How Finishing A 10km Run Made Me A Stronger Mother!

Can you believe it hasn’t even been 2 years since those ladies kicked me out of their little running group? I put it out into the universe that I needed to find a stronger, healthier version of myself, and the stars aligned accordingly. It was only in finishing a 10km run that I became a stronger mother!

Let me tell you, for years, I blamed all of my physical limitations on the changes I faced since becoming a mother. My body, which was once strong with muscle could handle the late nights was now squishy. Throw in a diet that wasn’t fueling my body properly and now it actually requires WORK. My brain could one process knowledge quickly now struggles to find the phone I am talking on all.  Life wasn’t the same anymore. I couldn’t recognize myself.

I never saw my children themselves as a hindrance but the act of becoming a mother changed me too much! In all honesty, now I cannot imagine my life without them. I was struggling with mourning the loss of the person I used to be and having difficulties finding the positives in what my life is now because I am a mother!

Last year was the first time I had ever completed a 10KM run. Thankfully, I was fortunate enough to be a sponsored by the Vancouver Sun Run, finishing at 1hr and 15 minutes.  I cried tears of joy every step of the way because I was able to finish a 10km run in spite of years of smoking. I cried because it was only just then that I realized that I was truly capable of so much more and that no one starved, got hurt or felt less loved cause I took some time for me!

This year, I was as a 2x Sponsored Runner, determined to finish with a better time than last. This year’s 10km run was 8 degrees outside, the sun was shining, which normally would be amazing but for me, it’s almost a curse of death! I overheat quickly and so the sun beating down on my face made things harder.

Instead of getting discouraged at how hard it was becoming as the temperature rose, I decided to find space in gratitude! Then I saw her.. this little girl, all along and in fear because she had gotten separated from her group!

In a sea of 40K people, she couldn’t find her mom, she was scared. She looked up at me and she said, ” Can I run with you? I cannot find my mom and I’m scared!” I asked if she would like to stop and with determination, she responded,” No I have a race to finish!” She proceeded to tell me that her mother had told her if she got lost, to find a mother and finish the race. She would find her at the end!

As we continued to run, I said to her,” How do you know that I’m a mom?” Her response? “Your Shirt!” I was a bit confused but then looking down I remembered the words printed on my shirt, “Strong As A Mother”

My heart BURST right there! I choked by tears as we ran and I searched the crowds for her mom. I just kept thinking about how scared she must be! We had slowed down quite a bit, we both scanned the crowds for her group who all adorned the same shirts. I will never forget that moment when she found her mom and you could see relief in both of their faces!

They had worked out a plan, she knew what to do but it was still a scary moment for both! For myself, this moment of clarity came over me. As the mother thanked me for my wardrobe choice, she said,” I hope your girls know how lucky they are!”

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I said, “I think I just realized how lucky I am!” It hit me right there and then even harder than before, I am in this space because I am a mother. My girls as life-altering as they have been, have blessed me with a new life, a better life. A life with more purpose than ever before!

Being a mother doesn’t mean that you accept less because someone else is more important.  I looked at how I was living my life. Would I want my girls to just be ok with things? No mother in her right mind would be ok with her children settling.

Realizing that I was able to accomplish so many incredible feats only came BECAUSE I WAS A MOTHER not in spite of! My life is blessed because I have my girls. They may have changed me but because of them a 10km run is possible!

I kiss boo-boo’s, sew holes in stuffies, create endless meals that will be criticized by the harshest food critics, and chauffeur them around all the while still attempting to love on my husband, be a good friend and a still remain my own kind of person! These things are possible because I am Strong as a Mother! I wouldn’t change it for the world!

Clothing by Strong As a Mother Club

All Photography by Allyfotografy Media Co + Blog

Disclaimer: I received the clothing FREE to wear for race day and inclusion in this post!

 

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