The Mother Runners

What’s So Freaking Great About the Marathon, Anyway?!

• Miles with Moms • Season 1 • Episode 15

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In this episode of the Miles with Moms podcast, your hosts (Whitney, Olivia, and Shanna—Tricia was unable to make it) delve into the complex relationship runners have with marathons.  What’s so great about the marathon distance anyway? Why do we choose to suffer? Why not pick something shorter?

We explore the allure of marathon running, the mental challenges faced during races, and the personal journeys that motivate us to keep coming back to the sport and this distance, in particular—because for all its faults, the marathon can certainly give us a lot of gifts, too 

Our conversation highlights the balance between personal goals and the joy of running. We discuss the balance between pursuing personal goals and maintaining enjoyment in running, as well as the impact of social media on runners' perceptions of success. We emphasize the need for self-acceptance and the value of cheering for others in the running community—including sharing our biggest race regrets. 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Marathon Love-Hate Relationship

05:23 The Allure of the Marathon

12:47 Mental Challenges of Marathon Running

20:45 The Role of Experience and Training

26:35 Rediscovering the Joy of Running

32:15 The Importance of Community in Running

42:00 Finding Balance Between Goals and Enjoyment

48:00 The Impact of Social Media on Running Goals

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.