The lovely Angela of Happy Fit Mama is featured today on Fit Mama Friday. As well as a blogger, writer and RRCA running coach, Angela is also a part-time Clinical Exercise Specialist in Cardiac Rehabilitation. Married to her husband Ron for almost 13 years, she’s the proud mama of twins Miss A and Mr. L, who are 4 ½ years old. Angela lives in New Hampshire and I love seeing her photos of frosty winter runs as she trains for the Boston Marathon this year! Check out Angela’s thoughts on injuries, distance running and being a fit mama.

Meet Angela.

So – pre-kids and pregnancy. Were you fit before you had kids? And did you work out during pregnancy? I am always in a special kind of awe of fit twin mamas-to-be. It’s hard enough lugging around one baby in there!

I was fit prior to kids – I was more of a gym junkie, though. I loved the cardio machines and weights. I did work out during pregnancy. I walked, did the elliptical, weights, prenatal yoga and swimming. At 32 weeks, I was placed on modified bed rest. No more exercise after that!

But your main focus is running now, right?

Yes, running is my main form of exercise. While training I aim for four to five days of running. I have one day of cross training on the bike. I also love yoga (and just recently went back to a studio – love it!). I also lift weights two to three times a week.

You’re part of Team Stonyfield to run the Boston Marathon this year (and you’re deep in training!). What does it mean to you as a runner to be racing in Boston?

Running the Boston Marathon has always been a dream of mine. It’s like the Super Bowl for runners! The history of the race and the honor that comes with being a part of such a legacy is mind blowing. I still can’t believe I’m running it! With Boston being such a high profile marathon, I feel honored to be raising money for Girls on the Run – New Hampshire. It’s an organization that I feel passionate about. What little girl doesn’t deserve to know the power, confidence and strength that can come from running.  After all, running #LikeAGirl is what everyone should do.

The marathon is a new-ish distance to you – Boston will be your third – has it become a favorite distance for you? What appeals to you most about running the 26.2?

The marathon is definitely not my favorite distance. It’s one of those things that it seems like a good idea at the time when you sign up. But then training begins and there’s a 20 miler staring at you. Then you question, WTF?

So why do I keep going back? It’s kind of like childbirth. At first you say, never again! I remember vividly repeating “One and done!” numerous times during my first marathon. But the pain fades. The bad experiences don’t seem all that bad. The marathon challenges me to a place I’ve never been before. At the end, I’m deep in the pain cave. I guess I like it because it pushes me to dig deeper into my soul. Not many things make me do that in my regular day to day life.

What is being a fit mama? How has your healthy lifestyle affected you as a mom and affected your family?

I work out for how it makes me feel. For years, it was all about how my pants fit or the number on the scale. Now it’s because it gives me energy and life. Being fit makes me a better mom because I’m not as crabby! If I don’t work out, I’m a bundle of nerves and anger. And I’d probably yell a lot more. Also, since having kids, I am more conscious of where our food comes from. There’s so much junk out there that it’s easy to get lost in what’s healthy and what’s not.

In the past few years, my husband has picked up his fitness game. He’s at the gym four to five days a week. He’s also become more open to healthier eating. Although he refuses to admit that black bean brownies are just as good as the real deal.

I’m pretty sure most husbands are resistant to healthy versions of brownies!! As a twin mama, do you think you have extra issues scheduling workouts or time for training, or because it’s all you know, does it just seem like a normal challenge? What surprised you most about being a mom to twins?

I don’t think being a twin mama makes it any harder to fit in workout time. I bow down to any mama or daddy who makes the time for a workout no matter if they have one child or ten.

What surprised me the most about being a mama to twins is that a lot of people turn their filters off when they see twins.  Random strangers think it’s ok to ask super personal or really stupid questions. “Did you breast feed?” “Are they natural?” “Did you want twins?” “Oh, you sure do have your hands full!” I think I’ve heard it all.

What’s your general workout schedule like?

I work out five to six days per week. I absolutely need one full rest day. Time is the biggest challenge. I wake up super early to fit it all in before the rest of the house does. If I waited till after work, it would never happen.

With a personal training background and a degree in exercise science, how much of that knowledge do you incorporate into your own training?

I try to use my background in my own training. As a RRCA Running Coach, I put together my own training plans. But I’m just like everyone else, I do better when I have someone telling me what to do, how to do it or watching my form.

Let’s discuss injuries – the end of 2014 was kind of crappy for you. How did you deal with having to adjust your training and goals because of injury? Were you super nervous about running the Honolulu Marathon after getting injured? What would you have done if you realized you weren’t going to be able to run the marathon in Hawaii? 

I was flying high in September 2014. Baystate Marathon training was going really well. I was just ready to taper when my Achilles yelled at me. Big time! Followed then by a L5, SI Joint back injury from hiking, I was sidelined from running for the whole month of October. And also got my first DNS (which was also my goal marathon for the year). By November, I was feeling better so I eased back into training for Honolulu. That race never was mine. It was all about my cadet for Saucony 26 Strong, Kailey. I knew I could cover the distance. I just didn’t know if my Achilles would, even though it had felt okay the weeks leading up to race day.

Our plan for the race was to have fun. We were running a marathon in Hawaii after all! We were super nervous about the weather. Coming from New Hampshire in December, we were thinking it would be hot and humid. In fact, it was chilly, raining and 30 mph winds. There was no worry of overheating that day! It was an amazing, unforgettable experience. And the odd thing is that running 26.2 miles completely cured my Achilles Tendinopathy!

My biggest goal right now is to be injury free for 2015. I have a nasty habit of getting injured every single year. I’m trying my hardest to break that cycle with cross training, Glute, Core and PT exercises. The Boston Marathon in April is my next big race. I HAVE to be healthy for that!

You live in New Hampshire and it’s stunning. How much does your environment affect your running and training? Does the beauty of your area helps you get up early for running? Do the freezing winters help toughen you up for racing?

New Hampshire is a really great state. We’ve got the mountains and the ocean. I’m a water girl (I’m a true Pisces!) so I’m drawn to it. Some of my favorite routes are near water. Whether it’s the ocean, a lake or a river, I’m drawn to it. There’s just something about the sound of crashing waves or a trickling stream that can power me through any run. During the summer, I do lots of long runs at the beach. The coast line of New Hampshire is only 15 miles long so it’s perfect!

I grew up in very cold Northern Michigan. New Hampshire weather is actually quite tropical compared to it! I do think that running in a variety of weather conditions does toughen you up. I just ran a 10 miler that was 15 degrees that felt like 5 degrees. The crazy thing is that it really didn’t feel all that cold. Mind over matter, right?

I have no doubt you’re going to rock the Boston Marathon! 🙂 Thanks so much for being part of Fit Mama Friday today, Angela – I loved finding out more about you!

Want to connect with Angela? You can read her blog, Happy Fit Mama, as well as follow her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

 

Fit Mama Friday – Fit Dad Friday

Every Friday on Fine Fit Day I feature a Fit Mama or a Fit Dad story of how and why a fit and healthy mama or dad ensures fitness is a priority in her or his life. You’ll read about all kinds of parents and their fitness stories. Some are stay-at-home parents, some are single parents, some juggle more than one job on top of parenthood, but they are all committed to a fit and healthy lifestyle. As you’re getting ready for your weekend, I hope you’re inspired to be active after reading about these kick-ass mamas and dads on Fit Mama Friday – Fit Dad Friday!

 

Do you want to be featured on Fit Mama Friday? Or do you know someone you’d like to see featured? Please contact me for details!