MT Madness: The Moon

By Rae Hedlund

The moon isn’t much to see by in the woods at night. It’s hardly enough to keep you from falling on your face with every step, and that task is made more difficult when you’ve been on your feet for 45 miles. Add to this blindness an injured leg that won’t flex at the ankle, pregnancy hormones, and some exhaustion, and it sounds like an absolute recipe for disaster.

After I had Maverick, the first slow mile I ran was done without walking, because I didn’t want my younger sister to see me walk. That day, walking felt like quitting. On September 19^th, every step felt like a victory. Some invisible force (be it stubbornness, the hidden belief that I could finish, or the people who never doubted this) was pulling me, step by painful step, to the end of what felt like the Longest Day.

Feeling strong, silly, and hungry hitting the DRC AS at mile 20!

There is a similarity between that first-ever mile and this first-ever 50: support. My first 25-mile lap had gone off rather nicely: I had a groove, enjoyed my music, and loved getting to every AS. Heck, the start of my second loop was enjoyable, too! I had the incredible Stacy Allen with me and I was thankful for the constant company, easy conversation, and words of encouragement; those first miles with Stacy were easy and fun, just two friends running, no concerns in mind. That was the first nine miles. Everything after that, it was pretty obvious to me that her presence was helping keep me going, because getting to the AS following these first two was much more challenging. I had to turn on my music to really keep myself moving, didn’t talk as much, and cried. When we got to the AS, that feeling of relief washed over me and I cried more. I had met the people at this AS only once before race day, but I was so thankful to see them!

All the miles after that second aid station have a sort of fog surrounding them; the mental battles that were waged during these miles were done with the help of Stacy, more than she realizes. Everything is so muddled, but I know that her presence behind me kept me moving, and helped me to remember that I really was okay.What I can tell you is, I did a lot of crying—I sobbed, sniffled, and laughed at myself for crying so much. At one point, I stopped because the laugh-cry was so out of hand, and I nearly slid down a ravine, so it’s a really good thing Stacy was there to save my life!

Once I had finally pulled myself back together enough to keep moving, Stacy and I set off again. I was so determined to get to the DRC AS! Though I knew people at the AS prior to DRC’s masterpiece, they weren’t my DRC peeps, and I needed those truly familiar faces. I needed them to tell me I was okay, that I really could make it through this; I needed to soak up their belief that I could finish this, even with the injury to my leg.

Just as the previous miles had been, these were a struggle. Five miles seems small in the span of such a race, but so much goes into them. I felt like I had given everything, that I didn’t have much left; I was emotionally drained. Coming up to the DRC AS was another cry-fest. Andy had already finished and was there with comforting words,while Mark worked on getting me out of my pack. Meg and Stacey were ready with whatever food I needed while Frank snapped pics, and everyone said exactly the right thing. These people had heard me question my abilities over the past few months, had heard about my good/bad/ugly runs, and had assured me again and again that this was possible. Where my confidence had wavered, theirs had been solid. It’s amazing to be a part of a community so supportive.

Me and the World's Best Pacer <3

So many miles with Stacy and I didn’t know what to say to her besides a weak “Thank you.” Seriously, I had no words for the woman who had followed my crazy ass for 20 miles- laaaame! I was in a lot of pain, but was just so happy to see all my friends! Meghan had been planning on pacing my final five, but where I was emotionally/physically, I had this feeling I needed my husband with me. There were points throughout my training where I told Mark I would understand if he didn’t want to be there, that I’d have the support of enough friends to be okay, and I’ve never been so thankful that he ignored me and came to support me despite this.

After enough time at the AS to gather myself, Mark & I headed out. I was hobbling. When we set out, we thought we were good on lights. It didn’t seem too long after the sun had set that our flashlight went out. Our backup light didn’t have as much juice as we expected. The moon isn’t much to see by in the woods at night.

Runners passed, one guy was nice enough to stick with us for a bit, but I told him he should keep going because we were so slow. I begged, cried, and pleaded with Mark to let me be done; I have a feeling it reminded him of helping me get through labor. We paused frequently as I tried to conquer the pain. Everyone kept saying we had two more miles, two more miles... two more miles... It was during this time that Shari came up with another runner she was bringing in to the finish. After promising to return (and letting me cry), they headed off and we were in the dark once again. Soon, though, a runner for the hundo came along who was using two lights, and he willingly gave us his flashlight. He was truly our angel!

With a light in our hands again, we could surely finish, right?! Five miles drags on when you’re limping, but Shari was back with us after a while and had unintentionally brought another with her- the race sweeper had followed her, not sure why she had gone backwards on the course. These two people (angels) helped me find the strength to keep moving. Our little group of four moved at a pathetically slow pace, and I cried when I started seeing the glow sticks that signified we were nearing the end!

There is nothing quite like crossing a finish line. No matter the distance, I’ve always shed tears at the end of a race, and this one was certainly no exception. Having completely bonked at my marathon, I couldn’t help but think of the first word I’d said after that: “That was really fucking hard.” I think it’s fair to say the exact same thing about this race; Mark Twain did its best to chew me up and spit me out, but that made my finish all the more satisfying. The number of people who can’t believe I ran this race (or any race, for that matter!) pregnant doesn’t surprise me, but what does surprise me is that I never considered not running it. Even if I couldn’t acknowledge it all the time, there was a part of me that knew I could, at the very least, limp across that finish line. I finished, I won a hard-fought battle, and I’m so thankful for all the support I got along the way.

So many finish line hugs!

I'm pretty sure I said, "Give me that damn thing!"

Honestly, through all the struggles, I find I that I can’t say I won’t do it again. My body is capable of so much more than I ever knew!

The Domino Effect

By Christine Michalski

Five years ago, I started attending a bootcamp-style fitness class because my daughter was getting married and I wanted to look my best for the wedding. The class required us to run a mile every session, and the rule was if you could run a mile in faster than ten minutes, you had to run two... so I always made sure I ran just about a 10-minute mile. 

After bootcamp ended, and the wedding was long over, I continued running because I realized it was wonderfully brainless. It’s the most brainless activity I've ever done. As a mom of five kids, I could be doing anything and always have about 50 other things going through my head: groceries, who has what practice, is there gas in the car?... the thoughts go on and on! Running, for me, is brainless. It’s just me and the road and the next mile, or the next step, and that’s all I focus on.

My first snow run! Slow, but SO fun!

 My first 5k race was the Hope for Haiti run in 2012. I had already run this distance a couple times before on my own, but I wanted to say that I had run an official 5k. It wasn’t too long after that, that I ran my first 10k on my own. It just felt like the natural next step, and the Katy Trail was there asking for it!

Also in 2012, my younger daughter started running on her high school’s cross-country and track teams. Maria’s gym teacher had said she would make a good runner, and she felt a little more confident already knowing someone who was a runner, who could share advice with her and encourage her. Around this time, my older sister participated in a three-day, 50-mile walking event. When I heard she could walk 50 miles over three days, I asked her why she wasn’t running at all! Her running journey started soon after, with some encouragement (and maybe some mocking) from me.

Even later in 2012, Rae had Maverick and, when he was six weeks old, she hit the pavement to run her first mile. I stayed home and snuggled Maverick while Rae & Maria ran, then headed out later that day for my own miles. We started tag-teaming our miles-- I would run, then Rae would, or vice-versa-- and it was helpful for her to be able to depend on me to take care of Maverick, not having to worry about her husband’s crazy schedule. (Editor’s note: if it weren’t for my mom being there, I wouldn’t be a runner!!)

My girls before they headed out for Rae's first run!

The last to join our little women’s tribe of runners was my niece. She had seen her own mom’s running journey, and mine… and Rae’s… and Maria’s… how could you not be inspired to run?! Even her daughter ran her first fun-run race recently, so the tribe keeps growing! I would never say that I inspired all these people to run, it just seemed like a domino effect: I started, then someone else joined in… and it all tumbled down from there. I shared my love with those that I love.

Running isn’t always easy for me, though. About a year and a half ago, I found out that I have arthritis in my neck; I’ve been dealing with it for much longer than that, but always just pushed through the pain. Even with the diagnosis, I continue to run. When I get back from a run, I roll out my legs, ice my neck, and go on with my day. My goal is to someday run a half-marathon. Whether I make a half-mary or not, whether I have to walk part (or crawl it), it’s still a goal I have, and it would be even better if it were a Disney race!

Color Run with my husband!

Even with the arthritis, I ran my longest run this year, and it just so happened to be during my first trail run! That’s right, I headed out to run a 5-mile trail, ended up missing my turn, and ran the 8-mile trail instead (thanks, Lewis & Clark trail)! Though I haven’t explored many trails in the area, it’s inspired me to keep going! I would trail run every day if I could; it’s harder for me to hit the pavement because trail running is so different and I love it so much!

Maria's birthday trail run celebration!

To me, it doesn’t matter how far, how often, or how fast I run; it’s just about getting out there and doing it, and if I inspire others to get out there and do it too, then I’m doing something right. I’m so proud of my daughters and brag about them all the time, even though their running seems to have progressed so much more than my own. I love that there are other women in my family who run, and that we can share this. My journey started five years ago, and there’s a whole lot more running be done!

Eating and Running

By Jillian Van Leer

My running journey started 5 ½ years ago. Growing up, I was an avid hater of running. I couldn’t run a full mile, let alone be one of the fast kids in gym. I hated it so much, I wouldn’t even run while playing tennis.

Life went on, and in January of 2010, my soon-to-be sister-in-law asked me if I would run the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure with her. I laughed and said, “I don’t run.” She said, “I don’t either.” Since the two of us don't live near each other, I trained for five months with a friend. My training started on the treadmill, but I hated it with a passion, so I started running at night in my subdivision and, boy, did I become addicted quickly! I trained with the Couch to 5K program.  My sister-in-law ended up walking the entire 5K because she still hated running. I still tease her because I fell in love with it and she despises it with a passion, but it was her prompting me that start got me addicted to running!

 

Not my first 5K, but my 5K PR to date!

I really was astonished to discover that I loved running! I loved the alone time, the openness of the road, and the freedom it entailed! I loved how I felt afterward, how I felt like I could do anything. I had more confidence, I was happier, more joyful, and I had more energy to play with (then) young boys! I couldn’t believe the new-found positivity that running gave to me. More than all of these things, though, running helped me in ways I never thought possible.

You see, I had been struggling with overeating/purging ever since my oldest son was born. I hated my new “MOM” body. I wasn’t good to it. I overate because I was depressed, and the things I ate were bad for me; I didn’t nourish myself at all. After eating those bad things, I would feel so sick that I would make myself purge it. It was not fun, and definitely not healthy.

When I began running, I had been dealing with the eating disorder for four years. Nothing seemed to help. I couldn’t get myself under control, I was trapped in a dark place no one else should have to experience. Counseling didn’t seem to help, and even telling family members only helped a little, but not enough to make me STOP. That is, until I started running.

Running gave me a new-found confidence I’d never felt. With running, I gained the confidence in myself not only to run farther and farther, but to actually take care of myself overall. It was quickly apparent that if I didn’t eat healthier, I couldn’t run like I wanted; I also learned that when I did overeat, running was difficult and not as enjoyable. Not all the credit goes to running: counseling with my then-pastor was tremendously helpful, but without running, I don’t think I could have overcome my disorder.

With my three kiddos after the Mother's Day 5K this year.

I still go through spurts of unhealthy eating, spurts of not running, but it’s all a process and I know that. I know I might struggle my whole life with this, but the older I get, the easier it gets to handle. The more confident I become in myself, the better it gets. I owe my life to running: it finally helped me love my body, appreciate my body, and want to take care of it. My goal for myself is always to appreciate what my body can do, and be thankful for what my body can do!

Me and my awesome kids after my first half-marathon.

My body has run many miles in the past 5 ½ years, including three half-marathons! I’m hoping next year to complete a full marathon, and run even farther than this year. Without running, I am terrified of where I would be today; I can’t imagine life without running! I am very passionate about getting girls (and boys) the help they need to overcome eating disorders, which is one of the reasons I love Girls on the Run so much. It gives girls so much confidence in themselves! I wish it had been around when I was younger, but am so happy to be a part of it now as a coach! 

 

Girls on the Run!

Girls on the Run!

I just wanted to let you all know that if you’re struggling with this, or know someone who is, you’re not alone! Eating disorders happen in all walks of life. I was 24 when mine started! I am so thankful to my family and my running community for helping me succeed and love myself. Keep running, everyone. Keep encouraging one another. You’re all the best!

Want to get to know Jillian better? Check out her "Runfie" questions!

What brought you to DRC? I saw that a high school friend of mine, Tony McDuffie, posted his run on The Daily Run Club via Facebook. I immediately joined!!

Favorite shoes? How many pairs of running shoes do you have? Well, for the first four years of my running, I wore New Balance running shoes. Nothing fancy, just the cheapest, good running shoes I could find. Last year, my husband suggested I try Asics, so I bought a pair and I love them! They are so cushiony! I only ever have two pair. I know, I know... Once I get a new pair, my older pair gets to be my "around the house/mud" pair. Then I donate my older older shoes. I don't like a lot of clutter.

Do you have a dream race? Hmmm... dream race. I would love to run in a Disney race just because I've loved Disney since I was teeny tiny.  I still love Disney & watch all the movies with my kiddos when I get the chance!

Suffering & Happy

By Rae Hedlund

When you see people simultaneously suffering and happy, you begin to wonder what you’re missing out on. At least, that’s how it was for me. When I first began running, I thought the marathon  was the ultimate race, a distance that seemed out of my reach; unattainable, but a worthy aspiration.

Then I began hearing about races much longer than that. I read Born to Run and realized the world of running was much more vast than I had imagined. Again, it all seemed unattainable. When I joined DRC, I was about to begin training for my first marathon, which was exciting and nerve-wracking! As I began meeting other DRCers, it was amazing to see how confident they they were in my abilities! It was reassuring in a way. During this training, I tried to figure out what kind of “fuel” worked for me: Gu, Honey Stingers, Nuun, etc. I thought I had it down, though those things bothered my stomach at times.

Well, as I’ve previously written, my marathon happened. If you want to read about it, check it out here. About a month after this, I accompanied Meghan to her first 50-mile. It was a distance I knew she could run and I was excited to see her crush it! Watching her and all the others run that distance made me wonder what it was like: they looked exhausted when they were done, but nearly all of them were smiling! What?!

Let me pause here to say, I began my running journey when Maverick was six weeks old. My goal was to run a half-marathon before he turned one, which I completed. Since the next distance (the marathon) started with a two, I figured I should run one of those before he turned two! So this crazy goal perpetuated into this year, the year my son turns three. This is why I signed up for Ozark Foothills.

By this time in my running journey, I had met some incredible distance runners, many of whom willingly shared their advice and wisdom with me. From these people, I learned how to take uphills and downhills, that it’s okay to walk/hike, that eating real food was okay, and even found a drink that I loved! A little bit of everything. It took some time to figure out what foods my stomach liked, but it was worth the trial and error process!

As my race drew near, DRC had the pleasure of going to the Skunk Run. Stacey and I ran together for 27 miles, my longest run at that time; her encouragement and advice along the way helped me feel more confident in my ability to complete my 50k. Then, about two weeks before my race, our house was hit with a second round of a stomach bug! That whole week, I struggled through sickness, worrying about missing that week of running before my taper. Panic ensued. Friends talked me back down. I got back into running and found that the forced rest had made my legs feel awesome! Okay. Another boost of confidence: I was as ready as I could be!

The morning of the race arrived and I was grateful to ride there with Shelly and Molly. The first loop went much better than I expected, even with a small “detour” of about a half-mile. I was able to see friends along the route (at the aid stations mainly), and coming in from the first loop was exciting! With help from Meghan, Andy, and a few (awesome) others, I was back out on the trail as quickly as possible. Let’s just say the second loop was much slower than the first, but I really enjoyed (most) of it; I never doubted that I would finish. The aid stations kept me going with oranges, fig bars, and Coke (which I never drink but craved that day!).

Yeah that's a smile during the race! It helped that I knew the photographer, so seeing him was a treat as I ran! Credit: Denzil Jennings

That second loop was a struggle. There were points where my legs felt like they weren’t moving. The climbs were rough, the downhills more challenging than I was used to, and I was just plain tired. But I kept going. I kept going because I was, weirdly, having a great time. I was driven, determined to get to the finish line in the best time my body could manage. And I did!

After the finish, this was my "Meghan, I swear I can do this myself!" face.

My “burst” of energy for the home stretch was probably much more of a limp, and I’m pretty sure I fell into Meghan’s arms (sorry for the sweatiness, Meg!). Meghan helped take off my pack, Andy got me a chair and helped me get my shoes off and got me a beer, and Stacey kept snapping pictures. It was amazing having friends there at the end, it really felt like I was celebrating the accomplishment! In the end, I know I suffered and was deep down in that suffering. But I was happy, so incredibly floored at what I had done. I’m still floating on air a bit and can’t wait to see what comes next.

My "sprint" to the finish!

"I think I'm losing a toe nail!"

One of my favorite pictures. Meghan said, "You did it!"

Getting to cheer on other runners as they finished was so awesome!

When Running Becomes Something More

A Skunk Run Write-Up by Rae Hedlund

We all started our running journeys somewhere, whether it was in school on the track or later in life; for a health-related reason, or just for fun; to lose something or to gain something. These journeys have as many uphills and downhills just as the runs we set out to conquer.  The thing is, running can stop here. Running can become a habit that we enjoy, something social to add to our days that also improves our lives. And that’s wonderful!

Running can stop here, or it can become something more. It can become your passion, the fire that pushes you to do more. It can become the thing that makes you dig deep and discover not only what your body can accomplish, but also what your mind and spirit can endure. You’ll find yourself asking, What’s next? What more can I do? The word “can’t” will fade from your dictionary.

A while back, I wrote my marathon race report that went something like, “That was really f*ing hard!” I am still proud of that accomplishment, but I need to be honest and say that I spent some time afterward doubting my abilities. I hadn’t gotten the time I’d hoped for, had bonked for more miles that I expected, and wasn’t sure if I’d ever run another. Trail running clicked with me through this doubt, and though I was still unsure about certain aspects of running, I knew I still loved the sport.

When the Skunk Run (hosted by the wonderful Idiot’s Running Club) was brought up, I was in! Eight hours to run as much (or as little) as I wanted sounded great! Little did we know, the running conditions would be unexpectedly... damp.

Stacey at one of the numerous creek crossings... okay, okay, skunk & alligator NOT included!

Okay, it was pretty saturated. But you know what? It was incredible! The atmosphere was more that of a party where people also happened to run: there was a massive “aid station” complete with a delicious array of sweet and savory options, a fire pit, and tons of fun people to hang out with and cheer for.

Oh, it was a beautiful sight to behold!

After the national anthem was sung by a very talented young lady, the word “GO!” was yelled and people got on their way. My goal for the day was anywhere from 16-20 miles, just because I didn’t know what the trail conditions would be like, or what terrain to expect. Those first 11 miles were tough, and I was ravenous when we got back from the challenging climbs, fast-moving creek crossings, and rocky, muddy downhills.

Focus, determination, HUNGER.

Arriving back at “base” after the first loop, Stacey and I took a little time to get drinks and some food. Oddly enough, I felt a little concern about grabbing food and heading back out; though I knew I wanted more miles, I didn’t know what food would sit best in my stomach. Some peanut butter sandwiches called my name, though, so I scarfed down half a sandwich and an orange slice. We headed back out to brave another long, laborious loop. We weren’t too far in before I had a little grunting and complaining to do.  Stacey reminded me that we had about five hours to do this loop- in her words, “We could sit and have a freaking picnic if we want!” We had all the time in the world! Later on, she reminded me that none of the DRCers attending had specifically trained for this run; we were just out here, logging major miles, un-tapered, after our regular week of running (which included a six-mile hill workout for some)! With that thought, my level of awe went up and my complaining went down. I was humbled by this thought, but also floored—completely ecstatic!—about our abilities as runners!

During the second loop, Stacey pointed out we would be at 23 miles, and that just didn’t seem right. 26.2, right? But why not 27, to get me my first “ultra”?! We had time, right? Yes, we did! I wasn’t sure, and took my time thinking about it until we got back to base. At this time, I informed Stacey that we “might as well” head back out to get those last few miles! She was so excited and I was, too! A little ways into this, she realized I was in for 27, and then we were more excited!

Running into Andrea and Mackenzie was a special gift as we headed into this last part of our endeavor. There was some screaming and excitement before we took our selfie and continued on our way.

Running into each other gave new life to tired legs!

We kept hoping we’d run into Meghan as well, but didn’t know where she was at on the course, or in her mileage. To our pleasant surprise (after coming across one woman we thought was Meghan but wasn’t), we found her! We didn’t stay with her for long, but she had PR’d her 50k time- what awesome news! We told her I was getting my first ultra-distance, got all psyched up again, and we continued on our way. Hitting our distance we needed to turn around and head back, we enjoyed the sound of some peeper frogs as we took another pic...

And the my watch died! It was incredible that it waited until we were on our way back before it died, so we knew we would get those 27 glorious, well-earned miles! It felt like we were flying on the way back (mostly because it was more downhill than up), and we made it to base feeling way better than I would have ever expected! It was done! I received my medal and began happily stuffing my face.

Finished! Stacey was incredible, her kind encouragement and foul mouth kept me going! Ha!

I received my medal and was dubbed an Idiot-- hooray!

 Stacey, however, had more in her! She headed out for a mile with Mackenzie, who ended up with a whopping 22 miles, and then back out again with Meghan! Stacey finished out with 29 incredible miles, Meghan with a whopping 38.33 for the course record! All the while, Frank was patiently running his own loop to get his longest distance of 32 miles. Dan, who had run with Stacey and I for a while, crushed his distance PR of 11, getting a whole 23 miles! Kristin went in for 12 and ended up with an amazing 16! Andrea, who snuck in and ran with Mackenzie, got 16 in the 4.5 hours she was with us!

These numbers are huge accomplishments for everyone, and I really believe that there is something in the DRC “water” that lends itself to an encouraging, uplifting environment that helps us all to push past what our perceived boundaries are. On Saturday, March 14, eight members of DRC lost the word “can’t”, at least for a day, and thought, “What more can I do?” Running became something more; it became what we did for the day, what we loved doing in the company of others or on our own, reveling in the beauty of nature and a community of runners kinder and more energetic than anyone could ever ask for.

One Year Runniversary

by Stacy Allen

My name is Stacy Allen. I am a runner. You may know me as the DRC Selfie Queen. Why selfies? Because they’re fun! Who doesn’t love a selfie?! Check out my Instagram account for more fun pics (follow me! @runner_mom_of3). Selfies have also been a great way to log my runs, have fun with it, and see for myself how much I’ve changed.

"Selfie, just cause I know you love them!"

My running story began when I found myself newly single raising three children. A year ago, I left an abusive relationship/marriage and found myself desperate to find meaning and confidence. I really didn't consider running as something I’d ever do, but I needed to make big changes in my life and I had a few "runner" friends on Facebook who I had always admired for their athletic abilities. I figured I'd give it a shot!

My first recorded run was on the high school track on March 27, 2014. I ran 1.28 miles at a 14.18 /mile pace. Wow! I felt amazing, I did it! I got out and did something for myself, a big step toward healing. No one could take this from me, it was mine alone. Looking back now, it was the beginning of more healing and change in my life than I could’ve imagined. By the end of April, just one month later, I had run a half mile at a 9'20 pace. That was such and improvement for me. In May, I was introduced to DRC through David Beaty. I really enjoyed all of the positivity and encouragement everyone received, and all the goofiness that goes on. I felt like a part of the group from my first post, which made it even more awesomesauce!

My first run is at the bottom!

 Being a single working mother of a 14, 12, and 2 year-old is difficult, so getting everything I need done in a day doesn’t always happen. Add a run into this mix, and it can be a real struggle! When I first started running, I would wait until my two year-old was in bed and leave my 14 year-old to keep an eye on her. This meant that I would hit the streets around 10pm, and that’s what I had to do to get it done. These runs were normally two miles, but when Greg joined me, he would encourage me to keep going and we would run three or four.

Over the summer months, I ran as much as possible. Being a single mom doesn’t give me the time I would like for extra things, but running was important, so I stuck with it. On September 7^th, I ran my first 10k around the streets of WashMO. I couldn’t have done this without my running partner and biggest believer. Greg has really encouraged me through this journey and believes in me even when I haven’t believed in myself.

In November I had my first DRC group run experience at the “Thaw Your Turkey Trot”. It was my first group run of any kind and it was a wonderful time! I managed to keep just about in the middle of the group the whole run, which was awesome considering I figured I'd be dead last. Once the weather warms up I can't wait to join you all on some more evening runs!

"Absolutely loved everything about this run, even all the hills :)"
"Thaw Your Turkey Trot" with DRC peeps!

Eventually, I got a treadmill and was able to start running on it after Karlee was in bed. I was still tired, but I had made the choice to have running in my life and stuck with it. My mom got me the treadmill to help me get in more miles, which was wonderful of her. I couldn’t help but think, “Yeah right, like I can really put a treadmill to good use!” I gave it a shot, though, and beyond the first few runs sucking, it got me even more addicted to running!

"For all of you hardcore runners who are out there braving it while I'm nice and cozy on my treadmill."

That treadmill helped me get ready for my next race, which was the Hot Chocolate run in St. Louis in December. It was my longest run to date, a 15k, and I was terrified! Greg was kind enough to run the whole thing with me, and we were able to meet some DRC peeps as well! Around mile 6, I started doubting whether or not I could finishing. Pushing through to the end, while dealing with some knee pain and stomach cramps, was incredible—I finished! I wasn’t fast, but I finished. I was so grateful to Greg who stayed with me the entire time, that was wonderful because I know he could have run it faster on his own. Crossing the finish line was beautiful- not to mention there was chocolate waiting at the end!

Greg and I earned those awesome medals!

I continue to use my treadmill for training, and have worked up to running not one, but TWO, half marathons on it! Thanks to a very generous gift, I will be running my first half marathon race in May at the River Town Run. I am again terrified but very excited to be part of such an amazing group of people. Runners are a whole different breed, I love being a part of the crazy and I am addicted to the run. This is my life now, no one to hold me back, only love and support. My passion has spread to my little Karlee, who wants to do what her momma does. When the weather is nice, she runs outside in her Minnie Mouse (aka Nike, to her) shoes; when it’s colder, she likes to walk on the treadmill. I am so proud of the changes I have made for myself in my life, and excited to see how it’s changing the lives of my children!

Karlee's first runner girl picture

Want to get to know Stacy better? Check out her Runfie Questions!

What is your favorite running quote? "If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run." - John Bingham. I love this because whenever I doubt myself, this quote is a reminder that I'm good enough as a runner.

What is the "strangest" thing you listen to while running? The goofiest music I listen to is county love songs- they are upbeat and inspiring and but I'm a sappy old lovey-dovey kind of person.

Do you have favorite running shoes? How many pairs of shoes do you have? I have three pairs of running shoes, two are retired but my shoe of choice is Nike.

Good Will Running

by Tegan Schmidt

I started back into running a few years before I had my son, Will. Though I am far from being fast, I do love to run. A goal of mine was to complete a marathon (something I NEVER thought I would say), and I was actually in the middle of training for my first marathon when I found out I was pregnant! Needless to say, I had to scale back the training and I ran/walked the half distance instead come race day, but I was perfectly fine with that (this was Will’s “first” race).

After Will was born, we got outside and walked around as often as we could. We live near downtown Washington, so it was super easy for us to just get out and walk around town. I was so happy when we found a gently used Bumbleride stroller (aka “the wheels”) on Craigslist – the “jogging stroller” we had purchased before he was born was not actually made for “jogging” and that just wasn’t going to work. We love our “wheels” and we’ve put many, many miles on them!

I knew that I wanted to get Will out and introduce him to running at an early age to see if I could get him interested in it. I think it worked! He has his own “running shoes” (shoes we ONLY wear when we go for a run), he knows what my Garmin is, likes to get “necklaces” at the end of races, knows what I mean when I ask him if he wants to go for a run, and knows what he needs to do to get ready to go.

Sometimes, you just have to go in what you're wearing-- but don't forget the Garmin!

One of the things that I love is that he’s gotten to know our little town while running these last three years. He knows that the Y is where “I go running” since most of the run we do are there. He also knows that as we’re going up the final hill to the Y that he gets to get out of his stroller and finish the run with me. He knows how to get to three parks, the gas station (to see our friend Sherri!), the Redbox rental at the Dollar Store on 5^th (yes, we’ve often gone for a run in summer just to get a movie from the Redbox), and back home from all of these locations.

Of course, he’s gotten harder to push and now that he talks he likes to “direct” where we run and also to tell me to “go faster” or “go up the hill, momma”. He used to just fall asleep during a race or run. Some days I wish he would still fall asleep, but most days I enjoy the company and the conversations we have! We both have good and bad running days, and will cut our run shorter or go longer depending on our moods on that particular day.

Our Runs

I’ve lost count of how many runs and races we’ve done together, but I’ll recap some that stand out.

Our longest run together to date is 8 miles and it was the last long training run I did for my marathon training last fall. The marathon was a HUGE deal for me and I needed to include him somehow because he’d gotten left for many of the training runs simply because of the distance that I needed to run, so this was my way of doing so.

Will and I after our 8 mile run around town

Crossing the finish line of my first marathon with my #1 fan!

Of course I had them place the "necklace" on him.

Our favorite run to do together is the Y’s Run to Read. I like it for several reasons. 1.) It’s the only run we’ve done together every year since he was born. 2.) We like to books, so getting to pick a book at the end makes it a little extra special! And 3.) Will gets to run in his own race, which makes it a little bit easier to get through the 5k without him wanting to get out and run.

Three years of Run to Read

Will loves races where he gets to run as well. Most of the time, I let him get out of his stroller and we cross the finish line together. Some races, though, have a “dash” option for kids, so he gets to run his own race! (As you can see, he also likes to dress up – December 2014 was so fun for us because we had three jingle bell runs we got to dress up for!)

Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis 2014

My favorite run with him was the Glow Run St Louis. So we could be seen (and because the run was in the dark), my husband zip-tied glow sticks to each spoke and around the outside of the stroller. It was really neat seeing the wheels turn with the glow sticks on there – we got several compliments! And Will got his first “necklace” that night!

Glow Run 2012

But it’s not all rainbows and unicorns. Our worst race to date is the first 5k that I decided I would take Will along. It was the Union Founder’s Day 5k. My. Worst. Race. Ever. Not only was the course poorly marked for the 5k (I had done the 10k the year prior and it was great), but it was HILLY and though I knew I wouldn’t be where I was before I had him, I was still sad about my time and that because it was poorly marked, we didn’t even get to do 3.1 miles. But I was just ready to get back into running so this just gave me an extra push I needed to get back into the swing of things!

We used to be able to run with our boxer Chloe as well, but she's older now and can't go very far.

We even enjoy getting out in the cold weather sometimes! The rain shield for the stroller not only protects from rain/snow, but it keeps it nice and toasty inside so we don’t have many excuses for not getting out!

Keeping warm at the Thanksgiving Day 10k 2014-- no excuses!

 Last summer, we also got a bike seat for our bike so that when mom doesn’t feel like running but we need to get out, we can go for a ride instead! Maybe if I can find someone to teach him to swim (as I don’t know how to), I can make him a triathlete!  

Will and I at Cranksgiving 2014

If you have a little one, I highly recommend getting them out and getting active with them – especially running! It’s a great bonding experience! I also think it’s helped me keep going with my running and setting new goals for myself. If I ask Will if he wants to go for a run and he says “yes” there’s no turning back - we are headed out to run! Sometimes I ask him knowing that I don’t want to go yet knowing he’ll say yes just so that I get out and go. He is my accountability.

So if you’re ever out and see us running, give us a wave or thumbs up - especially if we’re going up a hill – sometimes I need some extra encouragement to keep going – as most of us do at times! And if you’re out running and you’re bored and you see us, come join us! We’re slower, but I’ll even let you push the stroller for a little while. Will can tell you all kinds of stories, sing you songs and ask you a MILLION questions. I guarantee you won’t be bored! And you’ll get an extra workout from pushing him!

Want to get to know Tegan better? Check out her Runfie Questions!

What brought you to DRC? I actually saw that one of my friends had posted on the DRC page. I was curious and interested in getting to meet other runners in the area. And I'm glad I did. This is the most active winter I've had! Even though it's been mostly on my treadmill, the treadmill has been in the same spot since we bought it about five years ago, so I've had no excuse not to use it.

What is the strangest thing you've seen while running? When we were training for our marathon, my friend and I decided to take a long run on the Katy. Several miles in, we noticed these small piles of what looked like animal poo. Every so often. Right in the middle of the trail. Some looked like berries but we're pretty sure they weren't berries. We never did figure out what it was. (If you know - please let me know).

Favorite running quote / mantra? "No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everyone on the couch."  I like to remember this because I'm far from fast. I'm far from where I hoped to be at this point. But, when I get going, I'm going and not sitting around!

"When someone tells you you can't, turn around and say 'watch me'" - I like this one because my husband knows one way to push me to do something he knows I can do but I am doubting myself is to tell me I can't do it. That lights my fire!