The Mother Runners

PART 1: Shanna & Olivia in the HOT SEAT

• Miles with Moms • Season 1 • Episode 13

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One of the skills of being a mother runner is being flexible & adapting to change. So with that, this week we are giving you TWO episodes for the price of ONE. Why? Because our schedules were too nuts & we couldn't all get together so we thought it would be a fun pivot to interview one another. 

Shanna & Olivia put each other in the hot seat in PART 1. PART 2 Tricia & Whitney interview one another. We start each podcast talking about what's going on in our lives & then we ask each other questions that our Instagram followers want to know--but also that we are curious about ourselves. 

In this episode, Shanna & Olivia delve into mindset shifts, the challenges of marathon training, and the impact of weight loss on performance. They share personal anecdotes about managing periods during races, memorable meals, and guilty pleasures in TV shows. The discussion also touches on the importance of friendship and community in the running world, highlighting how their bond has grown through shared experiences. The episode wraps up with light-hearted reflections on life and the upcoming holiday season. 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Hosts
09:00 The Journey to Marathon Running
20:03 Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Goals
30:03 Advice for New Runners and Embracing the Journey
39:49 Chasing Big Dreams: The Marathon Mindset
44:52 Balancing Motherhood and Personal Goals
55:44 Navigating Challenges: Weight Loss and Race Day
01:04:48 Crazy Memories and Marathon Training
01:12:10 Friendship and Finding Your Village
01:22:00 Celebrating Milestones and Looking Ahead



Whitney Heins is a mom of 2, a lifelong runner, a VDOT-certified running coach for moms who run, and founder of the resource, themotherrunners.com. When training for her first marathon as a mom, she found a dearth of information related to running and motherhood. She also felt extremely isolated as a new mom. As a former TV journalist and a freelance writer she decided to use her skills to fill the void with an online resource and community, called The Mother Runners. Whitney also recognized a need for run coaches who understood the demands of motherhood, so she also became a running coach—unearthing a passion for helping moms reap the rewards and empowerment of running. Coming out of a long injury cycle, she ran a 2:54 marathon and 1:20 half marathon in her 40s. She lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, two kids, and three dogs.