When I first joined Frontrunner’s half marathon clinic https://frontrunners.ca/pages/training-programs, the hardest part wasn’t the fact that I was really out of shape and that every part of my body hurt while running. Instead the hardest part for me was overcoming the persistent “mom guilt” of leaving my kids at home so that I could focus on myself. For a very long time, the needs of my family always came first. The concept of self-care wasn’t in my vocabulary.

At both the running clinic and at Oxygen Fitness https://oxygenyogaandfitness.com/langford-location/, I’ve noticed a theme among the parents I train with. We aren’t just running away from our responsibilities, we are running toward regaining the old version of ourselves. 

By documenting these weekly sessions, I am personally experiencing that the mental health benefits of group fitness are practical, not just theoretical. I am learning that taking time for my health isn’t a “break” from my family, it is the fuel that allows me to show up for them.

Each week, I find myself counting down the days until I meet up with my running group. Out on the pavement, we can talk about anything and everything from the mundane details of the week, to giving each other life advice (real-estate, birthday gift ideas, and even big decisions like marriage proposals)!

In those moments, I am fully present. I am not managing a household or checking off a to-do list in my head. When I am out running, I am not Mom, I am just simply Amy. The old version who I used to be.

Amy