Sorry for the f-bomb, but I had to lead with this one. Sense of humor is key to Ironmother success.

So my body is idling, ready to shift into gear on Sunday. My glutes, the biggest muscle in my body, are ready to fire and fire and fire and fire. But the largest muscle that matters is the one on top, both literally and figuratively.

Oh, my brain.

I wish I could load up my brain with carbs, pre-race, and when the cannon went off, be confident it wouldn’t betray me.

Because as badass as I may seem, my brain always struggles in a race. Sometimes from the start (a really bad day), but always when a race gets hard. I start making bargains with myself. “O.k., this is fine, but just don’t let your splits drop any more.” Then the splits drop. “O.k., just keep them here for the next two miles.” And there they go again. And even when a race is going well, I still see things half-full. “I’ve hit my splits for 8 miles, but can I hang on for 5.1 more miles? Wait: 5.1 more miles left still? Seriously?”

SBS has an innate ability to rebound when a race gets tough; she can turn it around and still make it a success. She can also chew off bites of a race and not worry about what’s left on the plate. I am not so adept at those skills. When things go bad for me, whether it’s at mile .2 or 12.2, I fantasize about quitting and wish the race away. I tune out and mentally drop out. All I want is the finish line. (Which, truth be told, is partly why I haven’t run a marathon in over 6 years. I can’t stomach the mental effort.)

But Sunday is not just another race. Sunday is a bucket-list item, a race I want to remember for years to come for the good points—not just the struggles. Sunday has a different equation.

8 months of effort + hundreds of training hours + thousands of dollars = 140.6 miles I will NOT allow myself to wish away.

I had my pre-race pep talk with my coach Bri today. We went through all the details: whether I should drive the course pre-race (yes); how to seed myself in the swim (faster if necessary); how she’s seen people put sausages (gross!) in their special needs bags that they get at the halfway point of the bike and run. My mood was light-hearted until we got to talking about the run. Then I got really nervous. “I just hope,” I said with a quavering voice, “that I can get to at least two and a half hours into the run before I get that I-just-want-to-be-done feeling.”

Her response? The run is the best part of the Ironman because you can interact with the crowd—Coeur d’Alene is an especially spectator-friendly course—and I’d be stupid to put on my blinders and not soak it all up. (She didn’t say that last part; I ad libbed.) Plus, she said, the miles will go by quicker than I know. “Suddenly, you’ll be at mile 20, then running down the finish chute, then wondering where the day went,” she said. “Savor this. Just savor it.”

Huh: a novel concept for me. Savor the race. Soak in every step. Even when I want to be done, continue to be present. That is my first mental race goal. I’ve used the mantra I am here now in the past with some success, and this is as good of a time as any to pull that baby out of retirement.

So I’ll consider that goal one: to remember that I am here, in this Ironmother of a race, right now. Yes, it will get mofo hard. Yes, my legs will hurt. Yes, I’ll get nauseous and uncomfortable. But I am here, in this beautiful Ironmother of a race,  right now. I’ve visualized being here for 8 months and so many miles. Dang it if I’m going to hope for the clock to tick any faster than it already does.

But I wouldn’t be Dimi-tri if I didn’t give myself at least one more goal. And Bri, helpfully, laid out some best/average/worst case scenarios for me.

I feel like I’m showing you my stretch marks and vericose veins: these numbers feel that intimate to me.

All along, I thought finishing under 13 hours would be a killer badass Ironmother success. Actually, I thought just finishing would be a killer badass Ironmother success, which it is.

But now I see this other goal—one possible based on my past performance and training times—that is an hour faster. Whoa there, friend.

My fastest marathon time is a 4:13, which was 6 years ago. Is a 4:22 is possible, especially if, you know, I’m going to savor the race? Feels pretty impossible.

I’ve sat with this new idea for a few hours, and I realize I like having the potential dangling out there. Maybe with the right mindset—this Ironmother race is mine to not only savor, but also to dig deep and freakin’ thrive in—maybe I could do something totally out of my comfort zone. We’ll—I’m including myself here—just have to stay tuned.

No matter when I cross the finish line, I know it will feel magical. It’s up to my mind to make the rest of the day—and all the highs and lows it will bring—be magical, too.

More or less, total miles in the pool since I started training. I forgot my Garmin 910XT pretty regularly at swim practices—at least once every two weeks. The most notable time I forgot it was in the thick of training, when I had to swim 4,200 meters. I put off the workout and put it off some more.  I thought of writing to my coach, “I did this workout, but forgot my Garmin. Sorry.” But not really doing it. I finally got my badass in the water, and realized I really did forget my Garmin.

So 8 months of training comes down to one day for me—Dimity—on Sunday. I’m going to go all Shark Week on you, and to take the opportunity to write three Ironmother pre-race posts: body, mind (Tuesday), and spirit (Friday). If that’s too much blood and iron for you, no worries; just check back next week. Oh, but then I’ll have a race report or two. So hang in there and then we’ll be back to regularly scheduled programming.

Almost 6.5 years ago, I crossed the Nike Women’s Marathon finish line with my sister Sarah. In order to get myself there, I had to limp, cry, bargain, plead, walk, shuffle, run, and tell myself, “This is one hour of your whole life. You can do this.” (The drama set in around mile 20; because of a heel fracture mid-training, I had only run 16 miles before race day.)

We saw the other Sarah (SBS) shortly after my sis Sarah dragged me across, and I spat at SBS, “I’m never doing another marathon.” And then my tone softened. “Unless it’s at the end of an Ironman.”

And here I am, kind of not believing that this whole thing is going to go down in less than a week.

My body, I must admit, is the easiest part of the Dimi-tri (get it? works on both triathlon and triumvirate). Even though I’m fairly injury prone and on the other side of 40 years old, my muscles are usually game to jump in a game. The problem comes in because my apparent strength belies my body’s sensitivity. For me, there is a dental-floss thin line between feeling good and being overtrained. There is one hill repeat session between badass and wiped out; one too-tough bike workout between soaring and crashing; one crappy sleep between fine and decidedly not fine; one missed Pilates session between aligned and broken.

So for me, Ironmother training wasn’t about powering through a gazillion miles. It was about being deliberate and thoughtful with my schedule so that I could meet the goal I set out when I first talked to my coach, Briana Boehmer, last fall: to enjoy the race and finish feeling strong.

The hours are pretty accurate on the bike, but the Garmin doesn’t record miles when I’m on the trainer in the basement. No idea how many miles I’ve ridden total, but I’ve pedaled through a season of House of Cards, at least 20 episodes of Parks and Rec, a few documentaries, and plenty of  other random entertainment.

On weekdays, I only did one cardio session. (Many triathletes do two workouts daily.) Granted, some of those workouts were a swim then a run, or a bike then a run, or run then strength, and most of them were at least 90 combined minutes, but I only had to shower once a day. Which makes a huge difference in the life (and dry skin) of an Ironmother. The weekend workouts were longer, of course, but I always knew I could finish the workout if I completed it as prescribed and didn’t go out too fast or think too far ahead.

I had some great days, and I had some are-you-kidding-me days. Mostly, I had a lot of ho-hum days, when I just got up, and got it done because I’ve wanted to do Ironman for as long as I can remember.

And I listened to my body as best I could; I tried to allow things, instead of  hammer them—my usual M.O.

So I went to Pilates twice a week, most weeks, for a gentle realignment of my spine, my shoulders, my neck from my fave teacher, Ann Crammond. I got my roll on with my Trigger Point Therapy tools regularly. (Read: at least once a week, about four fewer times than Bri prescribed. Sorry, Bri, if you’re reading, but at least I never told you I was doing it daily.) Some nights the idea of the X-Factor Massage Ball in my hip flexors had me fleeing for my bed.

I rested my spine on a full length foam-roller at least twice a week to open my chest. I just about kissed Kati Schwabe, my chiropractor, on my first visit, when after I told her that I could, if need be, ride my road bike instead of my tri bike because of the shoulder pain it was causing me, she said with total confidence, “Of course not. We’re going to get you on your tri bike.” And then she did. I threw on my 110% Juggler Knickers with ice after every weekend workout; I even wore them to a soccer tournament, then changed in the car in a crowded parking lot. My kids were not pleased with me.

I skipped workouts once in a while, mostly because of scheduling (or oversleeping), but one Monday morning, all I wanted to do was go back to bed—and it was a rest day. I was sitting at my desk wondering how I was ever going to get through the day, let alone concentrate, and I emailed Bri and told her. We took about 4 hours out of workout week, which was totally the right call.

Still, I definitely had my doubts of whether or not my body would hold up. I didn’t swim for over two months because of my tweaked shoulder. On at least three occasions for multiple days, I could barely turn my head more than 5 degrees in each direction. I fractured my foot on a typical Dimity klutz move, and had to start again, in early March, from ground zero in running.

The most accurate of the batch.

Thanks to Bri’s guidance, I feel ready but not overworked. I still am not positively sure how long 2.4 miles is in yards and meters in the pool, but I hit 4,000 meters (or yards) enough (5 maybe?) times to know I’ll be fine in the swim if I don’t drink half the lake. I’ve ridden 100+ miles on my bike twice, which is plenty for me to get familiar with how much I like to get off my bike after I’ve racked up triple digits. And the run? My longest runs went from 10 to 13.1 to 15 to 18, which is p.l.e.n.t.y. for my finish-it marathon goals. During our last conversation, Bri kept bringing up a 20-miler. “I have no interest in running 20 miles before the race,” I told her multiple times. Thankfully, coaching is just like fashion: the client is always right. (I kid.)

And so here is my body, six days before Coeur d’Alene. I’m fitter than I’ve ever been, but more importantly, I feel more solid than I’ve ever felt. I have weak links, of course: my lower back, my left hip, my still-healing foot, to name a few. But the difference now is that they’re not breakable. They’re just not quite as capable as the rest of my body.

So I just need to shave my legs and pits, get my brows and upper lip waxed—gotta be as streamlined as possible, right?—paint my toenails, and rest. Then this body will be ready to hum on Sunday.

“I like your eyes. I reeeeeeeally like your eyes.”

For Father’s Day, Dimity and Sarah brought on Dan Britton, father of five and founder of Chariot Carriers. These innovative strollers convert from a running carrier to a bike trailer to even a ski (!) carrier. Dan tells about the design process, describes proper running-with-stroller form, and lets you know it’s okay to occasionally drown out the sound of whining with music. (For your chance to win a Chariot Cougar 2, worth nearly $700, enter our giveaway, which ends June 18, 2013.)

If you’re digging our podcasts, we’d be super-grateful if you’d take a minute (because we *know* you have so many to spare!) to write a review on iTunes.

**Also, the quickest way to get our podcasts is to subscribe to the show via iTunes. Clicking this link will automatically download the shows to your iTunes account. It doesn’t get any simpler than that!

There are so many cool reason why you all run; every reason, from ice cream that lives in the freezer to celebrate a healthy body to maintain your sanity, is valid and deserves a prize, but we can have only one winner on this day before Father’s Day.

And the lucky, lucky random winner is:
Ghada: I run because it makes me feel strong, and even though I am not the speediest I feel like I can fly!

Ghada: congrats on your sweet new orange and black Forerunner 10! Email us at runmother {at} gmail {dot} com with your address, and we’ll get it off to you.

Enjoy this Saturday, friends; get out there embrace every reason why you run.

That’s right. You’ve got this. / photo courtesy www.theviewfromfiveten.com via Pinterest

Earlier this spring mother runner Diane posed the question we’ve likely all asked ourselves at some point or another: “How can I get faster?” More specifically, Diane wondered if shaving 10 minutes off her half-marathon PR (personal record) of 2:15 was realistic. We put this to the Tribe on the AMR Facebook page, and heard from many of you with words of encouragement and tales of your own PR crushes.

Any PR is a good PR, whether it’s simply seconds or many minutes. So to start, a sampling of mother runners who made it happen—with hard work and determination, no doubt.

Suzanne: “I took 15 minutes off my half-marathon second time around. It’s do-able for sure.”

Tammy: “I beat my 5K time by 4 minutes two weeks ago! So go for 2 hours!”

Jen: “I had a 12-minute PR at the Philly Marathon in November. 4:26 to 4:14! My goal for next time around is 4:05!”

Tonya: “I went from a 2:57 to 2:40 from one half-marathon to another.”

Candice: “I took an hour and 15 minutes off my marathon. ANYTHING is possible!”

Joan: “5 hours for my first marathon, 4:30 for my second marathon, and 4:01 for my third marathon. You can do it!”

OK, so how exactly did our PR-crushing mother runners get faster? A few ideas …

1.) Strength-train and cross-train. Bethany, who went from a 2:10 half-marathon finish time to a 2:06 PR, offered this: “My running got significantly better after I incorporated TRX classes into my training. Just one class per week and I was noticing my running becoming faster … I loved it!” Others sang the praises of Pilates, yoga, weight-lifting, and cycling as ways to boost speed.

2.) Go from a longer distance to a shorter one. Julie went from 2:12 to 2:01 in the half-marathon not long after training for a full. “I think the extra mileage helped me get the PR.”

3.) Commit to speed work, speed work, speed work. “I was amazed at how the tempo runs and speed work at paces that I thought were unattainable improved my overall race, “ says Jessica, who cut 10 minutes off her 13.1 PR in five months, going from a 2:17 to 2:07.

4.) Have a birthday. Hey, the aging process does not have to mean slowing down. Consider Marcia’s first marathon time compared to how she finished several years later: “My first marathon was about 3:54 in 2006 and I crushed that in 2009 and ran a BQ 3:34.” She added that she’s “not sure I could do that again!” But we absolutely believe she could.

5.) Have a baby. Check out this awesome story from Patty: “In 2009, I ran a 30K race in 3:16. Missed 2010’s because of pregnancy. In 2011 I ran the same 30K race in 2:54.” Liz, meanwhile, went from 1:37:40 to 1:33:17 after having her baby. “I trained all summer and incorporated speed work and LOTS of tempos (two a week) and strides.”

6.) Join a running group. Jennifer had a 2:15 20K under her belt when she ran a 1:59 half-marathon just four months later. She credits her speedier ways to a commitment to speed training, cross-training, and meeting up with a group for long runs.

7.) Follow a solid, smart training plan. We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the AMR Own It training plans—we’ve got you covered for the 10K, half-marathon, and marathon distances. For my most recent marathon, my fourth, I followed the 18-week plan and ultimately shaved 2 minutes off to finish in 3:41:02. I was thrilled. Cheryl has this success story: “Train Like a Mother got me over my first 13.1 finish AND helped me shave 12 minutes off my half time. Looking to get under 2:00 for my next with the Own It plan!”

8.) Recover well. Liz made a great point when she mentioned the importance of recovery days: “Recover on your recovery days and hammer the workout days.”

Have you crushed a PR lately? What’s helped you get faster?

Sarah running a recent 10K, where she set a 4.5 minute PR for that distance. Way to go, Sarah!

Sarah Briggs, a.k.a. Mom Running on Empty, adores the 13.1 mile distance, but is training for her first 26.2 this fall: the Marine Corp Marathon. This mom of one—she and husband Rob affectionately call their 9-year-old son “Danger”—lives in Victor, N.Y. and calls this past year “a whirlwind.” She started her blog and became an ambassador for FitFluential and Girls Gone Sporty. “The only thing I knew for sure is that I wanted to share my journey in order to hold myself more accountable. I never expected to inspire others and that has been both humbling and exciting.”

Best recent run: On a short run I happened to run past a woman who appeared to be just starting out on her journey to become the best version of herself. This sparked thinking of all of the progress I had made physically and emotionally. I was able to reflect on how far I have come and got to glimpse into the future and where I want to be. I finished the run feeling more like a runner than I had in a very long time! It was sincerely humbling.

“With my close friend and favorite running partner after a recent 5K.”

One Strong Mother Runner: I have been made a lot of changes in my training and fueling. I eliminated most carbs and all wheat. With the help of my trainer, I have found new and different ways to fuel my longer runs and I am seeing amazing results. I am down 10 pounds since I started. I also no longer depend on dairy. My quest to ready myself for the upcoming Spartan Race by losing fat and building muscle is becoming a reality. So much of this is about making smarter choices to fuel my workouts and choosing protein rather than depending on carbohydrates. The class has also helped me find a love and appreciation for weight training. Seeing definition in my arms for the first time in my life has been so exciting.

Instagram-ing Food Pics: I really enjoy finding ways to incorporate ingredients my family loves and my passion for eating healthy. I went to school for culinary arts and have always had a passion for creating new menu items. Since food has always been a bit of a pitfall, I love the control I have in the kitchen and the feeling of empowerment I have when I make great choices for myself. Sharing what I eat helps me to stay honest and accountable. When I enjoy a treat, or I make a less-than-ideal choice, I share that too. I’m human and it’s important that I share those choices with my readers, too.

Going the Distance: I have two half-marathons on the calendar this year and I am seriously considering adding a third. My plan is to run the Catherine Valley Half in August, the Wineglass Half in September and the Red Baron Half in November. The half is one of my favorite distances because although the distance is challenging both physically and mentally, it still allows me to balance all the areas of my life without waking up before 5 a.m.! I feel like a rock star when I finish—AND my laundry is all clean! My first full marathon is the Marine Corps Marathon at the end of October.

With Danger and Rob at a local Thanksgiving Day run in Webster, NY. “I ran my first race on Thanksgiving so it is my favorite day to run!”

Family Planning: I work very hard and with the help of my coach, I have a training plan for each week. We have a chalkboard in the kitchen that we update every Saturday night with my mileage, Danger’s and Rob’s various commitments, work schedules, and chores. We all make sure to follow up with each other to finish our tasks, stay on track, and get it all done. I’ve learned to accept that there will always be a load of laundry waiting, and that my house may never be completely spotless. We work very hard to carve out family time every week!

Running Dreams & Plans: This year my major goal is to train and complete the Marine Corps Marathon in October and to continue to focus on the blog and finding a way to post more often. Becoming an ambassador for Fitfluential and Girls Gone Sporty has introduced me to the most amazing men and women I have ever met. I have made new friends who I can’t imagine my days without now. These organizations have taught me how to share my story and be heard as well given me the support system that gave me the courage to chase dreams I never knew I had. We should all be so lucky to be know one or two of these people, but as an ambassador I have the thrilling opportunity not only to get to know these inspirational characters but the privilege of introducing them to others.

Follow this Mother on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and on her blog Mom Running on Empty.

Sigh: I only documented the ineffective (albeit mighty cute!) mode of transportation, not our daily Chariot rides.

This week marks the end of an era for my family: These are the last few days all three of our kids will attend the same school as Phoebe is moving on to middle school in the fall. As much as our three kiddos bicker en route or gripe about having schoolyard behavior get reported back to us by a sibling, it’s a delight to have them co-existing under one roof and interacting during the school day. In my heart and my gut, I can already feel the pangs and fond remembrances I’ll experience when I think back on these four shared years. Yet do I have a single photo of them all together at school? Ha, of course not. Even in this age of omnipresent smart phone, I never once lined them up in front of the school and snapped a pic of our three (sometimes) amigos.

It’s the same when I dug through iPhoto to find digital pics of our twins in the double Chariot Carrier that they basically lived in the first few years of their lives: Not.a.single.photo. (Argh: deep regrets!) When I close my eyes, though, I can see napping John’s big, blond head flopped toward his twin sister’s mostly bald one as I pushed them on neighborhood runs. I can vividly recall their little button noses pressed up against each side window, squealing at every dog, cat, and squirrel we passed on our daily walks. I can envision their pudgy hands reaching out of the zippered opening, clawing for a fresh bag of Goldfish crackers. That Chariot Cougar, with its adaptability to be a bike trailer and a walking stroller, saw us through countless miles. It equaled freedom and sanity for the first few years with our twins.

Smooth ride: the Cougar 2 in Stroller mode.

Now we are thrilled to bestow that premium versatility, quality, and durability on two families: Chariot has generously provided us with two Cougar 2 carriers to give away. The Cougar 2 works with either one or two children, holding up to an amazing 100 pounds. Its padded, adjustable-height handlebar ensures it works for caregivers of a wide range of heights. When in running mode, its two 20″ wheels allow you to run comfortably without sacrificing stride length; the included Stroller Kit lets you add two smaller, easy-to-maneuver front wheels for zipping around on errands or trips to the library. This sporty carriage folds easily (which I fondly recall from trips to Portland’s westside to trail run with my little passengers). Suffice it to say, the Cougar 2 has so many features, my kids’ summer vacation would be over if I tried to list them all. Take our word for it: Chariot Carriers rock!

First things first: We gathered names and emails from runners this spring at Mother Runner parties and expos, and we drew one winner at random from that collection of folks. The winner of our first Cougar 2 is: Trish Carabello. (Trish, we’ll contact you to get your details.)

Now that you’re all envious of Trish, here’s your chance to win a Chariot Cougar 2. To be entered to win, tell us what everyday event you wish you had more photos of. Click on the Comments ribbon below this post (do not just hit “reply” if you are reading this post on your mobile device: you need to go to our website to enter) and tell us how you wish you had more photos of bathtime, family dinners, soccer games, a mouth full of braces, the time-out chair. That’s it: By telling us what “mundane” occurrence you wish you’d documented more in pictures, you can be like Trish Carabello and be the owner of an uber-versatile Chariot Cougar 2.

You–and your precious passengers–will be ready to run and roll with a Chariot Cougar 2.

[Some fine print for this fine prize.] This sweepstakes is open to those over 18 and residents of the United States and Canada. It begins on 6/12/13 and ends on 6/18/13; the winners will be announced on 6/22/13. One entry per person. The value of each prize is $684.95. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Void where prohibited by law.

In no particular order, here are the ladies who will be joining me to run from Cumberland, Maryland, to our nation’s capital. I’m not going to wager that we’re faster–but I bet we’re fun-er!

1. Nancy Barlow, a teacher in Connecticut who had her class of 1st-graders write reasons why “Mrs. Barlow” should run Ragnar, including lots of mention of it being “good for her brain.” (We agree!)  

2. Iliana Zuniga, who had her friends and family plead her case on a Facebook page she set up. When our paths crossed at the MORE half-marathon in NYC in April, she said her husband’s comments on the page were some of the sweetest things he’s ever written to her.

3. Terri Lukens-Gable, who turned Dimity and me into cartoon characters. I loved this entry so much, I asked Terri for the SBS cell (complete with Knuckle Lights and Roctane!), which is now framed and displayed in the room where I fill orders from our online store.

4. Michelle Emme, who’s video chronicling her journey from obese, inactive mother to trim marathoner brought us to tears. (Setting it to one of my favorite plaintive Sarah McLachlan songs made the tears flow even more profusely.)

5. Nicole Hart, who told us she composed her poetic entry while on a run. She requested to be on my team as she feels we are “kindred spirits.” Given that she admits her poem is based on an (oft-quoted) poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, this English major thinks she’s right!

8. + 9. Bethany Meyer and Schuy Nunn, another duo and another poem. But they sweetened the pot with a bribe: free Indigo Schuy tanks and a copy of  I Just Want to Pee Alone for every member of the team.

RAGNAR OR BUST!

Twas the night before the deadline
When Bethany texted Schuy,
“We need to be on that relay team!
Let’s tell Sarah and Dimity why!”

Our piles of miles are impressive.
We run in rain, sun, snow, sleet, and hail.
Rivaled only by our laundry…it’s excessive!
We have a combined 6 kids, and only one’s a female! (P .U.)

On TMI Tuesday that Bethany’s a pro,
Into a paper cup she can pee.
Schuy’s like a camel when she has to go…
Holding it so long, it disappears…extraordinary!

Schuy’s store is the bomb!
It’s hip, it’s chic, it’s fly.
To each running Mom
She’ll give a tank from Indigo Schuy!

Poor Bethany has four sons,
The youngest one’s a biter.
Her stories will make you laugh tons,
Cuz she’s a humor writer.

Recently published in I Just Want to Pee Alone,
The popular humor anthology
Sure to tickle your funny bone
When she gives you this guide to Mom­ology!

We are two Moms who love to run,
Both of us hail from Philly.
Put us on your team…we’re fun,
Outgoing, athletic, and silly!

So, choose us and we’ll cheer,
we’ll say, “We cannot wait to meet ya!”
Dimity and Sarah, you inspire us everyday,
But you had us at margarita!

10. Jill Plamondon, who mocked up a page telling us she turns 40 this year and it’s her “mission to rock 40 all year long.” To that end, she’s running an ultramarathon, and running hill repeats that she marks with a, wait for it, rock. What tipped the scales in Jill’s favor, though, was her writing that she’d “dance if chosen. There is always time to dance.” As Dimity reminded me as we went through the entries, “Sarah, you love to dance by the side of the road during relays; you need this gal on your team.”

Only part of her creative page entry–I’m not clever enough to shrink the entire thing. Trust me on this one.

11. Rebecca Weld, who baked and decorated the most awesomely clever and gorgeous AMR-related cookies. She promised to bake a fresh batch for the two teams if she wins, so looks like Rebecca will be headed back to the kitchen.

I’m anticipating these cookies tasting even sweeter than they look, if that’s possible!

Alternate: Julia Hartsock, who did a fun Prezi about what she has to offer us, including knowledge of the course and her house near the midway point for showering. Plus, the first day of the race is her birthday.

After looking at Julia’s Prezi and several other submissions from gals along the course, I’m thinking Team SBS needs to hit some hills!

If I didn’t love summer so much, I’d wish it was October and we were already convened as a team!

A few important details (yes, pretty much cut-and-pasted from Dim’s post yesterday, with the other 11 winners, plus one alternate): a friendly reminder that each team member is in charge of her travel costs, hotel, and food, and folks need to be in Cumberland, MD, on the evening October 3, and won’t be able to head home (unless you’re fairly local) until October 6.

So check your calendar(s) and checkbook: We need to hear from you at runmother [at] gmail [dot] com by Monday, June 16, to confirm that yes, indeedy, you’re in. And by committing to this, you’re agreeing to train for the race and run the race unless you are injured or have a family emergency.

It’s not just a Ragnar entry; it’s a veritable buffet of all of our favorite running things.

I thought training for an Ironmother was hard. I thought parenting a 9-year-old-going-on-13 daughter was hard (Exact recent quote I heard: “I have to clean my room? Nobody loves me!”). I thought staying up past 10 p.m. was hard.

Nothing, though, compares to picking 22 women out of the 100+ (!) creative, smart, make-us-laugh-and-cry-and-feel-like-rock-star entries we got  to represent in the Ragnar Relay in the Ultimate Mother Runner Showdown. (Actually, 24, as we’re picking two alternates.) It was  800-meter repeats hard; tempo at race pace for 6 miles in the middle of a 12 miler hard; getting your badass out of bed when every ounce of you wants to stay put hard. We feel like we know so many of you, and having to eliminate more than 80 women was like letting down friends.

We wish we could field 8.5 teams, and then we’d have no losers. (Because nobody who runs, in our minds, should consider herself a loser.) But this isn’t never-never land, so we had to make some really, really hard calls. (Have I mentioned this was really hard?)

Without further ado—and in no particular order—here is Team Dimity who, I hope, will join me on a 190-mile jaunt through the D.C. suburbs this fall. (Sarah will announce her teammates tomorrow, so stay tuned!)

1. Krista Kruger, whose girls implore us to, “Please. Take our mother!”

2. Nikki Maroon, who took our talk of Legos and ran with it—or, more accurately, bribed her husband to. Here’s a sample slide.

3. + 4. Aimee Hoyt and Jill Broderick, who blew us off a high-altitude peak with their customized song

5. Joan Gorman, who rewrote some Taylor Swift lyrics for us. (Abridged version here. Like really. And I want Aimee and Jill to sing this. Like really.)

I remember when I used to run a lot
Saying this is it, I love to run, ’cause like
It makes me feel so good and fit and fast
So I ran some marathons, yeah!
Running lots of miles is so fun.
Running, I love you and my body feels so good.
Trust me, I’m thankful that I have you in my life.
I run, I sign up, I run race, Oh Running, I love you.

Ooooh, I met two Badass Mother Runners
Ooooh, this time I’m telling you, I’m telling you
I really really really want to run with you
I really really really want to run with you
You go run and your friends run
and my friends run with me.

But I really really really really want to run with you.

Like, really.

Then I had two babies that I love
And me, finding time to run was really hard
And you, offered me support and running love and
I ran more and pushed my kids in the stroller. 

I’d like to think that I can be chosen to run
And I’d like to say ‘I love you BAMRs’
Huh, I sing this song and I’m like ‘Let’s Run Ragnar’
And you’re like, ‘We’d just love to have you, you know.
We would really like to run with you, like really.

6. Meryl Carver-Allmond, who created a banner entry

7. Freedom Green, whose family begged for a playdate for her and who holds the Ragnar dates start close to her heart. The mom-of-four lost a daughter, born on October 4, on October 5. “Those dates are meant to live life fully and not for me to feel sorry for myself,” she writes, “It’s a day to reflect on all the good we did on bringing her into the world & getting a chance to meet her.” (She made a Smilebox entry as well.)

8. Laura LaCroix-Johnson, who we anticipate taking this whole shebang to a theater near you shortly.

9. Laura Duffey Ford, who delighted us with a diorama.

10. Angela Bruns, who Macgyvered some duct tape slippers (hey: that skill may come in handy at 2 a.m.)

11. Janelle Wiliams, who loves to adapt the If You Give a Mouse…books as much as I do. (The full book is just as good.)

Alternate: Karyn Ryan, who creatively asked us to Pick Me For AMR Ragnar.

Yep, I’m pretty excited. Congratulations to all who made Team Dimity!

A few important details: a friendly reminder that you are in charge of your travel costs, hotel, and food, and you need to be in Cumberland, MD on the evening October 3, and won’t be able to head home (unless you’re pretty local) until October 6.

So check your calendars and your check books. We need to hear from you at runmother [at] gmail [dot] com by Monday, June 16 to confirm that yes, indeedy, you’re in. And by committing to this, the understanding is that you’ll train for the race, and won’t pull out unless you are injured or have a family emergency.

Thanks again to all who entered, and stay tuned for Sarah’s picks tomorrow.

Dorothy Beal is one of the beautiful faces of the Saucony Find Your Strong campaign.

The gals know many of you admire and adore their guest, Dorothy Beal of Mile Posts as much as they do. This mother of three youngsters and veteran of 24 (!!) marathons inspires many, having cut more than an hour pushing a triple stroller. Dorothy confesses to Sarah and Dimity what kept her going while running 30 miles on a treadmill recently, as well as admitting that while she started running to lose weight, “it’s not about the calories anymore.” She also shares that, in one way or another, she finds her strong in every run she takes. (Yup, that’s Dorothy at the start and end of this video.)

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