The Mother Runners Podcast: Moms Chasing Personal Bests

The Mother Runners I Whitney Heins
  • 4.8 (111)
  • Running
  • Updated Weekly

The Mother Runners is where ambitious moms come to chase bigger goals. Each episode features in-depth (& often fun!) interviews with mother runners (aka moms who run). Every mother runner has an incredible story, whether she’s crossing her first finish line or going after a PR. 🌀 Real stories of strength, hope, and overcoming🌀 Training, racing, and mindset lessons you can use in your own running🌀 Practical ways to fit big goals into a busy family life We need to hear each other’s stories to lift each other up, learn, grow, and be inspired. This podcast will motivate, entertain, and educate you to reach your potential. Thanks for being here!   This podcast is a SandyBoy Production.    Let’s connect!:  IG: @themotherrunners & themotherrunners.com

  1. 5d ago

    AGING Doesn't Mean SLOWING Down: A Masters Running Deep Dive

    Send us Fan Mail THANK YOU 💗 GOODR for sponsoring this episode. Functional, fashionable, fun, and affordable eyewear. Save $10 off at the link! Turning 40 doesn't mean your best running years are behind you — it means the way you train has to change. In this episode, we sit down with MY running coach Nick Klastava (USATF & RRCA certified, head coach of Running Explained and co-host of the name sake podcast) to break down what the science actually says about masters running, and how to build a smarter training block after 40. We cover: 🌀Why aerobic fitness decline after 40 is real, but mostly optional if you keep training 🌀How training should change for runners over 40 🌀Appropriate goals for runners over 50 🌀His approach to my training as a 45-year-old mom going for her fastest marathon time (low 2:50s) 🌀Why your ceiling — VO2max, lactate threshold, even PRs — stays highly  Whether you're chasing a running PR over 40 or just trying to keep showing up strong, this episode gives you the science-backed playbook for training smarter, not less. RESOURCES: IG: @runningexplained & @nklastava  Website & podcast: runningexplained.com 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. www.themotherrunners.comInstagram: @themotherrunnersYouTube: The Mother Runnerswhitney@themotherrunners.com

  2. Oct 12

    LINDSAY CROUSE: Makes the Case for Quitting (& NOT living a MISERABLE life)

    Send us Fan Mail Ever stuck with something just because you said you'd do it--even if that goal didn't serve you anymore? I think we all have. Today's guest completely upends the perseverance culture with her new book, The Case For Quitting.  Lindsay Crouse has spent her career at the intersection of running and storytelling — and her new book will completely change how you think about quitting. Lindsay ran at Harvard and later, came within 8 minutes of the Olympic Trials Marathon standard. But most of you probably know her name from The New York Times, where she spent fifteen years as a senior editor and producer, breaking some of the biggest stories in women's sports — including the reporting that helped push Nike to guarantee pay for pregnant athletes and the story of Mary Cain's troubling time at Nike. Now Lindsay is channeling everything she's learned about grit, ambition, and burnout into her first book, The Case for Quitting.  We dive into: 🌀What drove her to challenge this idea that PERSEVERANCE is always the answer 🌀How quitting can be one of the most courageous & empowering thing we can do 🌀Signs (& questions to ask yourself) that it is time to quit  🌀The importance of intention in the choices we make (big & small) RESOURCES: Book, The Case for Quitting IG: @lindsaycrouse THANK YOU, SPONSORS: 💗 BEAM MINERALS plant based liquid minerals. Save 20% with code MOTHERRUNNER. 💗AQUA OMEGA High-quality Omega-3s. Save 20% with code MOTHERRUNNER. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Mother runners and perseverance culture03:20 — “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”09:34 — Healthy hard work versus pointless grinding13:18 — Is your hard work actually working?17:32 — When a marathon goal stops serving you18:36 — Letting go of an Olympic Trials qualifying goal22:32 — Chasing faster marathon times and moving goalposts23:05 — Training through injury and redefining success27:25 — Running in seasons, not constant progress45:27 — Healthy striving versus detrimental strivingWhitney 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. www.themotherrunners.comInstagram: @themotherrunnersYouTube: The Mother Runnerswhitney@themotherrunners.com

  3. Oct 5

    ANGELA RECKART: From D1 Coaching to Competing as a Girl Mom & Masters

    Send us Fan Mail THANK YOU 💗 GOODR for sponsoring this episode. Functional, fashionable, fun, and affordable eyewear. Save $10 off at the link! Today we are hearing from someone who has lived and breathed running pretty much her whole life.  Angela Reckart ran Division III at The College of New Jersey, where she was a seven-time All-American and part of two national championship relay teams. From there, she moved into coaching — North Florida, North Carolina, six seasons at Penn State helping lead the Nittany Lions to a Big Ten title, and Duke. But off the track, she's 'Coach Reck' — girl mom to two daughters, a woman of faith, and someone who's had to figure out, in real time, what it looks like to build a career around running while also building a family. Today, Angela is going for an Olympic Trials Qualifying time in the marathon in her 40s. That, after she didn’t race for 16 years, and then went from a 2:55 to a 2:45 marathon in 16 months, running her PR just this past April in Boston.  In this episode, we dive into: 🌀The transition from competing to coaching 🌀Her experience in returning to racing 🌀What her training looks like as a mom in her 40s going for the Olympic Trials 🌀Her top mother runner hacks...and mistakes TIMESTAMPS: 1:39 — Motherhood and running’s “busy season” 12:45 — Navigating coaching, travel, and a newborn 14:23 — Why she started marathon training 15:54 — Marathon running as a personal reset 17:36 — Racing goals in your forties 18:47 — The power of stacking training cycles 20:27 — Running mechanics for stronger, more durable runners 22:53 — Think like your own coach 24:39 — Identity beyond motherhood and running 42:18 — Managing injuries without spiraling RESOURCES: IG: @coach_reck  Site: NGU Coaching THANK YOU, SPONSOR!: 💗 AQUA OMEGA High-quality Omega-3s. Save 20% with code MOTHERRUNNER. 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. www.themotherrunners.comInstagram: @themotherrunnersYouTube: The Mother Runnerswhitney@themotherrunners.com

  4. Sep 28

    You Can Do It All, Just Not All at Once: Fuel Goods Founder (& new mom) Laura Jorgensen

    Send us Fan Mail Fuel Goods co-founder Laura Jorgensen is on a mission to make sports nutrition simpler, and she's doing it while rebuilding her body and raising a newborn. Laura's relationship with movement has never followed a straight line. After three ACL tears ended her collegiate basketball career at Swarthmore, she turned to running, then cycling, and rode it all the way to the pro ranks with 50+ podiums and a spot on the U.S. National Team. Along the way, she co-founded Fuel Goods, the discovery marketplace and Fuel Planner built to take the guesswork out of endurance fueling. This January, Laura had her knee replaced. This summer, she became a mom for the first time. Now she's easing back into running through run-walk physical therapy, chasing a very different kind of comeback. The advice that changes everything? You can do it all, you just can't do it all at once. In this episode, we talk about: 🌀 The story behind Fuel Goods and the Fuel Planner, which turns your training plan into a fueling plan you can actually buy 🌀 How becoming a mom changes your relationship with ambition, time, and performance 🌀 The "highest and best use of my time" question Laura uses to make faster, saner decisions 🌀 Redefining what it means to be a runner in a new season of life This conversation goes beyond sports nutrition. It's about resilience, patience, and learning how to stack hard things that fill you up instead of drain you.  RESOURCES: IG: @fuel_goods Grab a free personalized fueling plan at fuelgoods.com/fuelingplan. THANK YOU, SPONSORS!: 💗 BEAM MINERALS plant based liquid minerals. Save 20% with code MOTHERRUNNER.  💗 AQUA OMEGA High-quality Omega-3s. Save 20% with code MOTHERRUNNER. 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. www.themotherrunners.comInstagram: @themotherrunnersYouTube: The Mother Runnerswhitney@themotherrunners.com

  5. Sep 21

    STOP Chasing the PERFECT Training Week

    Send us Fan Mail What if your training week doesn’t go according to plan—and that’s actually okay? In this special solo episode, I am breaking down why chasing the “perfect” training week can create unnecessary stress, especially for us busy moms. Fitness isn’t built from one perfect workout or week—it’s built through consistency, adaptation, recovery, and playing the long game. I share how to handle missed workouts without guilt, when to modify or skip a workout, and why you never need to “make up” every run. In this episode, I talk about: Why consistency matters more than perfect trainingWhat to do when you miss a workoutThe difference between green-, yellow-, and red-light training weeksWhy recovery is an essential part of trainingHow busy moms can build flexible training plans that survive real lifeBecause you don’t need a perfect training week to become a stronger runner—you just need to keep laying the bricks. This episode will empower you to take control of your training & handle mishaps with grace and resilience.  THANK YOU, SPONSORS: 💗LITTLE SPOON meal/snack delivery for kids ages 0-12! Save 30% with code MOTHERRUNNER. 💗 GOODR functional, fashionable, fun, and affordable eyewear. Save $10 off at the link! 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. www.themotherrunners.comInstagram: @themotherrunnersYouTube: The Mother Runnerswhitney@themotherrunners.com

  6. Sep 14

    The Ultimate runDisney Insider: Secrets, Strategy & Magic with LISA DINOTO GLASSNER

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when you walk away from the “perfect” life on paper and create a life that actually feels like yours? Today, I talk with Lisa DiNoto Glassner, a former Big Law attorney who traded her legal career for a new chapter—and eventually discovered running and runDisney. After completing more than 100 runDisney races, Lisa has become an expert on everything from race logistics and costumes to corrals, characters, and the magic of the experience. Now, she’s sharing everything she’s learned in her new book, The runDisney Companion. In this episode: 🌀Lisa’s journey from Big Law to becoming a runner and runDisney expert 🌀Her best runDisney tips, secrets, and race-day advice 🌀What first-time runDisney runners need to know before race weekend 🌀How to make the most of the characters, courses, and magic If you’ve ever thought, “A Disney race sounds amazing, but I have no idea how this works,” this episode is for you! RESOURCES: Website & book: https://thecastlerun.com/ IG: @thecastlerunner THANK YOU, SPONSORS!: 💗 BEAM MINERALS plant based liquid minerals. Save 20% with code MOTHERRUNNER.  💗 AQUA OMEGA High-quality Omega-3s. Save 20% with code MOTHERRUNNER. 💗HUUG dryer-safe, wire-free, & OH SO COMFY bras. Save 15% with code THEMOTHERRUNNER. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Lisa’s journey from Harvard Law to Run Disney 07:24 — Grief, motherhood, and feeling out of balance 09:46 — How running helped Lisa through her father’s illness 12:11 — Running a Disney half marathon to honor her dad 15:17 — From runner to Run Disney expert and author 16:17 — Why the Run Disney community welcomes every runner 25:41 — First-time Run Disney tips: train like it’s a real race 27:45 — Sleep, recovery, and managing family expectations 36:37 — The biggest mistake moms make on race weekend 51:17 — Why the pursuit of a goal matters more than the finish line 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. www.themotherrunners.comInstagram: @themotherrunnersYouTube: The Mother Runnerswhitney@themotherrunners.com

  7. Sep 7

    No Disappearing Act: MEGAN COOKE on Motherhood, Marathons, and Never Giving Up

    Send us Fan Mail Most runners are told to wait until life gets easier before chasing big goals. Megan Cooke proves the opposite is true. In this conversation, the founder of Never Give Up coaching shares how she went from elite rowing and years of coaching to running sub-3 marathons as a mom of three, building a fast-growing coaching brand, and refusing to let motherhood erase her athletic identity.  I get to pull back the curtain on Megan’s real life: three kids, three schools, endless car lines, late-night treadmill miles, and a training approach built on consistency, threshold work, and the courage to aim higher. You'll discover: 🌀Why Megan stopped treating motherhood and ambition like an either-or decision 🌀The training principles behind her Boston, London, and Cincinnati breakthroughs 🌀How she built Never Give Up Coaching from a brand-new Instagram account to a thriving business in under a year 🌀Why she believes moms should stop apologizing for wanting time to train 🌀How HRT, perimenopause, and honest self-advocacy fit into the picture for women in their 40s Her message is clear: you do not need to disappear inside motherhood to be a good mom. This one is essential listening for moms who want to run faster without feeling guilty, athletes rebuilding after babies, and anyone who needs a reminder that your best race might still be ahead of you. TIMESTAMPS: 00:31 — Parenting three kids 03:45 — Running every day amid family life 18:07 — Twelve marathons for self-empowerment 30:53 — Coaching, mentorship, and “holding the mirror” 32:35 — Letting go of shame around big goals 34:11 — Pursuing your goals alongside your kids 35:17 — The pressure to overcompensate after a long run 37:32 — Modeling empowerment for your children 38:44 — Being honest about fatigue and recovery 59:36 — Make time, find support, and be brave  THANK YOU, SPONSORS!: 💗 GOODR functional, fashionable, fun, and affordable eyewear. Save $10 off at the link! 💗CURE HYDRATION delicious & clean hydration: Save 15% with code MOTHERRUNNER. 💗LITTLE SPOON meal/snack delivery for kids ages 0-12! Save 30% with code MOTHERRUNNER. RESOURCES: Coaching: ngucoaching.com IG: @runningcoachmegan and my coaching website www.ngucoaching.com.  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. www.themotherrunners.comInstagram: @themotherrunnersYouTube: The Mother Runnerswhitney@themotherrunners.com

  8. Aug 31

    CAROLYN COFFIN: What If Your Best Running Is Still Ahead?

    Send us Fan Mail If you’ve hit a plateau, haven’t nailed your race, are navigating midlife running, or are trying to figure out how to keep improving without burning yourself out, this conversation gives you the real story. I chat with Carolyn Coffin, a running coach, podcast host of Inspired Soles, and competitive marathoner whose story spans late-blooming success, coaching, and an ongoing quest to rediscover what running can feel like. We discuss: 🌀How injuries, DNFs, perimenopause, and motherhood have shaped Carolyn's perspective as a runner 🌀The role easy running had in her breakthrough 🌀 What it really means to play the long game and why your best running may still be ahead, even in your 40s and 50s 🌀How she is approaching coaching her husband to a 2:35 marathon at the age of 45 Carolyn also opens up why she’s now taking a scientist’s approach to her own running instead of forcing a result.  Her perspective is equal parts honest and hopeful - a reminder that a rough patch does not have to become the whole story. TIMESTAMPS: 02:16 — Late-blooming runner starts in her 30s03:13 — Easy running breakthrough and training structure05:27 — Early PRs from 5K to half marathon06:26 — First marathon disaster and why it stuck08:29 — Motherhood, military life, and running community13:25 — Why running “sucks” at the beginning16:43 — Boston Marathon pacing mistake and heat22:51 — Extreme heat race cancellation30:17 — Easy runs feel worse; blood sugar and perimenopause40:14 — Public goals, pressure, and marathon mindsetRESOURCES: Podcast: Inspired Soles IG: @inspiredsolescast or @carolyn.c.coffin THANK YOU, SPONSORS!: 💗LITTLE SPOON meal/snack delivery for kids ages 0-12! Save 30% with code MOTHERRUNNER. 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. www.themotherrunners.comInstagram: @themotherrunnersYouTube: The Mother Runnerswhitney@themotherrunners.com

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The Mother Runners is where ambitious moms come to chase bigger goals. Each episode features in-depth (& often fun!) interviews with mother runners (aka moms who run). Every mother runner has an incredible story, whether she’s crossing her first finish line or going after a PR. 🌀 Real stories of strength, hope, and overcoming🌀 Training, racing, and mindset lessons you can use in your own running🌀 Practical ways to fit big goals into a busy family life We need to hear each other’s stories to lift each other up, learn, grow, and be inspired. This podcast will motivate, entertain, and educate you to reach your potential. Thanks for being here!   This podcast is a SandyBoy Production.    Let’s connect!:  IG: @themotherrunners & themotherrunners.com

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