Shanna Birchett is the true definition of a ‘mother runner’ with an inspirational story. A mother of six kids under six years of age, Shanna returned to running with grit, determination, and compassion for herself. Shanna believes in embracing the season you’re in, whether that’s a new runner altogether or a seasoned runner who is looking for that next level of improvement.
Today, Shanna shares her relatable transformation story, talks about overcoming a medical condition, and provides tips and advice that all runners can implement in their daily routine.
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Key Takeaways
00:50 – Whitney Heins welcomes Shanna Birchett to the show to discuss her upbringing as the sixth of eight children in a military household and her running origin story
09:26 – Shanna opens up about her struggles with a health condition
15:06 – Getting gritty and overcoming the fear of her condition
16:28 – Serving a church mission, getting married and having six children (under six years old)
18:39 – A return to running as a Mother Runner
28:29 – ‘Mom guilt,’ not getting enough sleep, and other major obstacles Shanna has overcome
33:35 – Setting and defining boundaries and taking it day-by-day
37:14 – How Shanna is able to run 60 miles per week
39:24 – Asking for help and embracing the season you’re in
45:53 – Advice for those looking to enter or reenter the sport of running
47:18 – Growing into a more mature runner and mother
49:19 – Shanna’s big goals for the future
51:25 – Whitney thanks Shanna for joining the show, sharing her story, and for being so inspirational
Tweetable Quotes
“I always knew that collegiate running was something I loved and wanted to do, but on a spiritual side, I take a lot of those big decisions to heart. So, I did a lot of praying about it to try and figure out, ‘Ok, is this really my route?’ And, long story short, I ended up getting the answer of ‘No.’ I wasn’t supposed to run collegiate.” (13:30) (Shanna)
“I just had so many moments where I had gained so much resilience and so much strength from those dark periods. I felt like I just had to prove it to myself that there was still something in there inside of me of that had so much more potential.” (16:11) (Shanna)
“Mentally, I think I had to be ok with the state that I was in, and not forcing my fitness.” (28:57) (Shanna)
“If you take it day-by-day and you’re consistent at it, even in small doses, and you make the most of it, it will pay off in some way. That can vary for everybody. It could be just thirty minutes and that adds up. We don’t have to do big things all the time to make results.” (46:21) (Shanna)
“It’s hard to plan those big goals when you’ve had so many obstacles just to this point. You’ve tried to commit and then something has popped up and you ask yourself, ‘Is this my season now?’ But, as my husband has always said, ‘Don’t worry about the future. Focus on the now.’” (50:33) (Shanna)
Resources Mentioned
Whitney’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-heins-02ba3b5
The Mother Runners Club – https://www.themotherrunners.com/
Shanna’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/motherhood_running/
Shanna’s Website – https://linktr.ee/motherhood_running
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