As a female runner, I hardly feel safe when running alone. There’s a little voice in the back of my head, telling me the horror stories of female runners before me. A little voice reminding me of the times I’ve been stalked, touched (I’ve had bikers assault me on a rec path) and yes, even the times I’ve had others try to abduct me while I was running. When I started running with a stroller I felt a little safer. Children in a stroller complicate things for a would be-rapist or attacker. The lone stroller would attract a lot of attention and there’d be more unknown variables with screaming kids around. My stroller was like a safety blanket and we ran everywhere, freely.

​Well, I’ve been a Stroller Warrior for 12 years now. My children are getting older and while they’re not out of the stroller entirely yet, I’ve had a lot more stroller free runs while they’re in school. I’ve begun to feel the need to learn to protect myself. What if I was attacked on a run? Would I know what to do? Would I be able to get away? I’m the kind of person who thinks of a “plan” in the event of x,y,z and if I ever was rushed and someone tried to attack me, my plan was to step wide to make a wide, firm base, and hope that they got thrown off track and I stayed stable so I could run away. That was the entirety of my plan. I had no idea what to do when/if we actually hit the ground together. Or even if we were face to face, with an attack imminent.

In preparation for a return to the States after living in Okinawa, Japan (maybe the safest place on earth? Certainly dubbed the “happiest” by most of the world!), I wanted to learn some self defense. Long ago I picked Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for my kids to do as a sport. After working for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, I wanted my kids to have the ability to defend themselves. I liked that Jiu Jitsu gave them muscle memory and hands-on experiences. I knew from researching that 90% of fights ended up on the ground and if you could gain or maintain ground control, you had a MUCH better chance of winning; of living. I had watched my children for years but never took any classes myself. In preparation for stroller-less running, I signed up.

​So, at 38 years-old, I entered the matted room on base and walked into an entirely new world. I’ve been training for 8 months now and have one stripe on my white belt. I’ve completed in one tournament and took home Gold, beating out two other competitors. I have learned to fight from the ground, on my back. I have learned to choke someone out with my legs (it’s called a triangle choke). Who knew you could choke with your legs?! I primarily “roll,” aka fight, male marines and I’ve learned that I’m so much stronger than I give myself credit for. My running has been an incredible asset to me, which I particularly noticed in the tournament. When I am training BJJ, I didn’t tailor my running at all. I figured if I’m going to get attacked, I’d most likely get attacked on a run. So learning to fight while tired was a goal of mine. So on Saturdays I’d do my long run at 5am, generally around 12 miles, and then go to open mat where I’d spar for 2 hours. When competition day came, my stamina was incredible. I was hardly tired while my competitor looks clearly gassed.

BJJ hasn’t been all rainbows and sunshine. I’ve injured my ribs, and continually have bruises. But in the past 8 months I also have been injured just walking down the steps! (My socks slipped). To me, an injury while learning is part of the game and I’m not afraid of it. Nothing worth fighting for is ever going to come easy, and I have a lot more to learn.

​​I’ve grown in confidence and am learning not only how to choke but how to protect from a choke. Sparing/defending yourself ignites something primal and I am learning how to breathe through that and regain my mental focus in a fight. My friend Anne and fellow runner who is blue belt in BJJ said, “my goal if attacked is always to be a big enough pain that they’ll decide I’m not worth it and go away.”


Before BJJ, had I been attacked, I think once we hit the ground I probably would have tried to talk to them, to play nice and get them to realize I’m a human, a mom. Now, I know when we hit the ground that’s when the fun really begins and I’m not stopping until you run away, I can run away or you passed out from me choking you.


If you’ve ever felt scared for your safety on a run. Consider taking some martial arts or self dense classes. There are a variety of options to choose from and all of them will help your knowledge and confidence grow.


Happy Running!
Kelly

Why do you run? 
 
We all run for different reasons— reasons that vary by day, year, and throughout the seasons of life. I’ve run because I had to— to pass the Army PFT; because I needed some me time— when my youngest was a baby I started a Couch to 5K plan; and for friendship— I love sharing miles with friends. Running with Stroller Warriors® Yuma taught me the last reason- friendship- is my favorite reason to run. There are no mile markers, no pace keepers, no timers or limits on the amount of fun found in miles with friends.

The last couple of years have been challenging times to run with friends due to restrictions, limited in-person events, cancelled meetups and races. I desperately miss running, training and racing with friends. These days, when I head out the door to run, I find that I’m missing my friends and I follow the footsteps on the paths that we shared together. It brings me such joy as I remember the miles and my friendships on these running routes.

I live close to the Mount Vernon Trail— a paved multi-use trail that runs nearly 18 miles from George Washington’s Mount Vernon to Washington, DC that parallels the nearby shoreline of the Potomac River. The Mount Vernon Trail has been a regular weekday and weekend long run route for Stroller Warriors Fort Belvoir.  Additionally, the trail is a favorite running course for members of Stroller Warriors Quantico during marathon training season.  I can hop on at any section of this route and “run with friends”. I can retrace my first marathon training season with my friend Robin and remember ALL THE MILES we ran together. The muggy mornings, the pleasant and not “too” sweltering summer runs and most of all, I vividly remember running my longest runs on this trail week after week. When I begin my runs at Gravelly Point, I immediately flash back to the morning that Sarah and Virginia ran the length of the GW Trail while training for Sarah’s first marathon. If I start at Dangerfield Island Marina, I remember sharing early morning marathon training routes with the Fort Belvoir crew. A 2018 favorite were marathon training miles from Jones Point Park to the GW trail and over the Woodrow Wilson bridge.

Hot summer miles remind me of my running friends at Stroller Warriors Yuma and Stroller Warriors Jacksonville. Yuma and Jacksonville are two distinct kinds of hot, but the feeling is a lot the same. There is no escaping the heat in either place and trying to beat the heat was best done with friends. A favorite Yuma memory was the time we ran from Susannah’s house to the Marine Corps base to catch up with our families at various kids’ sporting activities. Every time I’ve ever squeezed in some miles waiting for my kids at practice, I remember the fun we had on that point-to-point training run. Another great Yuma running memory was a fun run strategy my friend Stacy called a “doodle run”. A doodle run is when you head out the door without a planned route, direction, or mileage goal.  The runners decide the run turn by turn and run as far as the street will let you before going back to pick another direction until you’re ready to go home. Doodle runs are best in neighborhoods with cul-de-sac streets and plenty of ins and outs.  My neighborhood in Yuma and my current neighborhood are both great for doodle runs.  My friends from Yuma come to mind when I run around my current neighborhood to complete a doodle run.  Doodle runs are perfect during the holiday season— running the streets while admiring everyone’s holiday displays. I don’t often listen to music while I run, but holiday tunes make doodle runs in the winter extra special. ​​

​Jacksonville holds a special place in my heart, as I am the founder of SW Jacksonville, Florida. In the process of starting the chapter and in the year after, I ran every neighborhood possible looking for new running routes for the chapter. There are some great running routes in Jacksonville. After all, you’ve got a lot of miles to choose from as it is the largest city by square miles in America. There are lakes, beaches, paved paths, bridges, and sidewalks. You can see a variety of wildlife— snakes, alligators, birds, cranes, turtles, and squirrels. I have a few routes in Northern Virginia that remind me of the trails and paths I would to run in Jax. Anything with water or a bridge and I flashback to the Fleming Island trail and running the bridge over Doctors Lake with the original crew of SW Jax.

The current winter weather reminds me of the miles I shared during challenging weather conditions. Cold winter runs remind me of the race I ran with my friend Angela outside of the Grand Canyon in May. It was freezing at the start of the race. We lived in Yuma, Arizona at the time and it was never near freezing and certainly not in late spring. Rain takes me back to two races. Women’s Half Marathon in May with Warriors from Fort Meade, Fort Belvoir and Quantico where it rained from start to finish. And 2019 Marine Corps Marathon-- there was a torrential downpour for the first half, so much rain that sections of the race were completely flooded.

Even though my running miles are less than they’ve been in years past, I realize that I never run alone. I run with a happy heart because of all these miles shared with the best running friends ever! I love Stroller Warriors for all that it has brought into my life and I know there are a thousand of you out there who think exactly the same. Thank you to friends at SW Yuma, SW Jacksonville, SW Fort Belvoir, and SW Quantico for the memories, friendships and miles shared! 

Happy Running!
​-Heather 
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Heather is a proud mom of 3 and is now a retired Navy spouse. She belonged to SW Yuma and SW Fort Belvoir and is the founder of SW Jacksonville. She also served on our Global Page Team and Headquarters Team until her retirement in 2020. 

In 2010, when training for my first Boston Marathon, I stuck to every prescribed mile on my training plan— I ran through small injuries, bronchitis, fatigue, and all during a bitingly frigid and snowy Boston winter.  Race day was naturally exhilarating, and my mind was thrilled, but my body was not— it was tired, beat-up, and sick of running!  The race went well, but I knew my training would need to change for enhanced performance in the future.  Soon thereafter, I began functional fitness training and continued running often, but not quite as much as before.  As my fitness diversity increased, my running times decreased!  I learned to combine a mixture of workouts ranging from short-duration heavier-weight workouts, to longer metabolic conditioning sessions through other domains such as rowing, or 100+ burpee box jumps.  This naturally strengthened my legs and arms, but most importantly it built a stronger-core— no longer would my back feel strained on long runs, nor my quads cramp at 20+ miles on hilly terrain!  Best of all, it made running more exciting as I craved some miles on road/trail more after not doing it daily!  I specifically remember the excitement of running alongside the roaring Missouri River Trail in Montana while stationed at Malmstrom AFB—running was fresh, I felt refreshed, and I was hungry to get at it!   

This is cross-training.  Cross-training employs various exercises to improve one’s performance in a particular sport— in this case, running.  Cross-training is versatile and can be completed through many different methods— rowing, biking, swimming, strength training, yoga, or even through your favorite sports (soccer and volleyball for instance).  For me, functional fitness training was my major introduction to effective cross-training.  By implementing a multi-domain approach primarily focused on weights, gymnastics, and weightlifting, functional fitness provided me a cross-training experience that improved my running capabilities.

This is what I’ve learned in the past 12 years after adopting cross-training into my running routine and learning that I can run better by training smarter:

1). Cross-training conditions your body to run better by strengthening auxiliary muscle groups not trained while running, while giving your primary running muscle groups a much-needed rest.  Like a car, if you never rotate the tires, you’ll get a flat!  As runners, we also must “rotate” our routines.  Cross-training incorporates many different elements of fitness that activate all muscle groups…this improves endurance while avoiding injury and muscle loss through a diversified use of all muscle groups. 
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2). Cross-training helps athletes maintain their fitness level when overcoming a running injury.  After running the 2012 Boston Marathon, I injured my hip through overuse as it was compensating for a post-partum core in need of strengthening.  My physical therapist recommended I break from running for three months and CrossFit instead.  Through some great coaching at Big Sky CrossFit in Great Falls, MT, I increased my overall endurance/stamina through other multifunctional domains.  After my physical therapist cleared me to run again, I noticed an immediate change— I felt stronger and more agile.  

​3). Cross-training is a form of active recovery.  What is active recovery?  Active recovery is low-intensity exercise after a long, vigorous run, or workout.  Think of how your legs and body feel after a big race or long training run— shattered, as stiff as a board, feet are achy, and you just want to sit for days!  This is when active recovery is useful— helping your muscles and joints recuperate by staying loose.  A family walk, an easy hike through the woods, an enjoyable bike ride, a slow rhythmic pull on the rowing machine— this is a small list of my favorite cross-training activities that I use for active recovery.  

​4). Cross-training offers a change of pace from my usual running schedule, which bolsters my long-term love for running.  Sometimes I just need a change of pace up from my every day running routine with the stroller and the dog, or running on the flat roads in Charleston.  Enter the rowing machine— instead of running my scheduled 45-minute run, I will put on a soundtrack and row for the same duration I’d normally run (my kids ALWAYS choose “The Greatest Show Man” or “Hamilton” soundtrack).  Sometimes I add a bit of strength training to the end of a row— a double TABATA of front squats and pushups!

​Run Better by Training Smarter.  Find what works for you, work it into your routine, and enjoy the results.  Be it weightlifting or a hike, get out there, vary your fitness, train smart!

Happy Running!
​-Rose :)