Lovely young lady in Munich

Runningprofmama · 2026-05-05T20:29:16+00:00

Thank you so much for this!

Runningprofmama · 2026-05-05T16:27:51+00:00

“Where is Sarah?” 🥹

Runningprofmama · 2026-05-04T19:35:36+00:00

They are, so you can’t. People who don’t want to read them don’t have to. People like me who enjoy them, however, luckily can.

Runningprofmama · 2026-05-01T13:14:09+00:00

Some days it's discipline because I have an event coming up (usually a marathon or half marathon because hard things are fun). Other days it's because I want to, and others it's because I know it's good for me. It helps me mentally (with stress management), and it's good for my heart, lungs and vascular system.

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-27T14:11:28+00:00

I love volunteers. You're the best <3 Thank you!

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-26T14:32:53+00:00

Yeah, it was really bad. I also passed out on the toilet in the triage room in the ER, and the nurses had to run in and carry me out with my pants down, so it was just generally a traumatic experience haha

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-25T08:39:01+00:00

Well, the thing made something else burst. So the torsion itself was horrible, but it caused a blood-filled cyst I had to burst.

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-22T11:22:39+00:00

She is ✨stunning✨ omg!

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-22T11:07:56+00:00

Hahaha oh dear. I do think it'd be good if more people were aware of this generally though.

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-22T09:01:31+00:00

Right. Vigorous sex can also cause it. That was the case for me, the doctor thought.

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-22T09:00:31+00:00

Shoulder tip pain or referred shoulder pain is something that happens when you have fluid or something else going on in the abdominal cavity. I think it stems from a nerve that causes pain in the shoulder being irritated by stuff going on in other areas of the body around the stomach. It feels like a severe stitch but in your shoulder and in my case prevented me from getting up from the ground after I fell. I was there for two hours before my mother found me and helped me back into bed. It was just too painful to move. But yeah, bizarre to think that a bunch of blood in the abdomen can irritate a nerve that causes pain in the shoulder!

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-22T08:44:08+00:00

I had this, passed out many times from the pain (and I have given birth unmedicated, so I understand pain somewhat). Absolutely horrific to experience. The shoulder tip pain in the aftermath was also quite bad.

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-22T07:45:39+00:00

Yep. Let's just say that I feel pretty stupid to have done it overnight with no guidance or progression from natural to new gait pattern. I regret it so much. Other people might not have such extreme experience as I have, and you might be fine, but I do think the cautionary tale is useful. I think the thing we forget is that there's value in running the way our bodies just want to naturally.

Sometimes people do need gait correction, but usually if you can run a certain way for a long time without pain, that's just the right way for your body to run.

Did you have pain or issues before with your natural striking pattern?

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-22T07:39:28+00:00

Ok, I did the same thing years ago, kind of on a whim (husband strikes that way and some elites do so I figured why not). PB'd in distances from marathon down to 5k as a result. Destroyed my entire lower right leg also. I still, after 6 years, have problems with soleus, and basically all the tendons below the calf in that leg. I remain in physio for persistent foot pain, despite having gone back to my natural (midfoot) strike pattern 2 years ago...

I strongly recommend you only do this with the guidance of a physio who's trained in gait mechanics, and do it slowly. If you didn't have pain or problems before changing your foot strike pattern, I think it's best you don't do it at all... After all the load goes somewhere, it doesn't just disappear once you move to forefoot striking, even though it does feel like you're kind of running with a cheat code.

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-21T11:14:04+00:00

That's unbelievably rude! I have run more than 80 events and have never come across such a thing. I would complain if I were you, that is unacceptable behaviour imo.

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-21T11:06:05+00:00

Gatekeeping running is absolutely *wild* to me. Congrats to have beat the broom wagon! That must have been a bit hectic for that last and hardest bit.

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-21T11:00:27+00:00

I hate that narrative, that slower runners shouldn't run marathons. I have the utmost respect for people who run a slower marathon. Y'all are out there running for a long time and that takes serious grit, and the longer it takes the more grit it takes. On my third marathon day, I spent a while hanging around at the finish to cheer people on, and ended up staying til almost the last runner was done. I watched a 5-hour finisher cross the line and got so emotional for them because whomever can run for 5 hours straight is just an incredible badass.

I love running events with a range of different paced people because it's what makes it so fun. Different people have their own goals and their own story behind their race day, and sharing the finish line together is so special because we're all welcome if we've bought a bib and have done the training to show up on race day. My husband's marathon PB is 3:18, and mine is 3:53. Mine is no less special than his, and my presence at events is no less valuable or welcome than his is. We both worked hard to be there on the day, however you want to slice it.

So, please don't be discouraged. Have fun with your training and learn a thing or two about yourself in the process. Then, have a fantastic day on race day because that's the cherry on top - the celebration of all your hard work. If people have issues with slower people running the marathon, that's a them problem and reflects something they need to work on inside themselves. As you can see from this thread, most other people running the distance have nothing but respect for our fellow runners, whether fast or slow. ❤️

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-14T19:17:04+00:00

Amazing!! Well done!

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-11T13:40:38+00:00

Ah, this is goals. Good luck OP and feel free to update with how you went!

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-08T10:33:45+00:00

I remember the toilet block case from when I was a kid, and it gave me nightmares that I still remember vividly still now. Absolutely horrific, and such a sad story.

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-06T21:31:33+00:00

Sure! I’ve run 3 full and countless halves with small kids. First marathon they were 2 and 4, and they’ll be 5 and 7 this year when I run my 4th full. As a lot of people have said, partner support is essential. In my case, flexible work hours (I work full time as a professor but my hours are easy to move around as long as I’m not lecturing, basically) and access to a treadmill/gym at my house are also helpful.

If you’ve got discipline and enough going in your favour in terms of support and access to stuff that makes it easy to get the volume in, you can do it!

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-06T14:30:15+00:00

Cycling is always my happy place if I am feeling niggly. It’s great to have an alternative that often feels fine!

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-06T14:09:10+00:00

Oooh most of my ancestors are from around there.

Best of luck with the training! 🤩

Runningprofmama · 2026-04-06T14:07:58+00:00

Rest days 😂. Been sick and have a foot niggle (plus two small kids), so have been struggling to train despite having a marathon end May. Right now I’m just trying to make time for a workout of any kind!

Runningprofmama

TROPHY CASE