Pick a charity to donate to – then make a promise to run (or walk!) on Mother’s Day wherever you are that day.

Run for your children (St. Jude Chldren’s Hospital – www.stjude.org),

Run for your sisters and mothers (Susan G. Komen – www.komen.org) -

Run for other mothers (Postpartum Depression – www.postpartum.net)
Run for your neighbors (any local charity).

Increase awareness for your charity – post their link and let other mothers know about it.

Check out our facebook fan page – www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=304233085237&index=1

Here are a few samples of the responses we received. When you’re done – let us know why you run U MOTHER!

Enjoy☺-

“Being a running mom makes me feel strong. After losing my father to lung cancer, a friend to breast cancer and seeing my mother in law fight cancer as well, this has been one of the hardest years of my life. One could just feel sad, but I chose to train for a marathon. Though motherhood clearly shows us how responsible we need to be, no longer having parents with me made me realize how much is in my hands with my own life and those of my children. I need to remind myself that I am strong, that hard work yields results and other people are out there supporting me. Wish me luck on Nov 1 and give me the strength to be a good person and a good mother. “

“I love being a running Mom because it makes me feel healthy and strong. These are ideals I hope to pass on to my children. I love the true happiness that exudes from my children, upon seeing me come home from a long run. I love that my children ask if they can “get sweaty”. I love that my sweet little 2 year old wakes up every morning and asks “Mommy…you go running?” I truly believe you must lead by example, and I feel I’m doing this by being a running Mom.

“I love being a running mom because I love hearing my son say GOOD JOB mom, you are so FAST! (even when I finish last in my age, he still looks at me as a winner…what can beat that)!”

“There are so many reasons that I love being a running mom!! I love the “me” time that allows me to de-stress, which in turn, helps me be a more patient mom when I come home :0) I also love to show my children that health and exercise are important at every age. I also like to teach them about setting goals and achieving them and about healthy competition!! I like that after 2 children, I have my body back and feel really great about myself! The self-confidence I have helps me to be a better mom and wife which keeps my family happy as a whole! Running mom’s rock!!!”

“i love being a running mom because it helps me to teach my kids by example. It is easy to tell them to do something but a lot more difficult to show them through your actions on a consistent basis. Last night my 6 year old asked me “mom, isn’t today the day you are doing your long run?” she keeps me accountable and I do not want to let her down :)”

“I am a running mom cause of what running does to me mentally, physically and spiritually. Running brings me back to the person I was meant to be instead of the depressed, overweight and misserable Mom i use to be. I am a running mom because its about being who i was created to be, about being a the Mom my kids deserve and the wife my husband deserves. I run to let other Moms who have given up know that if they just keep trying, eventually they will become the person the dream to be. I run because it makes me realize i am stronger than I ever thought I could be.”

“I love being a running mom because it resets the definition of normal to my boys. It teaches them that it is normal to be fit and workout and take care of your bodies. It also teaches them that women are not only beautiful and elegant, but smart and strong. “

The race combines all that’s good – the company of fantastic women, a fast and flat course and a fabulous post-race party at the new Central Park in Stapleton.

Runners celebrate their victories (whatever they may be) in style with wine tastings, brunch, live music, massages, shopping and more for the ultimate in “girls weekend” running.

Check it out: http://races.zoomarun.com/denver/

Run hard ladies, and when you finish Run U Mother will be there to celebrate your victory!

Natalie LOVED the Run U Mother concept…who knows, maybe we can get her to do a feature segment on the power of exercise in a mother’s life.

Once we came down from the high of the Today Show experience we headed off for the Expo – and wow what an experience it was. The Mothers LOVED our Run U Mother gear. So much so that we sold out of much of our inventory! They got it, they laughed and they brought back all their mother runner friends to buy it.

So here’s what we learned.

1) Moms are working it – there were 13,000 runners registered for the MORE-FITNESS half marathon and marathon and while I don’t know the exact stats (I’m trying to find out) I bet more than 60% were moms.

2) Moms work in groups – we had running group after running group come to our booth. We mothers definitely understand the power of our community and together we can make anything happen.

3) “Mompreneurs” are everywhere – we met some of the most inspiring moms who also had products at the event, like: Gracies Gear, great bras with a zipper pouch in the front to hold your iPod or money or whatever you need to hold while you run, Jiggy Skirts, a great power balance skirt, you’ve got to see it to believe it, and several more. I’m so impressed with all the ideas I saw!

And last, but not least, I was so inspired by what I saw that I have made a promise to myself to train for the MORE 1/2 Marathon next year. Not a bad goal at my age. Anybody want to join me?

So I walked with the babies – everywhere. With one strapped in the Baby Bjorn while I walked on the treadmill. With both in the stroller around the neighborhood. Eventually with both in the jog stroller. Everyday, several times a day.

On my many walks/runs I met my neighbors for the first time (we were new in the neighborhood), got invited to participate in Bunko, and found new running partners. Some of these friendships are the cornerstone of my very exicstence to this day. And while I was out there getting my blood flowing and meeting new friends, I relieved the stress of my life.

Exercise has always been a key part of my mental survival. So when TJ and I decided to look for a cause we could donate to using the proceeds of our For U Mothers business we knew Sounds of Silence was the perfect fit for us.

The mission of the Sounds of Silence, Friends of the Postpartum Resource Center of New York, is to raise funds to support the programs and services of the Postpartum Resource Center of New York, Inc. They aim to break the “sounds of silence” and stigma mothers and families may suffer and build a community of strength, hope and confidence.

TJ and I are donating $1 of every product sold through For U Mothers to this worthy cause, and we hope you will all pass the word along as well. Check them out at www.soundsofsilence.org. And most importantly, if you know a mom out there suffering with postpartum – at any level – give her your support, and offer to take her out for a walk. Or let her go out for a walk while you watch her children.

Let us know what you think or if you have any stories of how exercise has helped you or another mom you know deal with postpartum depression.

Christy

There I was sitting in the car with my handy iPhone thinking, “what to do, what to do” when I decided to search for “free iPhone app”. After loading the iHandy Level, the Flashlight, and the Fart for Free (for the kids of course, though I did shed a tear over fart sound #11) applications, I suddenly found Lose It! (I swear I heard choirs of angels right there in the front seat of the Acadia).

I downloaded what turns out to be a truly lovely application – a tool to help me manage my calorie intake / calorie burn rate on a daily, weekly, basis all tied to my own “lose it” weight goal plan. And it was EASY to use. I quickly added the 16oz. of white wine to the day (note, this is 386 calories), added the 30 minute treadmill run I had done that morning (burned about 350 calories) and began to plan the rest of my 1400 calorie day.

I have to say ladies, it is addictive. However, given that my home base for the next three days was my Mother-in-laws home (where the Schwann Food man is responsible for every breaded meal and candy is free flowing from every glass dish in the house) I was not able to truly use the beauty of the Lose It! application. But now that I’m home I am back on track and I gotta say, it’s phenomenal!

Give it a try, I’d love to know what you think.

Christy

So this past summer when I got the trifecta of injuries on my right foot (Achilles tendonitis, stress fracture, and Plantar Fasciitis) and was told to stop running I had to rethink my strategy for all of the above.

Here’s what happened. My husband immediately bought me a Spin Bike – he of all people knows how important it is for Mommy to be “sane”. My trainer and partner in Run U Mother insisted I come to her garage for training on how to properly use the Spin Bike (which consisted of me standing, sitting, sprinting and generally pedaling like a bat out of hell while panting like a dog in heat). My early morning training partner agreed to faithfully show up three days a week at 6:00am and run on the treadmill beside me while I did my Spin/pant routine.

So all in all for the past five months I’ve at least kept myself fairly active – but something’s been missing. I just need the feel of my feet pounding the pavement. Running does something for my psyche that spinning just doesn’t do.

Which is why I am so excited that this past weekend I actually ran – it was slow and ugly but I got out on the treadmill and ran for about 30 minutes. And that’s all it took to lift my spirit to a new high – I’m serious I was so darn happy about the run that I didn’t get all that angry when our septic pump failed later in the day (ok, maybe not exactly true but basically I didn’t totally lose it). I’m about to go for my second run…hoping it will have the same result.

I’d love to know from any of you what running means to you, how does it impact your life as a woman and as a mother. Share…we want to hear

Which is of course why TJ and I were thrilled when we got a call from "Marathon Mama" asking if she could interview us for a book she is writing on the topic of...you got it, mothers who love to run and why it matters.

When the time came for the call I happened to be stuck at the vet center inside the local PerSmart, pissed about having to shell out $128 for medicine for my two new, and sick, Guinea Pigs (four days old) and their consumer endearing policy of "oh well, not my problem we sold you a sick animal." But that's another story and I don't want to get into all the reasons not to shop at the Reston PetSmart right now...I'll save that for another day.

Anyways there I was in PetSmart talking with Marathn Mama when I realized once again what it's all about.

Here it is. Run U Mother is not about t-shirts and running caps, and car magnets or any of that crap. It is about empowering and motivating Moms to get out there and get their butts shaking (some more than others I know) so we can preserve the last little bit of sanity we have left.

Happily we discovered Marathon Mama shares this philosophy. Yes, she runs for real, and for us, running is about emotional well being. It is about solving problems you can't even begin to figure out any other time. It is about feeling STRONG. And it is about empowering our next generation of girls to know that it is ALWAYS ok to make time to exercise, in fact it is a must.

We wish Marathon Mama the very best of luck in her publishing endeavor and all her races and we know she'll wear our Run U Mother products proudly. And of course can wait to read the chapter dedicated to Run U Mother. If you all want to know more about her we encourage you to check out her blog, send her a note, let her know you are a Run U Mother!

Of course after the fifth or sixth one, our finely tuned "motheradar" kicked in and we just had to call these Moms and find out what was up. You can't be shy when you're trying to launch a business, you gotta stick your nose in wherever you can.

Turns out this group of moms were running together in The Reindeer Run 5K (this past weekend) - and you got it, they all wanted to wear their Run U Mother gear!

I love their story and wanted to share it for a couple of reasons. Of course we love that they're wearing our products. But more than that they represent the spirit of what Run U Mother means to us.

They recently formed a running group of moms - they had all been running on their own but wanted to form a group of moms who could support each other in achieving their goals of staying fit, running fast...or just having fun (their words not mine).

They GET IT. We Mom's have the power to move and keep each other SANE. Keep it up u mothers, and keep insipring others out there who may need a little extra nudge.

First and foremost, if you are new to exercising and have questions or concerns about starting an exercise program, check with your doctor.

Second - get a good pair of sneakers! Go to a running store to get the best fit. We are lucky to have Potomac River Running here in Norther Virginia. It makes a world of difference to have a good shoe. A good running bra isn't a bad idea either. Minimize the bounce!!!

And last but not least - set attainable goals, Don’t try to run 3 miles the first time or try to get out there 7 days in a row. Just work up gradually. It will take about 8 weeks to get up to speed for a 5k.

Here's a general guideline to get you going -

Warm Up/Cool Down

• Always warm up with a power walk for 5-10 minutes (no need to waste time stretching. Save that for the end. The walking will get the blood flowing and warm up those muscles)
• Always cool down with a walk for 5 minutes (that's the time to stretch the legs)

Weeks 1-2 - 20 minutes of Run (or light jog)/Walk Intervals - 3 times a week.

• You should walk for 2 minutes, run for 1 minute.

Weeks 3-4

• Increase your running interval. Walk for 90 seconds, run for 90 seconds (don’t worry about speed just yet - just finish the 90 seconds). Try this 4 times a week.

Weeks 5-6

• Increase your time and you running intervals again - Walk run for 2 mintues walk for 1. Keep this up for 30 minutes.

Weeks 7-8

• Go out for a long, steady run 3 times. Try to keep it going for 25 minutes. If you can do that - you are ready for the 5K.

If you are an experienced runner, work on improving your time. Add about 5 speed intervals to 1 or 2 of your weekly runs (sprint for 15 seconds). Then run at your regular pace on your other runs. As the sprints get easier, increase their time to 30 seconds. Do this at least 4 weeks before your race and you should see improvement. Let us know how you’re doing!