In honor of my little sister's birthday this past weekend (Happy Birthday Sis!) and her recent experiences with Stroller Warriors - I'm so excited to share today's guest blogger...my sister Aubrey! Aubrey is a military wife & mama currently living in Hawaii (I know, be jealous, but it also means I only ever see her on Facetime!) with 2 beautiful little kiddos. As you'll learn in her story, running is in her family but not really in her blood, but thanks to a fit mama community - she's finally found her stride!
Guest Post by Aubrey Boyer
I grew up in an active family. My dad started running in his 20's and would often push me along as a toddler in the 1st generation jogging stroller with a bottle of apple juice and some cheerios. My mom taught gymnastics, so my sister and I basically grew up at the gym. I rode mountain bikes on some pretty tough trails with my dad, rock climbed and played many different sports (gymnastics, soccer, tennis and even football). I've always loved being an athlete, moving my body and feeling strong, but I never considered myself a runner. In fact, I hated running! Every ounce of my body would feel like it was dying and I could never understand why someone would want to run just to run. After becoming a mom, I think it's common to lose a little momentum with being active…I mean you did just grow and carry a baby, that's a lot of work! I lost my motivation for it for awhile and as a military spouse who was moving around a lot in those first two years of motherhood, I found a lot of excuses for fitness.
We moved again when my daughter was two and I decided I had to kick my butt into gear. I would walk/run a mile or two a couple times a week but I never felt like I was actually a runner since I walked a lot and never felt good at running. When I got pregnant again, I was really sick and was lucky to just get a walk around the neighborhood so I stuck with light yoga and Pilates. I knew that when my son was born, I wanted to get moving again! I recovered well and was feeling really good at 2 months postpartum. I then got a notification for the kickoff to the fall season of the Stroller Warriors group on our military base (they have them all over the country which is really cool for military families who move a lot). And they were starting a Couch to 5k program! Perfect! It was 2am and I crazily responded yes, not really thinking that I would have to get up and run the next morning. I got the kiddos ready and out the door and completely overestimated the size of our small car's trunk and its ability to fit a double running jogger. I probably looked completely ridiculous to my neighbors trying to cram it in but I finally got it to fit. Already sweating, I drove to the park, nursed the baby in the parking lot then unloaded the jogger (with just as much effort as getting it in) and thought to myself, what am I getting myself into?!
We moved again when my daughter was two and I decided I had to kick my butt into gear. I would walk/run a mile or two a couple times a week but I never felt like I was actually a runner since I walked a lot and never felt good at running. When I got pregnant again, I was really sick and was lucky to just get a walk around the neighborhood so I stuck with light yoga and Pilates. I knew that when my son was born, I wanted to get moving again! I recovered well and was feeling really good at 2 months postpartum. I then got a notification for the kickoff to the fall season of the Stroller Warriors group on our military base (they have them all over the country which is really cool for military families who move a lot). And they were starting a Couch to 5k program! Perfect! It was 2am and I crazily responded yes, not really thinking that I would have to get up and run the next morning. I got the kiddos ready and out the door and completely overestimated the size of our small car's trunk and its ability to fit a double running jogger. I probably looked completely ridiculous to my neighbors trying to cram it in but I finally got it to fit. Already sweating, I drove to the park, nursed the baby in the parking lot then unloaded the jogger (with just as much effort as getting it in) and thought to myself, what am I getting myself into?!
Everyone needs ALLTHESNACKS before we run!
It's pretty nerve wracking going to a new group in general, and mom groups are no exception. Now I, an introvert who prefers to stay home most of the time, was going to a new mom group that is also a running group as someone who just had her second baby and hates running. I was pretty psyched out and yet, I still showed up. Why? Because in the Facebook group, these women seemed like normal moms who just wanted to run with other moms and they seemed to have such a great community. What did I have to lose? If I didn’t like it or no one talked to me, I wouldn’t have to go again. I hoped for the best.
I was greeted in the parking lot by someone unloading their stroller from their trunk. And greeted again, upon walking up to the park by someone else. I was then recognized by the leader that day who ushered me to the sign in table. I was so warmly greeted and accepted without having to prove if I could even run or not!
We started our group run for the Couch to 5K program ( that was filled with ladies who also hadn't run in awhile) and I was so encouraged by everyone. Surprisingly, it was fun! I felt energized and my daughter loved cheering me on.
I was greeted in the parking lot by someone unloading their stroller from their trunk. And greeted again, upon walking up to the park by someone else. I was then recognized by the leader that day who ushered me to the sign in table. I was so warmly greeted and accepted without having to prove if I could even run or not!
We started our group run for the Couch to 5K program ( that was filled with ladies who also hadn't run in awhile) and I was so encouraged by everyone. Surprisingly, it was fun! I felt energized and my daughter loved cheering me on.
Sweetest little running buddies
Fast forward to a few weeks later, I was loving the group and my daughter did as well. However, my knees were not loving me back. I knew what being sore felt like from different sports but I had a feeling I had started too much too fast after having my baby. I wanted to keep going so I asked for some tips. Everyone was incredibly supportive and offered advice for different shoes, form and exercises to strengthen and stretch. They wanted me to succeed! I ultimately decided to take a break to work on healing and strengthening my body. I plan on going back to Stroller Warriors after I feel confident in my at home workouts. I am still a part of their group and don't feel like I was cast off as someone who couldn’t complete their program. I know that when I am ready, I will be accepted right back in, as they understand all the different seasons of being an active mom. That means a lot to me to have a connection like that with a group of ladies I had never met before.
It wasn’t about getting my body back after baby and none of those women cared about that at all. It was about getting outside, getting active and out of the house. It was about having little friends for my kiddo to see every week. It was about being part of a community of awesome women who want to run! I've been able to loosen my identity a little bit and claim that I can be a runner if I want to be. It doesn’t matter how far or fast you go. It doesn’t matter if you have to walk sometimes. It doesn’t have to be the only exercise you do. I still love pilates and HITT type workouts more than running.
Actually, I still don’t like running.
And yet, maybe I do love it.
Just a little bit.
It wasn’t about getting my body back after baby and none of those women cared about that at all. It was about getting outside, getting active and out of the house. It was about having little friends for my kiddo to see every week. It was about being part of a community of awesome women who want to run! I've been able to loosen my identity a little bit and claim that I can be a runner if I want to be. It doesn’t matter how far or fast you go. It doesn’t matter if you have to walk sometimes. It doesn’t have to be the only exercise you do. I still love pilates and HITT type workouts more than running.
Actually, I still don’t like running.
And yet, maybe I do love it.
Just a little bit.
Thanks again, Aubrey for sharing your experience and pictures with us!
It makes me happy knowing that you have a community waiting for you when you're ready!
For the rest of you, be sure to check out Stroller Warriors if you're a military spouse - there are chapters all over the WORLD! Not military? There are many other communities you can plug into. Check out our community page for links to other favorite programs!
This guest post is a part of our #StrollerStrong month here on i am STRONG like MOM. Check out all of the blogs here and follow #StrollerStrongVirtualRun on Instagram to see our stroller strong mamas do their thing!
It makes me happy knowing that you have a community waiting for you when you're ready!
For the rest of you, be sure to check out Stroller Warriors if you're a military spouse - there are chapters all over the WORLD! Not military? There are many other communities you can plug into. Check out our community page for links to other favorite programs!
This guest post is a part of our #StrollerStrong month here on i am STRONG like MOM. Check out all of the blogs here and follow #StrollerStrongVirtualRun on Instagram to see our stroller strong mamas do their thing!
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