SPEAKER_01 0:53

Hello everyone, I'm super excited to introduce you today to my friend Maddie. She has been a friend of mine since high school. We ran cross-country together. Maddie has continued to run through college and is now running marathons even while having children. She actually is currently working towards running all eight world major marathons, is that right? World Marathon majors. World Marathon majors, so sorry. So Maddie is a huge inspiration to me. I've watched her run all of her races while having her two kids. And this is something she's super passionate about is running and sharing about how she's doing this journey while also being a mom. So Maddie, I'm so happy you're here. Thanks for coming on the show today.

SPEAKER_00 1:38

Thank you for inviting me. So fun to reconnect. It's been a while. And honestly, you might regret asking me to do this because I could talk about these things for hours. I know that's exactly what I want. Sometimes I feel bad when somebody asks me a question about being a mom and running. I feel like I can't keep my mouth shut. I talk a little too much about it.

SPEAKER_01 2:02

So I totally get it. I'm the same way when it comes to protein and lifting weights. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 2:10

Yes, exactly. You cut you you caught me on my soapbox here.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

I love it. So tell us a little bit about your story and how running has become such a big part of your life.

SPEAKER_00 2:22

Yeah. Um, well, I guess my story probably starts back in even elementary school, I'd say my dad grew up not being a runner, but then kind of found a passion for it uh when I was in elementary school and ended up qualifying for Boston and becoming super passionate about it. And through that, you know, he kind of encouraged me to try different things. So I grew up running 5K's and 10Ks here and there, but never really considered myself a runner, you know. I love to play sports, so I played soccer and basketball, and that's kind of what introduced me more officially to the sport, I would say. As a freshman, tried out for the high school soccer team. I worked hard all summer. I was, you know, super committed and dedicated and did everything I could, but walked away ultimately from the tryouts with a spot on the freshman sophomore team, so not like even on the high school team itself. But I did um end up running the fastest mile at the tryouts out of all the girls that tried out, and ended up getting a call from the high school cross-country coach, our high school cross-country coach, who said, Hey, I heard about your mile time, just come and try um our meet this Saturday, you know, just see what you think. And I was like, Oh, geez, okay, I guess I better go do this, get this guy off my back, you know? And and so I went and tried it out, and within a couple of weeks had quit soccer, quit basketball. It just felt right, and that's kind of where the journey officially started. Interestingly enough, I remember secretly wishing in those first couple of weeks, maybe a month or two in, wishing that I had broken legs so I didn't have to run. So it was like this weird dichotomy of this feels right, but this really sucks, you know? Anyways, it just was super hard, but I couldn't stop. I just was like something about it just kept bringing me back. So, anyways, I stuck with it through high school, ended up doing pretty good. My freshman year went to state with the team that year and just started to see success through high school. Started hearing from colleges and realized, oh, maybe this could be something I could do beyond high school. Maybe it could pay for my school. You know, doors just kind of started opening from there. From that, I ended up committing to first running for Weaver State University in Ogden, Utah, and then following uh serving a mission for my church, I transferred to Utah Valley University where I finished out the remaining three or four years of school that I had because my husband was at the school up the road at BYU. I continued to find a growing love and passion for the sport, definitely changed in pressure and stress that kind of came through that next level, but also had to navigate coming back from a year and a half break as I was a missionary and kind of what that looked like. Experienced some injury over the years, also continued to find success and continued to find a love for learning about the sport. And you know, I feel like in high school you've learned the basics of the sport, but then I learned in college, oh wow, there's so many little things that I can do that can really add up and help me be even better. So, even amidst some of those difficulties, found some success. I ended up being the the first woman to qualify for nationals at our school, so that was pretty cool. I didn't know that. Yeah, that's awesome! Wow, that was that was something that was pretty special for me to walk away from, and then to be able to see the team continue that success. So the year or two after that, our team went as a whole team for the first time ever to nationals. Once I graduated, um, I definitely knew that I didn't want running to stop. It was such a big part of me. There was like the sense of relief of no more stress or pressure from needing to perform for a team, but more I want to do this because I love it and I want to have it continue to be a part of my life. And so I I don't know if I necessarily at the time was like, I'm going to run marathons, but I just knew that I wanted to keep training and finding races to run. And I knew I wanted to run a marathon, you know, at least sometime in my life. But over the years, that has just kind of evolved as I've dipped my toe in different distances and different terrains and types of races, and have really come to find a love for the marathon. And so that's kind of where I'm at now. As you mentioned, I have two little kids and I'm passionate about both. I'm passionate about running and I'm passionate about my kids and my family. And so it has definitely been a journey of trying to figure out how to make those two things coexist. Um, because I can't imagine my life without either of them. So it's kind of just been like, okay, this has to happen. How? How do we make this happen? Because I need these two things.

SPEAKER_01 7:22

Yes, I know exactly what you're talking about. How did your training pivot once you became a mom? How did you adjust after having your babies?

SPEAKER_00 7:31

Yeah, I think that you know, becoming a mom starts with getting pregnant, right? Even before having kids, just merely carrying a child affects your physical goals and everything else. Um, you know, it's a it has a domino effect on things. And so I feel like at first I was like pretty, I don't know, unsure. Like I've never grown a human in me and I've never ran and done that at the same time. So I think a lot of it was just kind of dabbling and just trying it out. Like doctor said I was okay as long as I felt good. I think that I've just learned with each kid that I can do more than I think. I think I was pretty timid about my training with my first, both before and after, just not knowing what my body could do, you know. And I think I almost thought, like, oh, I had a baby, so I don't know if I'll ever be able to be as fast as I once was, you know. Just this kind of hint of doubt, I guess, and just uncertainty, you know, it's just new. But come my daughter, I was able to gain fitness back after my first kid. Like, I wonder what else I could do, or I wonder if I could do it a little bit sooner than than maybe I did. Again, I was like pretty cautious during that process, but um just learn okay, my body is stronger than I think you gotta be smart, right? But you can do more than you think. So that's kind of the backstory. I'd say, like, the nitty-gritty of the training after having kids honestly just looks like being creative and flexible. Amen. Um, I would say, yeah. Um like definitely earlier mornings, or at least trying. This is a constant battle, but trying to get to bed earlier so that I can get as much sleep as possible. That's kind of a big one for me right now. Before you had total flexibility of just being able to go out and do whatever you need to do and go for a run, go to the gym. Yeah, like there's no coordinating, you know. Um, but now, like, you just have to coordinate with whoever's gonna watch them, or I ended up having to get a treadmill, which I vowed I never would do. I hate treadmills, they're kind of the worst. But now I am so grateful that I have one, and I actually love having one because you can't always control someone being here, you know, husband's on a business trip, whatever it may be. So that looks different. Never thought that would be me, but here we are. I am guilty of working out in my street clothes because I didn't finish what I was doing earlier that morning. I did my run, I did my bike or whatever, but I didn't do my core or I didn't do a strength training that I wanted to do. So, well, there's no other option, but I'm gonna do it right here because the kids are playing and I have 10 minutes and I'm gonna get sweaty anyway. So that's probably the grossest confession ever. But like essentially you just do what you gotta do. Like, you gotta get creative, and it doesn't always make sense on paper. But if it's something you're passionate about, then you find a way. So that was a very long-winded answer to your question. But yeah, essentially it's different, but you can make it happen.

SPEAKER_01 10:41

Yes. Well, you know, I totally agree with you. I love the idea of seizing the opportunities as they come. I had to learn to do the same thing when I had my daughter. It was like, there is no more just going to the gym whenever. You know, my husband, he works super early. And so there isn't going to the gym at 5 a.m. because that's when he's going to work. And so I had to learn to seize the opportunities when baby's sleeping, or when you do have your support around, or when you do have those 10 minutes and the kids are playing, you know, it's good for them to see you working out. So I could not agree more with everything you said. It's just reality.

SPEAKER_00 11:24

Yeah, there's there's no other way. And it's fine.

SPEAKER_01 11:28

How did racing pregnant and postpartum go for you? Did it challenge your expectations? Were you sick? How did that go for you?

SPEAKER_00 11:36

Yeah, so my first baby, a I didn't race at all. I think part of it too was mentally. I think in running and anything really, you're gonna ebb and flow and your commitment to it and your brain power around it. I think I needed a little bit of a mental break and just to have it be a fun thing. Well, I don't think I even wore a watch for like a year. That's like a cardinal sin for any runner. I'm like such a black and white perfectionist, but I just had to run for the fun of it. And so part of that was no racing. There wasn't anything that sounded fun to me. So I just didn't. I just ran when I wanted to, and however long I wanted to or however short. That said, my first race postpartum after my son. The biggest thing I realized from that race and then races thereafter was to let go of expectations, but also don't hold yourself back, if that makes sense. Just see what your body can do, but also don't be afraid of what it can do because maybe you're stronger than you think. So that kind of has been like a recurring theme, I would say. Like I mentioned, I was more timid with my son, and then you know, come my second baby, I wasn't as nervous. So I ended up running a race, a marathon, nine weeks pregnant with my daughter. Um, so I wasn't very far along, but like you know, the first trimester, it's just kind of the worst. Yeah, luckily I am blessed in the fact that like knock on wood, like this could change with any kid, but I'm blessed in the fact that I mainly get nauseous and tired and just kind of what's the word? Like food doesn't sound very good. I can still eat, I can keep it down. Aversions? Aversion, yes, yeah. Um, I can keep it down. I'll have to change how I eat because I can't eat everything, but I definitely was experiencing that going into that marathon and was eating way different. I think I survived off of bread and bread alone uh during that time because I was like the only thing that sounded good, you know. Whereas I'd usually eat lots of vegetables and lots of meat and protein and a pretty balanced eater, but it was like only carbs, simple carbs. I need all of it. So I was just I don't know, going into the marathon, I was like, I don't know. We will just see how this goes because it hasn't been perfect. I felt sick. I've had to adjust my training and I've had to adjust my eating and everything, but I signed up for it and I'm just gonna do it, and we're just gonna see what happens. Anyways, woke up the morning of the race, miraculously, the nausea had gone. I don't know what happened. I think the Lord was just like, here you go, I know that you need this, so I'm just gonna give you a break for a day, and then the next day it came back. But I took that day and I ran with it, so ended up setting up a PR in the marathon that day. I was gonna be so happy if I broke three hours and ended up with a 249. So it shaved off even more time than I thought. And ultimately, I tell you that story because that really I think was pivotal for me of like, oh my gosh, there is so much more that I can do than I realize. From here on out, I cannot set limits on myself because this was my second marathon, and I just broke three and I hit a huge PR. Something I never in my wildest dreams thought that I could do, even not being pregnant, you know. And I constantly go back to that moment of just like, why not me? Why not now? Even a myth, imperfection, and unpredictability of being pregnant or being a mom, you know.

SPEAKER_01 15:09

That's so incredible and so impressive.

SPEAKER_00 15:13

Oh, thank you.

SPEAKER_01 15:15

That's amazing. And how was it for you postpartum?

SPEAKER_00 15:18

What was that experience like for you? Yeah, so after my second baby, I definitely jumped into things a lot faster than I did my first. I waited quite a while to really jump into running again with my first, but my second, as soon as I got the clearance to run, I was out there. I was, of course, being smart, I was slowly gradually building, you know, and working with a pelvic floor therapist just to make sure that I was doing things right and being smart. But six weeks in was starting to run again, and ended up running in the New York marathon five months postpartum, and then did the Boston Marathon 11 months postpartum, and through that, it was definitely not a perfect journey. You'll see a recurring theme here. I would say if there were like two steps forward, one step back, two steps forward, one step back, where like my body's feeling good, things are feeling good, and then a little something would creep up, and I'd have to kind of take a step back, analyze what was going on, go back to the basics. I definitely relied on professionals to uh bounce ideas off of and and kind of work through, but it taught me to be patient and also remember okay, your body did just go through a lot, so don't be surprised when these things happen. Be smart about it, but don't let that hold you back. So there's this fine balance of just trying to tune into my body and be smart and be patient. Patience has was and is such a big lesson that I've had to learn over and over again. But yeah, it's been cool to look back and see how my body has adapted and adjusted and gotten stronger, you know, even as simple as when I first started running, my core was just working so hard, you know. And it's cool now I don't even think about that. I go out for a run and things are clicking more after just being diligent with trying to train those muscles back again. So yeah, that's kind of where we're at. It'll be interesting to see. I really think with each baby I'm learning more and more about how to listen to my body, how to be patient while also still setting big goals because it's possible. And as long as you're smart and you don't push yourself beyond your means, then who knows what you can do.

SPEAKER_01 17:37

Absolutely. I believe with my whole heart that we are capable of so much more than we realize. And the human body's incredible. Having babies and then being able to regain that strength and then achieve bigger goals, uh, in fact, exceed goals. It's really truly incredible. Tell us a little bit more about your goals. I want to hear more about the eight marathon majors.

SPEAKER_00 18:01

Majors, yes. I don't know why there's so many words to describe it, but yeah, so I I didn't even know that it was a thing. Maybe it's something that all runners know about, but I just thought like there were just races, just marathons throughout the world. I didn't know that there were certain marathons that were considered to be the gold star marathons. During my second marathon, I found somebody that was my same pace, and 26 miles is a long way, you know. And of course, you're working hard, but it's an endurance uh race, right? So we were chatting just a little bit, and I was asking her how many marathons she'd ran and what was her favorite and all these things, and she mentioned um the Berlin Marathon and the World Marathon majors, and I was like, huh. And that was it, that was the conversation, but she just mentioned it to me, and I could not stop thinking about it. As soon as that day, the day of the race, I looked it up and I learned everything that there was to know about the world marathon majors and what they entail, and it was like I couldn't fall asleep because I was thinking about it, I was just so excited about this idea, but it still felt kind of out of reach, like that's a lot of money and time and planning, and how does it even work, and just a lot of unknowns, you know. So I kind of stood on it for like a year, I'd say, of just like, oh, that would be cool, that could be cool, you know. And then just the more I talked to my husband about it, the more he was like, Why not? Let's do it, you know. And that was kind of cool because when we were dating and engaged, there's this distinct conversation that we both remember where we were just talking in the car, and all of a sudden, I can't remember how it came up or why, but I was like, Let's travel the world, you know, and it has always been this kind of inside joke that we've had, but also this goal that we've had in the back of our minds that we haven't really been able to put into action. I was just like, Oh, that would be cool. So, anyways, these two things have essentially collided where I've committed myself to running these world marathon majors and decided I can't wait. Like, I'm too excited about it to wait till I'm done having kids. I'm doing it now while I'm growing my family, and I get to do it with my husband. And I don't know if I've ever had a goal like this before where I get chills talking about it, and like I said, sometimes I have a hard time falling asleep because I'm thinking about it, or it's what gets me out of bed at 4 a.m. for a long run on a Saturday because I am so excited about this possibility of having this long-term goal with these incredible races and being able to travel the world and make memories and be able to push myself along the way. So we're two in. We've done two out of the eight, and I'm waiting to hear back on the London marathon this month, I think, is when I should hear back as to whether I got in. But yeah, that's kind of the story behind it all. I'm learning that there's a lot of different details on how to get in and requirements and different things. So that's been a big part of it is just learning um the best way to get into these marathons. But I created a an Instagram account called Maddie's Marathon to journal and document this journey along the way, and alongside my general passion for running and being a mom. That's been kind of fun to share my experiences and what I've learned and connect with people. Uh, mainly just a journal for myself and an opportunity to connect with others. So we'll see where things take us. It's been cool, it's been super fun.

SPEAKER_01 21:35

It's been fun for me to watch your journey. What are the two that you have done? Is Boston one of them?

SPEAKER_00 21:40

So Boston is one of them, and that's the only one you have to have a time requirement to get into it or to even apply, because even if you hit the time, it's still not guaranteed that you're in the race. All the others, all seven of the others, are open to anybody, but because there's so many people that apply, they're all lottery based. It's really hard to get into a lot of them. If you hit a certain time, then your odds increase quite a bit. You just get put into a pool that has hit that time requirement, and then there's a lottery within that, or some of them might take the fastest out of that group. So you get better odds if you're able to hit those time requirements. New York is the other one that I've done. That one I got to do with my dad, which was super cool. Somehow he got into the lottery. It was the last minute, like, Dad, you should do this, you should try. And we both ended up getting in. So yeah, the other ones are the London Marathon, is one, one in the United States is the Chicago Marathon. So those are the three US ones Chicago, New York, and Boston. And then outside of that, you've got London, like I mentioned, Berlin, you've got Sydney, Tokyo, and they just added uh Cape Town, Africa. And then they're in the works of adding uh Shanghai in China. So slowly they're adding more and more to the world marathon majors. And my husband was teasing me. So is this gonna be like a never-ending goal? Is there always gonna be another one? And I was like, Yep, it's all part of my plan.

SPEAKER_01 23:13

I love that so much. I love that it's never ending because it's just that's what I'm saying. It's awesome, it's so fun. It is, and like I love that they're just adding more places around the world. Like, this is a great goal.

SPEAKER_00 23:31

Yeah, it's it's pretty cool. Originally there were six. So when you do the original six, you get your six-star medal, and then if you do seven, then you get a seven-star medal. So there's a medal that you get when you complete these majors, and as they're adding majors, they like don't want to take away from those that did the original six, and so they still kind of like celebrate or honor those six, those seven, those eight. So potentially you could come away with this, like with tons of medals, I guess, if they keep adding, but anyways, that's besides the point. The medal's kind of just like kind of a cool memento. That's kind of the gist behind it. It's been fun to learn about what all goes into it and and what that looks like.

SPEAKER_01 24:13

Yeah, that is so cool. And I cannot wait to see you with the six-star medal and the seven-star medal and the eight-star medal. Like you're gonna go.

SPEAKER_00 24:22

I gotta find a way to like I gotta figure out a way to display these. I don't even know what to do with them once you get them, but I don't know. We'll get there when we get there. I've still got a little bit. Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 24:34

Speaking of your Maddie's Marathon account, there's a post you did that I really loved. It was you were doing a core workout with your daughter, and she looks like she's the age where she's learning how to crawl and roll. And so she was basically doing core with you. And in your caption, it was so cute. And in your caption, you talk about how training for I think it was the Boston Marathon has taught you that the little moments matter the most, not perfection, not glamorous. It's just the little moments that make the most. And so, could you tell us a little bit more about that post?

SPEAKER_00 25:11

Yeah, that really was coming from the heart. That's something that I've tried to do with everything that I've put on there, is just to be authentic with what's been on my mind and what's been happening. Something that I'm learning over and over again is that life isn't perfect, and so why would your training be perfect? Especially when you expand your time and your responsibilities to care for and raise little humans. It's gonna be messy because there's just no other way around it. That's what you sign up for. The actual messes and the messes of trying to put it all together, like training for a marathon. I think for me, I've just learned to celebrate the small wins, seize the opportunities as they come. Don't get caught or stuck on the imperfections. If you have two minutes to do some band work because that was on your training for the day, do it. Like you're two minutes ahead of where you were before, you know. We're gonna call that a win. So for me personally, this is big because I, if you haven't caught on, am a perfectionist. This is a big life lesson for me that I'm learning. I've had the mindset sometimes where it's like, well, if I can't do all of it, why do any of it? You know, if I don't have time for my whole bike workout, why even try? And I've just learned this is what you got. So we're just gonna do what we can. And also, I think, especially when it comes to marathon training, the race isn't one in a day, right? The race itself is an endurance race, but the training itself is also an endurance training. The biggest thing is building bricks over time, being consistent over time. It's not like if you have one day or even a week that's you know, your sleep was horrible and you got sick because your kids got sick, and the list goes on, right? That your training's gone and that it doesn't matter. It's this idea of the small things adding up and just taking those as you can, doing what you can with what you got, and just knowing that being consistent over time is going to add up and make a difference.

SPEAKER_01 27:13

I totally agree with you, and I really love what you said that taking the opportunity, those two minutes to get those bands done has brought you two minutes ahead of where you were at. And it's true, those little moments do add up. Do you feel that compound at the end of a race? All that work just coming together and just feeling worth it. Like, how do you feel when you finish those races after all that training through all the mothering and the pregnancy postpartum? How do you feel when you finish those races?

SPEAKER_00 27:44

I think that that's what makes it all extra special and worth it. I'll just share an experience. So when I did the Boston Marathon a couple months ago, I felt that deep to my soul. I finished the race and it was like I couldn't stop the tears. And they were happy tears, and they were also grateful tears, and holy crap, that was hard tears. Not just the race, but like to get here was hard. Reflective tears. All the emotions were just coming out in tears. And I treasure that moment of finishing that race and feeling like I did something bigger than myself, feeling like I did something that I didn't think that I could do, feeling like I put my all out there. And I feel like those are the moments that just make life magical, make life special. That's what makes races extra special, is the behind the scenes that kind of builds up to it. Good.

SPEAKER_01 28:38

I couldn't agree more. Um, I felt that way also when uh I finished the women's epic race. It's not a marathon, it's six miles, but it's like straight up the mountain, straight down. Maddie's done this race before, and I remember crossing the finish line and just tears also because all that work, it comes together in that moment, and there's something just so fulfilling and rewarding about accomplishing something hard and showing yourself that you did it and you can do it and you can do it again.

SPEAKER_00 29:10

Totally, and showing your kids that too. Like my inspiration during the Boston Marathon, especially, was the phrase Mama Miles. When it got hard, I just kind of repeated that to myself, reflecting on all the sleepless nights, all the early morning wakings, all the quick pumps before a long run, thinking of my kids and what I want them to see from me and how I want to set an example for them to live their lives. That's what really pushed me through the hardest part of the marathon was just thinking of them. I want to be someone they can look to as an example of doing hard things and of chasing their dreams and of working hard and just having that purpose beyond myself, that higher purpose can't be matched.

SPEAKER_01 29:59

Yes, and I know for a fact your children are gonna be so inspired by you. Maddie, you've inspired me when speaking of the women's epic race, when you finished that race, I remember seeing a post and you were holding your son, and I saw that and I said, if Maddie can do that postpartum, I can do it postpartum, and I signed up for it the very next year after I had my daughter. What would you say to moms who feel like they have to choose between being a present mom but also pursuing big fitness goals?

SPEAKER_00 30:30

I would say that you can do both. Like, why pick one? You're going to have to make sacrifices for sure, but not necessarily sacrificing those fitness goals or your kids. For example, like I probably say no to quite a few things so that I can get good sleep because I know I'm gonna be a good mom and I'm gonna be healthy if I can get good sleep. So I'm gonna have to sacrifice this late night, or not that I always do that, but like just say there will be some sacrifices along the way of other things, but I think that your passion for both can fuel the other. When you're passionate about your kids, I think that fuels your big fitness goals. Like I said, I want to show my kids that I work hard, that I have big dreams, that they should have big dreams. Uh, you know, the list goes on, and then vice versa. Because I'm passionate about running, I think that it just fuels my passion for my kids and how I want to take care of them and the lessons that I want to teach them. Like they just they just work together. You're gonna have to get creative. You might have to do things different than you've ever done and rely on others in a way that you never have. But if you're passionate about it, you'll find a way and it's possible. You just kind of have to have an open-minded let that passion fuel you.

SPEAKER_01 31:48

That's what I would say. I love that so much. You can have both, and you know, they do kind of feel each other. I feel like I'm a better mom when I take care of myself and pursue the things that I love. And then in return, I feel like because I love my daughter so much, I want to show her these things as well. Thank you so much. I love what you said, and I want to keep talking about all things running and mom, but we're running out of time. So I just wanted to say thank you so much for coming on the podcast today. You've inspired me so much. If you would like to continue to follow Maddie in her journey, you can follow her on Instagram at Maddie's Marathons, right? Marathons with an S. Are you on TikTok too? Is it just Instagram?

SPEAKER_00 32:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:34

Yep. Same, same handle on TikTok. Maddie's Marathons, M-A-D-D-I-E-S Marathons. Yep. Um, Maddie, thank you so much. It's been so good to talk to you. Uh thank you, Abby. Appreciate it. Thank you so much for hanging out with me on GitFill Faith. If you know someone who would be an amazing guest for the podcast, or maybe that person is you, and you do have knowledge, experience, or stories you would love to share, reach out to me through the link in the show notes or send me a DM on Instagram or TikTok. If you love this episode, please share it with your girlfriends, your sisters, your mom, and anyone else is ready to do more for themselves. And then join me on social media at this. Let's do the hard thing together. I want to see your progress and celebrate with you. Because after all, consistency will take you farther than the perfectionist ever could. See you next time, babe. Quick reminder though I am a nurse, this podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. This does not replace the advice of a licensed healthcare professional. Take what serves you, do what's best for your body, and always seek professional guidance when needed.