line too!

Such focus and determination. These ladies make it look easy!

And because it wouldn't be a SW PFT without decorated t-shirts, here are a few. And yes, that's our leader in the top left picture trying to boost attendance on Friday by holding the news of her upcoming baby's gender until then:)

And while it looks like a bunch of women who may have too much time on their hands, coloring shirts and playing with kiddos, don't let this bunch fool you. They are a group of determined runners who push the pace every day. Our first runner in, Jill, finished in 21:30...WITH A STROLLER! Just another reason I love this club!

(Morning edit) One of the SW got a shot of me & one of the Weasel as we came in from our 3 miles!

Balancing Act

Being a stay-at-home-mom is one of the most challenging things I've ever done. You spend all day with your amazing, trying, sometimes crabby and needy, kiddo, and every day is the same. You yearn for adult conversation. You get no weekends off. It's utterly exhausting. But it's also wonderful. I've witnessed all the "firsts" in the Weasel's life. I've taught her so many different things and watched her eyes open wide as she explores this "new" world around her. (And I really hate to complain since her father has missed so much of her life already due to deployment, but sometimes it's frustrating. Especially after having a "real" job.)


Fortunately, I belong to an amazing running club, Stroller Warriors, full of women in a similar role. We meet twice a week for scheduled runs and sometimes lament our day-to-day drudgery (more often we talk about upcoming races, training plans, or ways to fuel for our long runs!). But we need that outlet. It keeps us sane.

TE, Jill (in blue) and me on our pre-Easter Tuesday workout.

Yesterday, I ran 7 miles with my friend, Jill. She's an amazing SAHM with a nearly 1-year old. Her husband is gone for a couple weeks to do training elsewhere and while she was ecstatic that she witnessed Liam's first 4 unassisted steps, she was frustrated with herself. Jill's signed up to do a triathlon later this month, so she has been trying to work in some time on her bike trainer. The other day, she logged exactly 9 minutes before her son woke up. She found herself irritated at the situation and then felt lousy for having her priorities out of whack. 

Jill with Liam before one of our Saturday long runs...making it happen!

I've found myself thinking these exact same thoughts. How do I balance being a good, attentive mother with maintaining wifely duties and keeping myself happy? I do it by exercising. I love running. Even when it sucks, it's one of the best parts of my day. I am thrilled that the Weasel doesn't fuss too much in her stroller (she's even done a full half with me!). She's a terrible napper for the most part, but she sometimes lets me finish an entire Insanity workout mid-day. I'm grateful that I don't have to sit at a desk, yearning to get out for a workout; but it's not that simple. She has a schedule. If I take her for a long run, it compromises her naps. If I want to go for a bike ride, I have to find someone to watch her or get her into the hourly care (which means a long drive). And lord knows when the last time I got into the pool was! But if I didn't do these things, I can't imagine how grumpy I would be. 


So while it's not always easy, I try to remember that I am also a priority. My happiness sanity comes from running. If I don't fit it in, I notice a difference. Running (or working out in general) makes me a better mother and a better wife. For all of you other mother runners out there struggling with this same balancing act, just know you're not alone. Remember, you are just as important as everyone else. As long as you're not sacrificing the needs (not wants) of your child, the way you fit in your "me" time is not only a good thing, it's a necessary thing. 

Impromptu 1/2 Marathon

On Tuesday, December 13th, a group of Stroller Warriors got together to run Kimi's Make-Up Half Marathon. Earlier in the week, she posted her intentions on our Facebook page, asking for suggested run routes. Her post was met with overwhelming support and people offering to run various distances with her. Kimi's goal was to run the half in under 2 hours in the same year as the birth of her second daughter. And yes, she always looks this happy...even before running 13 miles!

This motley crew gathered at 9 am to start the run. We even had some club members volunteer to stay back at the house and watch the kiddos! We took off at varying paces on the first of three loops. The first group averaged about an 8:45 pace for the first 4 miles. As we passed the house, a few ladies headed for their cars and the rest of us continued on the second loop. Our pace slowed to about a 9:07 mile, but our spirits were high and we chatted the entire time. Because of the course, we got to pass some of the other ladies and that was a great source of motivation. 

As we made the turn around and headed for our last leg of the course, our Stroller Warrior leader joined us with her son in tow. It really boosted morale to have some new blood coming along. About 2 miles out, Kimi put her headphones in and our pace dropped back to 8:45ish. She was determined to finish under 2. We turned toward her house and she picked up the pace even more. 

Coming toward the finish line

Kimi's reaction to finding out we actually did 13.25 instead of 13.1!

She finished the actual half marathon distance in 1:58:47! And we made it to the finish line in 1:59:58...talk about cutting it close!  We had one other girl run the entire distance, and she did awesome!

Our most fashionable runner, Nicole, finishing strong!

Nicole gets a congratulatory hug from her youngest son!

This club is so incredible that Stephanie (the group leader) had a medal made and inscribed for Kimi:

And of course, a shout out to my little running buddy, Reagan, who rode the entire 2 hours in the stroller with minimal complaint. Only made me stop twice for snack/drink breaks:)

Hampstead Kiwanis Park 8k Turkey Trot

On Saturday, 19 November, my running club, Stroller Warriors participated in the Hampstead Kiwanis Park 8k Turkey Trot. It was the perfect weather for a run at a cool 50-degrees and this run was definitely geared for families. There were LOTS of strollers participating, even one with dogs riding along! They had plenty of music and entertainment before the race started, including a Zumba instructor showing off her moves and hoola hoops for the kiddos.

Without nearly as much warning as I had hoped for, the 9:00 start was upon us. In fact, we barely made it to the back of the pack when the horn sounded! In typical Stroller Warrior fashion, we used our strollers as battering rams (ok, not really) to maneuver through the crowd. I quickly caught up to our lead SW and we chatted through the first 2 and a half miles. I even managed to push both of our strollers while my friend took off her long sleeved shirt:) Just before the orange turn around cone, my stroller suddenly stopped...the front wheel actually fell off and rolled into a nearby bush. My friend, Susannah came to the rescue and held up the stroller while I reattached the wheel. (Lesson learned: always op check gear PRIOR to a race!) We got right back in the game and continued to say to each other, "I've got to slow down a bit, but you go ahead." Of course, neither one of us slowed down at all and it turned out to be a great race. Susannah finished 3rd female overall in 37:06 and I followed closely behind, winning my age group in 37:12.

We had lots of Stroller Warriors in attendance and the race announcer gave us plenty of shout outs. The only bad thing about the race was the crazy finish. We had to weave around a very strange path where we could see the finish line, but didn't actually know how to get to it. 

Here are some of the SWs in action:

This is Liz, and yes, she's always that happy when she runs!

Our club leader rocking her double stroller! Go Steph!!

We all decided to wear knee high socks during this race and it was quite a site:

This decision was inspired by our currently injured, but nonetheless present SW, Jessica:

Liz and Jess showing off their socks.

All in all, this was a fabulous way to kick off the holiday season. The more you run, the more pie you can eat, right?! One of our new members rocked this awesome bandana:

This might encompass my feelings about running:)

This guy is at nearly every race I've ever done in Eastern NC, and he runs with a full pack:

Not sure what look he was going for, but he's fast enough to rock the outfit. He passed us just before my wheel fell off.

SWs pre-race photo...only missing a few in the pic.

Couldnt' have a post without a picture of my weasel with the race Turkey, could I? She was a champ throughout the whole wheel debacle too. Love my girl!

Penasquitos Creek Park

On Saturday, 19 November, I ventured down to meet up with some of the San Diego Dirt Devils for a trail run.  Sometimes they do group meet-ups and open it up to everyone.  This one was down at Penasquitos Creek Park, about 30 minutes away from where I live.


About 15-20 runners showed up bright and early at 0700 to venture out.  Some were there to run 6 miles, some were going to do 8, and the brave ones were planning on 12 miles.  By 0710 we were hitting the trail, and the leaders took off.  Unfortunately, the leaders (who knew the course we were supposed to run) were a little faster than me...ok, a LOT faster.  I got to a "T" in the trail and there was no one in sight!

As a well-trained Marine, I decided I could navigate my way through the canyon and back to my car without any problems.  I had no Garmin, no stopwatch, and no iPod...I was running naked!  So, off I trotted just enjoying the scenery and the peace and quiet around me!

So, what did I think of this new trail?

+Quiet area, not too close to a road or other houses
+Beautiful scenery, well marked trails
+Can run upwards of 12 miles without back tracking!
-It's 28 miles from my house...and gas is almost $4/gallon
-There are a lot of mountain bikers on those same trails...most of them were really polite though!

So, the pros win out!!!  I'll be back to run this again.  I took Leonie's dog, Teton, with me and he did great!  There were a few ladies running with me, so I did find out final mileage from one (it's impossible to give up the OCD of logging miles), and we did 10.75!

Running Skirts Group Run

Now that I have entered the technological side of running, my eyes have been opened to how many runners are out there on Facebook, Twitter, the blogosphere, and the Internet in general!  In my quest to get out there and actually meet some of these other runners, on Wednesday I Googled "running groups Carlsbad" and immediately I saw a group I wanted to check out: Running Skirts in Encinitas.  They have a meet-up group and they sponsor group runs on Thursday nights at 6pm.  


I was a little bit apprehensive about going to run with a bunch of other women, that tiny fear crept into my stomach.  A little demon kept nagging me with questions, such as "Will you be fast enough to keep up?  Will you be able to run as far as they do?  Do you really think of yourself as a real runner?"  Luckily, I killed that little demon and made my way happily down to Encinitas to meet some new runners.  

Store owners Cindy Lynch and Christy Baker (identical twins!)

Featured in Competitor Magazine!

Brooke, the first person to greet me when I got there (and a VERY fast lady!)

I'm so glad that I did!  There were some very fast ladies, some runners who just wanted to socialize while running, just a general mix of women (and three men) who love lacing up their shoes and hitting the road.  Not everyone had to do the same workout, but most of us ended up doing a 4 mile run.  And then, after we all got back, they did a raffle for a free thermal shirt, which my friend Leonie ended up winning!  

What a fantastic group of women who are totally inspiring!  Thanks for a great run!


Do you run with a group or are you a loner?  If you do run with a group, how did you find them?  

Bad Mother Runners

I am lucky enough to have found the most amazing group of military moms to run with twice a week (plus long runs, bike rides, playdates, etc). This group is called Stroller Warriors, and if you've met me since I joined the club, you've probably thought to yourself, "Geez, does this girl EVER talk about anything other than this running club?!".

Running with these women and their children has not only made me a faster, more confident runner; it has made me a better mother and a more sane individual! We share a common bond as military wives and mothers and runners. The group ranges from beginners to blazing fast chicks pushing 100+ pounds in a double stroller. On any given Tuesday or Friday, the people of Camp Lejeune (or Jacksonville, NC) are assaulted by an onslaught of 30-50 strollers running down one of our usual routes. It's truly a sight to behold. During these runs, I've asked about a thousand questions about how to feed/clothe/entertain/fly with Reagan. These ladies have all the answers because they've done it all.

I seriously cannot say enough good things about Stroller Warriors. If you're not part of a running group, I strongly recommend finding one. You'll discover that you are faster and stronger than you ever imagined. Plus, they usually have cool t-shirts.

Some of the SW's after running the Stephen Siller Tunnel 2 Towers 5k

Check them out in this article from the Jacksonville's newspaper, The Globe.

***Congratulations to the winners of the RazzyRoo Giveaway Lisa (Mom to Marathon blog author) and Lynsey (The Moores: Capturing our Adventures One Day at a Time blog author)