Because I Can | Mom Monday
Ugh. Running, amirite?
It’s a necessary evil in my house. It’s the worst- but also the best- thing I do. When momma ain’t running, no one’s happy. Yet another reason why summers are so hard around here.
So getting up early and running on a Saturday is important to my family. But it has a downside for sure.
After a run, I sometimes turn into a slug. I complain about my legs being tired and how my feet hurt, and how I just need a nap.
My 9-year-old son, logical to the core, asked me a simple question.
Mom, if you hurt and are tired, why do you run?
I joked that it was so I could go to Disneyland (folks- my flight leaves in four days, two hours, and 24 minutes, but who’s counting, right?).
Sure, there’s that magical motivation behind it. But there are many more reasons that I run and stay active?his question made me stop and think.
- Overall health.
- My family’s history of heart?disease.
- Stopping diabetes before it starts.
- Keeping up with the kids.
- Looking better than if I didn’t run.
- My sanity. Not running, in truth, makes me crazy.
Those are all good reasons to do it. But the real reason is simpler: because I can.?
I can run because my body allows me to.
I can lift, I can push, I can jump, all because of this body that I’ve been given.
I recognize that this body doesn’t look the way I want it to. And it may not do the things I want it to in exactly the way I want it to do. Who doesn’t want to win an age group award every time they race, right?
But I can do all the things.
I can be a runner, a jumping jacker, a push-uper, a terrible bowler, and a healthy mom to my kids.
Because this body? This body?ROCKS.
Of course, there’s a catch.?As I’ve grown older, there are some additional physical issues that come with my sport.
I’ve slowed way down. PRs are a thing of the past here?unless I add a new distance. (I did PR a marathon this year. Ha!)
I have more aches and pains errrrywhere– Oh, and I pee on myself.
That’s fun- thanks, kids!
One thing moms are often not prepared to experience is a little bladder leakage after having a kid. ?It?s no big deal: it happens to a lot of us. ?Can you believe that 25-45% of women report light bladder leakage?
I finally did something about it and have been so happy I did. After talking to my doctor about the reasons behind my issues, we determined that a good option for me at this stage is Impressa.
It’s perfect for my active lifestyle and helps stop leaks before they happen.
I can still do everything I used to do, and do it with confidence now.
When I saw the sunrise on a recent run, I knew I wanted a jumping picture, and I went for it.
No hesitancy because I #TrustImpressa in all things active.
I love this picture because it was a hard run, one I almost gave up on. This summer was not good for my relationship with running, but we are finding our way back to each other. At this moment I knew I was going to gain back my mojo and fall in love with running again.
If you need help getting some confidence back due to light bladder leakage, do yourself a favor and visit Walmart. You can purchase Impressa online or in the store. It’s easy to find in that special aisle.
Don’t worry; you may not be alone over there, but I doubt anyone is going to ask you any questions!
Y’all: we CAN. Our bodies are amazing machines that give us the ability to move it and shake it. Don’t let anything hold you back from doing whatever it is you want to do in life. Running, jumping, skipping, frolicking, dancing: it’s not just for kids. Moms can do all this too.
Be sure to get out there and run toward your sunrise or your castle or whatever it is that makes you happy.
As for me, I’ll work on complaining a little less after a long run. Hey, I’ve got a good thing going over here with the runDisney events. I don’t want anyone to think I’m not appreciative of that!
You can visit the other ladies across the country who have also #TriedImpressa by clicking on their location here! Be sure to check them out.
Patty Holliday is the owner and creator of all things No-Guilt Universe. As a lifelong fangirl and pop culture connoisseur, she’s been creating online since 2009. You can find her work at No-Guilt Disney.com, No-Guilt Fangirl.com, No-Guilt Life, and as host of the top-rated No-Guilt Disney Podcast.
Love this entire post! Our bodies ARE amazing, and sometimes I take that for granted. I need to get back into my running routine ASAP. I feel so alive when I run!
You can ROCK this and I was just telling my hubby the other day that I’d REALLY love to get back into running! You are inspiring!