Monday, July 30, 2012

Kendra kisses over 60 pounds Gone, Baby Gone!!!!

I found out I was pregnant in June 2008 - baby was due in March 2009.  I have always been extremely active (lots of time in the gym, active lifestyle, lifting weights), and wondered how this would have an effect on my pregnancy.  I am also fairly petite (5'3" 110 pounds).  Everything was going fine - until I was about six months along - that's when the weight gain really began (with my pregnancy).  When I went in for my 37 week check up, my blood pressure was through the roof - that was a Wednesday.  My Dr. told me to be at the hospital at 5 a.m. that Friday (February 6, 2009)...he was going to induce me.  I showed up (on time) at the hospital, totally prepared to give birth to Logan Edward Jones.  They weighed me first thing - I had gained almost SIXTY pounds?!  I was in total shock - I had not stepped on MY scale for Lord knows how long during my entire pregnancy since I was being weighed in at each check up.  And yes, my Dr. warned me at seven months that I was gaining too much weight - but I just kind of ignored it...figured I was, afterall, eating for two.

After almost fourteen hours of active labor (and no pain meds), I had not dilated at ALL - nothing, zero, nada.  And my blood pressure was doing nothing but shooting through the roof...so, he did a C-section.  At 7:00 that night, Logan was born - I figured since I was huge, I was going to give birth to a large baby...I was wrong.  Logan weighed in at 6 pounds, 15 ounces.  I had never had surgery before this, never had to stay in a hospital overnight, never broken a bone - and I had basically just been cut wide open.  The morphine made me sick (literally, I was vomiting the entire night), until the next day when the nurse finally figured out the pain med was making me sick.  It was a horrible experience (but one I would never take back or regret). 

So...three days later we were sent home; and I was put on blood pressure meds - they almost did not release me as my blood pressure was still high.  At my six week check up, my Dr. did not clear me for exercise; he finally gave me clearance at eight weeks.  I wasn't not exactly sure where to start to lose the weight, but I knew it had to be serious and strict.

Hence...I became a runner.  Within three months, I lost all my baby weight AND THEN SOME!  Seriously, it started with my boobs, then my hips, then my butt - in that order.  I was 35 years old and had never looked nor felt better...oh yeah, I also had my blood pressure under control :)  I have continued to run every single day since the day I started.  I have NEVER taken a day off - regardless of how I have felt.  Running always makes me feel better - and I know this.  And you know what?  It's easy...and free...and it's my "me" time.  Once a runner, always a runner! 

~Kendra 


Kendra's story and transformation pictures are amazing! It just shows with hard work and dedication that results soon follow! 
Way to go, Kendra! 

Kendra is eligible to win one of these awesome shirts from My Happy Pace Gear for sharing her story! We will be featuring more stories this week on our blog and our followers will be voting on 
they think should win one of these shirts shown below!

Have a happy, healthy week!

~Danyelle & Bekah
My Happy Pace Gear rocks!

Want to contact us? Email us at sexymotherrunner@yahoo.com. 
We love hearing from you!!!

Bekah & Danyelle
~The Sexy Mother Runners~

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Sexy Mother Runner Featured Runner Friday: Meet Amy from Running for Health and Fun!

Today we are featuring one of our Facebook Fitness friend's, Amy. It is amazing to me that even though we have not personally met Amy that I feel like we know her very well. Amy and I will be meeting for the first time in October at the Chicago Marathon. I am so excited about this! Amy's story touches my heart. Read her story below.


Meet Amy:


I am a nurse and a mommy of 2 beautiful boys. I have been a runner on and off for the past 19 years, but nothing major, stuck more to 5K and 10k events. I did one 1/2 marathon 9 years ago and then was married and had my 2 sons. 

3.5 years ago I lost my mom, who was ony 61 years old due to complications of Diabetes and knew I needed something that could help me work through the loss and help me get healthy! So I started running! That year I did many 5K's and 10K's and 2 half marathons, lost 40 pounds and found myself! I took the step to sign up for a marathon and started running with the BEST group of friends a girl could ask for! They all help to motivate me every day! I have been running 5+ days a week since then and it really has been the BEST therapy anyone could have! 

In April I started my Facebook Page: Running for Health and FUN as positive, fun way to motivate others and at the same time motivate myself. Getting healthy is work, but it can be FUN! 


I am now training for my first 50 mile ultra that takes place in WI on September 15th. I am excited to run this event with some really great friends, there are 5 of us doing it together... and we will have a BLAST!!





If you haven't checked out Amy's Fitness Page you should! You can find her at Running for Health and Fun! Thanks for sharing your story with us! We wish you the best with all of your future endeavors!


~The Sexy Mother Runners~
~Danyelle & Bekah


Want to be a Sexy Mother Runner Featured Friday Runner?

We would love to share your story! 

Email it to us at sexymotherrunner@yahoo.com


Tuesday, July 24, 2012

My St. Jude Run

Group 2 of the East Peoria St. Jude Run.
Saturday, July 21st was my first ever St. Jude Run.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was founded in Memphis, TN in 1962 by Danny Thomas. They treat children with different types of cancer and other serious diseases while never asking for any payment at all. It costs 1.7 million dollars to run the hospital for one day. The majority of that money comes from public contributions. Since they opened in 1962, St. Jude has developed protocols which have helped raise the survival rates of childhood cancers from less than 20% to over 80%.

Peoria, Illinois partnered up with St. Jude and became the Midwest Affiliate in 1972. In 1982 the Memphis to Peoria Run was born as a way to help raise money for St. Jude. Runners drive to Memphis and then run the 465 miles back to Peoria. Soon neighboring cities of Peoria started participating. There are now 29 different cities who participate by raising money and running to Peoria including Chicago and St. Louis. I participated in the East Peoria to Peoria Run.

The East Peoria run was founded because a family there had a child diagnosed with cancer at 11 years old. His mom, Nikki,  got involved and started the run. She, with the help of others, is still organizing the run 4 years later and her son, Corbin, is now a survivor. Corbin turned 16 this year and was able to to participate in the run for the first time. To say that this run, this year, was an emotional and monumental event is an understatement. Before the run, Nikki spoke to everyone and thanked them. She later told me the story of when they first learned of her son's diagnosis. It's everything heartbreaking and yet triumphant that you can imagine.

Corbin running one of his legs, 'survivor', is written on his arm.


My group, Group 2, met up the morning of the race. I already knew all but two of the ladies in my group. It didn't take long to see that those two were going to fit right in! We were all very excited as it was the first St. Jude run for everyone in our group. East Peoria's group of 46 runners was broken into smaller groups. Each smaller group is assigned 'legs' to run throughout the course while the caravan follows behind the runners and a police escort proceeds them. When your group's leg is done you hand off to the next group and get back in your van until your next leg. However, runners can also choose to keep running and do extra legs with the other groups if they like.

We went to the exchange location of our first leg to wait until our time to run. A family came out to see us and told us that their son is a St. Jude survivor. We got to meet him and talk with his parents for a few minutes. It was overwhelming. You know what you are doing and why but it really sinks in when you actually have people coming up and thanking you for what you are doing because their child was one who has personally benefitted from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. There really are no words to describe it.

One of the busier legs, Washington Street.


We ran our legs, I ran an extra two legs with a couple of other ladies from my group. Two of our legs were up hill, one in particular was quite treacherous. The other East Peoria runners were waiting at the top, cheering us on, thankfully that kept me going and I made it. I was glad to hand off that exchange! I kept forgetting to start and stop my Garmin for my legs. I ran somewhere between 9 and 10 miles all together.

While we were running on one of the busier roads, cars were honking as they drove by, people were cheering us on from their vehicles, some people came out of their houses to cheer. One family was standing at the end of their driveway cheering and they held up their little girl who had obviously lost her hair due to cancer treatments. They were clapping, waving, and yelling 'thank you' at us while we ran. I don't think any of us had a dry eye.

Heading over the bridge!
The last leg is a run over the Bob Michel bridge into Peoria. All of the smaller groups join for this run. I've ran this bridge several times over the last 3 years. It's always one of my favorite runs. This day, however, it took on a whole new meaning for me. I will never again run that bridge without thinking of St. Jude, the families and of course the children for whom we were running.

Once we were finished, we got to watch runners from the other cities come in. The Memphis runners were the last to come in. It's a sight that I can only describe as purely awesome. I felt so honored and proud to have been a part of something so incredible and good. I think everyone felt wrapped up in the moment as those runners came in. I know now that as long as I can run, I will be a St. Jude runner.

Peace, Love, Happiness!
~Bekah

If you have ever had the slightest urge to run for St. Jude, I encourage you to do it. 
You will not regret it. 
If you would like to donate to 
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital you can do so at anytime through their website. 

Monday, July 23, 2012

Louise kisses 65 pounds "Gone, Baby Gone!"

My story starts back when I was 26 and met my husband. At that time, I was
extremely slender and very athletic, I was blessed to have a nice figure
and loved all sports, and couldn't get enough of them. For the first 3
years of our marriage, we did everything together and I maintained my
sporty physique. Coming up on the 4th year,I was pregnant with my son. He
ended up being almost 10 pounds at birth, and I gained 45lbs with the
pregnancy. Life changed drastically for me at that point, and I found
having a newborn really put an end to my activities, as he was born in
February and it was too cold to take the baby out anywhere that winter.
Little by little more pounds came on. At first I thought I was imagining
it all, but as time went by I could see the weight coming on. I never did
get back to the gym, or to any exercise at all, and 5 years later along
came my daughter who again, was almost 10 lbs. By this time I was over 200
lbs and beginning to realize that I had let myself go.

I found it hard for so many years, to get motivated. The weight just came
on so easily and I was so busy with my job and children, that I didn't
give myself any time for ME. Two years ago I attempted to start running
again, as it was the one passion that I missed the most. In my mind, I was
still a slim, fit, runner in my 20's. My body however, was not in sync. I
ended up with a serious injury and had to have surgery on my right ankle,
which made matters worse as I couldn't exercise. Sure I could go to the
gym and try to do the machines, but at that point I just gave up. Totally
gave up. :(

Fast forward to last December, when I turned 50, and looked in the mirror
and saw a woman who was extremely obese and almost 300 lbs. Sure I'm tall,
and people say, "Oh you carry it well".. (NOT REALLY. At that point I now
had high blood pressure, thyroid issues and sleep apnea.) That was
December 28th. On Jan 1st I looked in the mirror and swore to myself that
I was not going to see that obese woman any more. At my job, we had a
weight watchers program starting up that week, at lunchtime. I signed up
and decided to make a go for it. I learned all about the program and how
to apply it for me. I still wanted to be a runner again, but I knew in my
heart that I had to lose at least 30lbs first, so that I wouldn't get
injured again.

Today it is July 20th and I am happy to say that I have lost 65lbs since
Jan 1st. I am now running 4-6 miles every other day and am totally in love
with the new me! I still look in the mirror and sometimes my mind says,
"look at that muffin top hanging over your pants"Å  But then I say to
myself, this LITTLE muffin top is a whole lot smaller than it used to be!
I prefer to look at it as "I have lost half a person!"  I still have
another half person to go, but I am enjoying every step of the way. When I
run, I take time to enjoy the sky, the flowers, the butterflies,
everything around me. It's like I've been reborn into a brand new body and
it feels amazing. I try to put a fair amount of effort into my blogging in
the hopes that it will inspire someone else to take the first step towards
a healthy, fit lifestyle. That¹s what its all about, isn't it? Loving life
and enjoying every minute of it!

Louise Cunningham
Bangor ME

Check out Louise's inspiring blog at http://www.runnersramblings.com.



Did you run your baby weight off? 
Share your story with us by emailing it to sexymotherrunner@yahoo.com
You could win one of the wonderful shirts
 pictured above from My Happy Pace Gear!

~Danyelle & Bekah


Friday, July 20, 2012

"Gone, Baby Gone Giveaway!"

Happy Friday Followers!!!

It is time for an awesome giveaway. It is our "Gone, Baby Gone Giveaway"!

Calling all "Mother Runners"! Did you run your baby weight off? If so, tell us about it! Send us your story with pictures on how you lost your baby weight to sexymotherrunner@yahoo.com. We will feature your story on our website and let our Blog and Facebook audience pick the two stories that touched them the most. The two stories that receive the most votes will be winning these awesome shirts from My Happy Pace Gear!  Send us your stories today!

~Danyelle








Disclaimer: All stories must be received by July 27, 2012. A winner will be announced by August 3, 2012. Winner must provide a mailing address for the shirt to be mailed to them. 

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Challenge: Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone

Yesterday I posted on Facebook that we are challenging everyone to do something healthy this week that they have never done before. This can range anywhere from trying a new exercise to adding more veggies into your diet. Step out of your comfort zone a little bit and do something you haven't done.

I decided to take my own advice and do push-ups every day this week. I'm hoping it will stick and last longer than just this one week. Actually, I'm really hoping that by some miracle I will LOVE push-ups by the end of the week and my arms will show it. Hey, I said 'by some miracle'...

Truth is, I hate push-ups. Mainly because I have little to zero upper body strength right now. I'm hoping to change all of that though. I'm forcing myself to step out of my comfort zone and do something I hate because I know it's good for me.

Oh, but let's not stop there. Oh, no. Let's be a little crazy and do something even further out of my comfort zone. And this my friends, is how I get myself into trouble. Always getting caught up in the excitement and committing to something a little crazy. You know, like a Super Spartan in October. (*WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot was I thinking?)

Tonight I have my first Spartan Training class. I am feeling very intimidated about this whole thing. There is a long story here that I'm not going to go into but suffice it to say that I knew going into this whole thing that the potential for AWKWARD was at a level orange. Yet, I'm doing it anyway. Sometimes I worry about my sanity.

So the gym where I am going for this is new to me. I have a few friends who are taking the class too though so that is a huge comfort. My impression of this gym though is that it is a 'man-gym' and by that I mean, I think 'they pick things up and put them down.' In all fairness, I've never been there so this may not be the case at all but it's what I've built up in my head because I am a gymaphobe. Yes, of course that's a word. Maybe. Anyway, I've worked myself into this ridiculous state over what is probably going to be just a really good workout. I hope.

"Don't be intimidated. I'm just going to stand here and stare at you."


I go to a gym now that also has men but honestly, I avoid the weight area like the plague. Even though I've lifted weights and used the machines before I still feel self conscious. I feel like I'm going to misuse a machine and have 4 people explaining my dreadful mistake while looking at me with pity and a condescending smile. Rationally, I know this isn't likely to happen. But still. Oh, and all the mirrors in the free weight area. I know why they are there but I still think it would be better if everyone had to wear blindfolds in that area. This might only make sense in my head...

In conclusion, I'm really stepping out on a limb here so you all better be too! :)

Peace, Love, Happiness!
~Bekah

Are you taking our challenge? 
What new healthy thing are you going to do this week? 


*I totally stole WhiskeyTagoFoxtrot from my friend and fellow blogger, Mandy, at LastMandyStanding. :)

Friday, July 13, 2012

Featured Runner Friday: Meet Mary!

Every runner has a story... 
At Sexy Mother Runner we believe that sharing those stories is a great way to share the gift of running while helping to motivate others. Today's Featured Runner is Mary. In spite of a family, school,  and all the busy schedules she made running a priority and it ended up being a family affair. How cool is that?!?!

Meet Mary!



Mary with her kids after a half marathon in June.
Reading the weekly blogs have inspired me to tell my story.

My name is Mary and I started running in 2007 after my son was born. I was always an athlete growing up. I loved playing sports with the neighborhood kids as well as organized sports in school. In college I played club soccer. The one thing is that I hated running and avoided it like the plague. I was the kid who walked the mile when we had to run it. After college I missed playing sports, I always wanted to join an adult league but never did. 

My husband's New Years resolution  one year was to run the Chicago Shamrock shuffle. His friends all said he couldn't do it. With a little to much alcohol in him that night he bet his friends he would run the Chicago Marathon that year too. My husband is an amazing athlete but never was he a runner.

I was 3 days away from giving birth to our second child when my husband ran the shamrock shuffle. I watched in awe all the people running and had the chills. I had caught the bug that day and made a goal to run a 5K in October for my college 10 year reunion. Yes I was going to try running!

I continued to watch my husband run a 10 mile run, half marathon and begin his training for his marathon. Once I got the clearance from my doctor to run I started my training. My husband was a great supporter in helping me get started. I began by running 5 minutes walking 5 minutes running. Eventually I worked up to running and no walking. We purchased a double jogging stroller and started running together. I watched my husband run his first marathon and it was the most amazing experience. I ran all over Chicago with my kids waiting for him. We watched him finish and it was amazing! Inspiring!

A week later I ran my first 5K. I was so proud of myself. I ran with my sister which was even a greater experience. I was hooked from that point on. I continued to run and challenged myself to longer races or shorter races at faster paces. My husband challenged himself and wanted to qualify for Boston. He trained for his big goal and I trained for mine. In November of 2008 I found out I was pregnant with #3. This was a big surprise. I continued to run until I was 20 weeks when my doctor said no more. 

Once I had my third I was eager to get out running again. This time around I lost motivation. I was going to graduate school and working full time. It was hard to get my runs in. When I first got the go ahead to run I did. Shortly after, Chris ran his second Chicago Marathon and qualified for Boston. This was so exciting! I decided that I was going to run a marathon by the time I was 40. First I wanted to set a new goal of completing my first half marathon. This was huge because I said I would never run more than 10 miles. I never would run a marathon! I was satisfied.

I ran my first half marathon in October 2011. I had graduated in June of 2011 with my Masters and had the summer off to train. I finished in 2:12. When I finished I felt like I still had energy to run farther. At this point I knew I was ready to train and run for a marathon. This past winter I signed up for the Chicago marathon.  I'm excited and nervous when I think about it. When I tell people I'm training for it they tell me they want to see me run it. They said they would even run with me for a little bit. I'm so excited!

I'm a teacher and I have my summers off. This summer has been filled with training runs. My children run with me. My youngest is almost three and I push her in a stroller. My two older ones ride their bikes. Nothing is more motivating than hearing your children push you and congratulate you in your runs. I hope to inspire them and see how important a healthy active lifestyle is. 

It's also exciting to run and see people on my runs or have people tell me how they saw me. It definitely motivates me. 
It's fun to be known as the mom who runs with her kids!

I can't wait to run my first marathon. I have a feeling that it won't be my last. Hopefully by the time I hit 40 in 2 1/2 years I will have a couple under my belt. 



Have you been inspired by the Featured Runner Friday posts? Would you like to share your story with us? 
If so, send us your story and pictures to our email at sexymotherrunner@yahoo.com!  
We'd love to hear from you!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Want Your Kids To Eat Healthy?

Want to get your kiddos to eat healthy? Yeah, me too. Here's a list of things that have worked for me. Give them a try and maybe they will work for you too!


  • Persistence: Keep offering veggies even when they say the don't like them. I always just keep putting them on the plate at meal time. Eventually they eat it. It might take 2 days or 4 months but this has worked for us time and again.
  • Stealth Mode: What they don't know can't hurt them. Sneak it in. I started with a smoothie that they loved. The ingredients were carrots, spinach, strawberries, blueberries, banana, and yogurt. They had no clue what was in it, just knew it tasted good.
  • Snack Swap: I stopped buying fruit snacks and started offering fruit, or nuts, or carrots, etc. Apples, berries, and pistachios are favorites at my house!
  •  Can It With The Soda!: We don't buy soda unless we are having people over. My 6 yr old never acquired a taste for it. My 4 yr old, however, would drink soda all day if he could. That's not an option at our house though. They have a choice between Chocolate Almond Milk, Almond Milk, and water. They know that if they've already had Chocolate Almond Milk that day then it's water only. This took some getting used to but it's just the way it is now and no one complains.
  • Revamp Your List: Taking all junk food off of my grocery list was the easiest trick. If it's not in the house, we can't eat it! If we want a treat we might go out for ice cream or something but it's never on hand where we can just eat it whenever we want. 

This didn't all work out nearly as well with my oldest daughter who is almost 19. It's been great with the little ones though which just goes to show that healthy habits need to start early. Yesterday I took all 3 of my kids for lunch at Subway. I ordered a veggie sub for myself and my younger two. My oldest ordered a steak sandwich on white bread and I had to bite my tongue. I don't want to think she purposely orders the worst possible thing at Subway just to irritate me but let's be honest here. She's an 18 year old girl and I'm her mom, of course that's part of it. 

Moral of the story: Start your kids off right. Make healthy choices for them while you can and eventually they will make healthy choices for themselves. 

Peace, Love, Happiness!
~Bekah

Have some great tips or kid-friendly recipes? Tell us about them!

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Saugatuck Dunes State Park: Trails and Beach!

I love Michigan. Fred is from Holland originally and still has family there so we go up a few times a year to visit and vacation. I'm always overwhelmed by how beautiful it is there. The trees seem greener and more lush, the sunsets are breathtaking, and the beach, well, Lake Michigan is surrounded by miles of gorgeous sandy beaches.

Every time we go, I can't wait to get my running shoes on and hit the numerous bike/walking paths or a trail. The bike paths are extensive running for miles and miles through several towns along West Michigan. It was one of the first things I noticed even before I started running. We don't have that in Central Illinois.

When Fred and I had been dating about 7 months, he brought me up to Michigan and took me on a hike to Saugatuck Dunes State Park. You hike about a half mile or so from the parking lot to the beach. The trail goes through the woods and over sand dunes and then opens up to a gorgeous beach and view of Lake Michigan. We sat and watched the sunset. It was spectacular and romantic. Unfortunately, that's where the romance ended as we spent the next 2 hours hiking through pitch black darkness, in the woods, up and down sand dunes, trying to find our way back to the parking lot. I started thinking it was all planned and he must be a very patient serial killer. I realized that no one even knew we had gone to that particular park. They wouldn't have any idea where to look for my body.

At one point we decided to just head back toward the beach and start over. After reaching the top of a HUGE sand dune, we were faced with more woods that were simply not passable. I wanted to cry knowing that I had just climbed that dune for nothing and had to turn around. Finally we passed near a pond and Fred said that he knew where we were. We just had a little farther to go. He claimed we had taken a wrong turn, (no kidding), and we were now back on the right trail. Since it was too dark to even see a trail, I couldn't argue but wondered how he knew this. I figured he was just being optimistic.

We came out by the parking lot and I wanted to run and lock myself in the car. I figured since he didn't kill me in the woods this would be his last chance. Turned out he wasn't a serial killer, just really bad at navigating the woods in the dark.

We've talked about that hike over the years. Mostly when Fred wasn't letting me have my way and I would say something like, "Remember when you got me lost in the woods for two hours, at night, and I almost died? I do. So, what do you say I get the last bite of that brownie?"... "I don't care that it was 10 years ago, Fred. I could have died. Time doesn't heal death."

My kiddos
It's now been 13 years since that hike took place. Long enough to talk me into going back for another hike. I made sure it was early in the day with plenty of light. We took the kids and just did the simple trail to the beach. It's a nice hike through the woods. Short enough for the kids to trek. We easily found our way back after spending a wonderful afternoon and evening swimming and sunning. It was not at all scary. In fact is was enjoyable enough that Fred talked me into going back again for a trail run without the kids.

Fred pulled up the trail map on his phone and off we went. We ran along the trails through the woods for while. After a mile or so they opened up into sand dunes. We ran up and down some pretty big dunes. It was challenging for sure. Running in sand is hard enough but running uphill in sand is just a little crazy. Running downhill in sand is fun though. You just let yourself sink in with each step and the sand just kind of catches you. It was hot and sweaty work for sure. Two miles felt like four or five. I had to stop 4 or 5 times just to dump the sand out of my shoes.

Top of one of the giant dunes.


We climbed up one trail with a particularly tough dune. When we got to the top, the view was worth it.

Lake Michigan!


We did a few of the loops on the map. The wooded paths were not as sandy and much easier to run on. It's a beautiful park filled with a lot of pine trees. There were lots of hikers, beach goers, and even some people playing on the disc golf course that runs through part of the woods.



We finished up our run at about 4 miles and then walked a bit of another trail. All of the trails are very nicely marked. It's pretty easy to navigate when it's not pitch black. There are several maps posted along the way too so that you can see exactly where you are and which trails you can take. There are even signs posted on a few trails letting you know that those trails are not mapped out and you are going off course. That would have been helpful 13 years ago.

We will be in Michigan a couple more times this summer. I am looking forward to running these trails again. They no longer hold a scary place in my heart. I'm finding that trail running is my new love.

Peace, Love, Happiness!

~Bekah


Have you tried trail running? 
Do you like it as well as or better than road running?

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Ten Reasons To Run With A Group!

Have you recently gotten the motivation to start running but you're not sure where to begin? Have you been running for a while but need some motivation to keep going? Are you looking to get more excited about running?

If you answered 'yes' to any of those questions above then keep reading. If you didn't answer 'yes', keep reading anyway, you've gotten this far, might as well.

Just a few of the awesome people who I run with! Notice the smiling, happy faces. :)


10 Reasons to Run with a Group!

1. Safety
 'Safety in numbers' isn't just for when you're camping with a machete-wielding psycho! I actually run with a friend who is known to wield a machete from time to time so I feel extra safe with her. True story.

2. Socialization
Life long friendships are often formed while running. Plus, runners are usually happy people who, oddly enough, won't judge you for drinking beer at 9am after a race.

3. Motivation
Positive peer pressure is a good thing. Running with others can give you that extra bit of motivation you need to keep going the next mile. When you run alone it's easy to quit before you really need to.

4. Accountability
When you know people are waiting on you, expecting you to be there, you are less likely to skip your run.

5. Statistics
Statistics show that when you have a group of support, you have a better chance of achieving your goals. Did you know that 78.3% of all statistics are made up on the spot?

6. Anti-boredom
Running can be boring at times. Especially if you are just getting started. Running with a group tends to make the time and miles go by much faster.

7. Knowledge
You learn so much from other runners. More experienced runners have a wealth of knowledge to share. Everyone is different, has had different experiences, ran different races, maybe experienced different running injuries. Soak it up!

8. Inspiration
You never know who YOU might inspire. Trust me when I tell you that it is incredibly rewarding to have someone tell you that you have inspired them in some way. It's really a great feeling.

9. Faster Pace
According to Fred: "It's like race car driving. Drafting. If you get close enough to the person running in front of you, you can use the air to pull you along." Of course he was joking but it cracked me up when he said it so I put it in. There is truth to the speed part though. If you run with someone who's pace is a little faster than your's you will often run faster too.

10. FUN!
Running with friends can turn exercise into a really fun experience. I can't think of one single group run where I didn't laugh along the way.

If you don't have anyone to run with, find a running group in your area. You can do this by doing a quick internet search, checking with your local park district, or asking at a local gym or running store. If all else fails, grab some friends and start your own!


Peace, Love, Happiness!
~Bekah

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Sexy Mother Runner Featured Friday Runner: Meet Eris!


Every runner has a story... 

At Sexy Mother Runner we believe sharing those stories is a great way to share the gift of running while helping to motivate others.  This week's Featured Runner had a nagging desire to run that never left her. No matter how many times it was put on the back burner she never forgot about it and with her will and determination achieved her goal! She accomplished her goal and reminds us to always 
"enjoy the journey!"

Meet Eris!



Eris after the Wahiawa Pineapple Run 10k. 
Why I Run… 

I started running faithfully a little bit over two years ago.  I had ran track in middle school but hadn’t actually done any running except running to the grocery store, running after my kids, and running to the mall to get the latest deals. Otherwise I found no reason to run.  In 2007, I began to train for a half-marathon since my sister suggested we try to do the Houston Half Marathon.  At that time, my first son was about 18 months and I was thinking this would be a good idea to get in shape and reward myself with a trip to Houston.  About six weeks until my training I found out I was pregnant with my 2nd son. The 1st trimester nausea and tiredness caused me to cut back on my running.  I later tried to keep training but due to a high-risk pregnancy and many complications I was forced to stop.

I hadn’t thought about running for several years until I went on vacation to Honolulu in 2004 and my active duty cousin was running the Great Aloha Run (GAR, an 8 mile fun run) with his unit. His incentive was to get a three-day weekend pass without using vacation if he ran the race. It was that day I sat in my hotel room wishing I could run or maybe walk 8 miles.  I was inspired, but just like most things while your on vacation you think of all these fabulous things you’d love to do but when you get back home your dreams are often placed on a shelf and you never think to about it again until your next vacation.

It wasn’t until December 2009 I began to think about running again.  I was with my husband as he picked up his race packet for the Honolulu Marathon.  I was excited he was going to perform his first marathon but I was also envious of all the other people who were there. I wanted to be there picking up a package. I wanted to have a race bag full of goodies.  It was in the Honolulu Convention Center I realized I wanted to run but this time I knew I didn’t want to start and stop again. I wanted to give it my all.  I thought of races I wanted to do and three weeks after he completed the Honolulu Marathon I began to run.

In the beginning it was tortuous to get up and go for a run, because I couldn’t run a continuous five minutes. It was more like get up and go outside and try to walk at least one block without passing out.  It was during this time I wanted to learn all I could about running and how to increase my endurance. I studied every training log I could get my hands on. I asked my active duty friends about running and to give me any advice.

 It was my countless nights of research that led me to the Couch to 5K program.  The only problem was it was December and I wanted to do the Great Aloha Run (GAR) by February.  I know I know one shouldn’t start off with such a high goal but I was determined to do it!  I began with a walk/ run combination and signed up for the GAR.  By the time it was time to do the GAR I was only on about week 3 of the program.  I decided I was going to run for 2 to 3 minutes and walk for 5 minutes or any combination that would get me to the finish line.  When I crossed the finish line I was not only ecstatic I was jumping up as if I had qualified for the Boston Marathon. 

I wasn’t concerned about my time, or if I had placed.  I was happy I had finished what I started. It was this race that catapulted my desire to run.  You see I don’t run for PR’s (personal records), or to qualify for a particular run, I run simply because I love it and I love how great I feel after I run.  I don’t have a glamorous runner type body, I can’t run with just a sports bra and lululemonshorts quite yet.  However, I do read running magazine and running bogs for inspiration and encouragement. But after two years of running I’m glad I still enjoy it and I’m glad it helps me to stay focused on my ultimate goal which I hope to never lose “TO JUST FINISH and ENJOY THE JOURNEY”.

~Eris


Did Eris inspire you today? If so leave her a comment! 
She would love to hear from you!

Would you like to be a 
Sexy Mother Runner Featured Friday Runner?

If so, email us at sexymotherrunner@yahoo.com 
and inspire someone today!



Monday, July 2, 2012

Giveaway!!! Run For Your Lives 5k Obstacle Course!

Do you think you can survive a zombie apocalypse??? 
Want to find out??? 

Sexy Mother Runner is going to give one lucky person a *free entry code to the Run For Your Lives 5k obstacle course with ZOMBIES in Missouri which takes place on August 18th, 2012! 

Be sure to read my Run For Your Lives: Race Recap so you know what kind of awesomeness you are getting yourself into! This was seriously the most fun I've ever had at a race. Ever.


What do you need to do to be eligible to win? 

We are giving you a chance to get 3 entries into our random drawing!


  • First, become a 'Follower' of our blog by clicking the 'Join This Site' button on the right side under 'Awesome People Who Read Our Blog'.



  • Second, leave a comment telling us one person (real or fictional) who you would pick to be on your zombie apocalypse team and why. All 'Awesome People Who Read Our Blog' and leave a comment will get 2 entries into the drawing.



  • Third, leave us the same comment on our Facebook page and/or Twitter. If you only do this, you will only get 1 entry but if you do this in addition to becoming one of the 'Awesome People Who Read Our Blog' and leaving a comment here, you get all 3 entries! 


You have between now and July 9th to enter! 
Winner will be announced on July 10th! 

Carrie Zombie: They're all gonna laugh at you!!!


All four members of my team were taken out by the zombies in Indiana. 
Someone needs to avenge me! 
Think you can survive with your brains intact?

*There will be a $7.00 registration fee that will have to be paid for by the winning participant. You must be 14 years old or older to participate in Run For Your Lives events.