Finding Joy to the Run

As a part of my new year's initiative to get myself back to a me that I like again, I have been in search of a plan or program that is both sustainable and with some support. I know if I do this all on my own in secret, as I have in the past, I will fail, as I have in the past. So to the internet I went, in search of, well, I wasn't sure what. 

The answer ended up coming for, of all places, Facebook. There is an account that I have followed for years called Another Mother Runner. Not even sure how they got on my radar, but as a runner who is a mother, I must have hit follow somewhere along the way. I saw their posts here and there, blog links, motivational things, your typical supportive runner group. But then, just when I needed to see it, I saw a post asking if I had yet joined their Joy to the Run program. Curious, I clicked. 

I learned that Joy to the Run is an annual free program that is hosted by Another Mother Runner each year. It consists of a calendar for the month of December that features suggested workouts 6 days of week plus a rest day. There is also a Facebook group for those registered for the program. Each workout has a cute wintery themed twist (2 strength workouts, yoga on Fridays, and several runs/walks). The strength workouts have live Zoom options, plus recordings available after, and the yoga has a video to follow along. The strength also has detailed written instructions, in case you cannot join the videos and one of the runs has a suggested speed workout with instructions. Every Saturday is a contest day where you post a picture of a specific thing in the Facebook group. Sundays are a rest day. 

The registration was completely free, but there was an option to order some fun merchandise themed for the program. Since I wanted this to be something that I actually put my heart into, to help myself be more "all-in" I did order a long sleeve tech shirt, again, completely optional. I love it. It's cute and comfy and I am glad I bought it. There was also a headband, which I did not get.

Super cute Joy to the Run shirt

I am not going to post the calendar here, because that is their content, but here is the link to their website where you can find more information: https://anothermotherrunner.com/product/joy-to-the-run-2023/?fbclid=IwAR1-vYmOZbho00Sx12OcePUn3gf4yYEseTxiKq4txVGAOlkleFnxueQsjQU 

Don't be intimidated by the the detailed (seriously detailed) calendar, however. There is wiggle room, so it is not an all or nothing kind of thing. If you miss a specific workout, they do not want you to feel like a failure. In fact, it is emphasized in several places on the calendar, site and in the supportive Facebook group, they just are asking you do do what you can. The number one guideline on the calendar states:

"We’re looking for 20-30 minutes of movement most days of December. We’ve provided workouts for you, but they’re just ideas, not mandates. If a 20-minute walk at lunch is going to be best for you that day, eat your lunch, lace up, and head out." - Joy to the Run pdf

To me, this sounded like a great way to get myself back into the habit of regularly working out. It provided a road map of what to do, had support of others via the Facebook group, and was fun. I like having a plan, especially for the strength workouts. Every day in the group, which has just under 700 members, there is a check in post where you can chime in with what you did, or you can make your own post if you like. Everyone in the group has been super supportive and encouraging. It has been fun posting my workouts and seeing what the others are doing. And I even won the first Saturday contest day by posting my bingo card where you marked off cool things you saw and did during a run. I think I got extra points by finding a "real" Buddy the Elf when the bingo card was looking for a Buddy the Elf decoration. I receive some really cool AMR stickers in the mail as my prize. I've really enjoyed this program over the last month.

Turns out that in addition to the Joy to the Run program, that spans just the month of December, Another Mother Runner has a Many Happy Miles program that lasts the whole year. Like JTTR it has a monthly calendar of workouts, but so much more with all of this:

• Calendar: A downloadable version of all Many Happy Miles happenings
• Discount: Discount on training programs available exclusively to Many Happy Miles members
• Expert Workshop: Expert workshop information (dates, worksheets, video + podcast after the workshop)
• Physical Therapy: Move of the Month + Ask the PT Sessions
• Workout Materials: Monthly workout + challenge + strength circuit, including video(s)
• Workout Videos: A library of workout, yoga and foam rolling videos for easy access
• Many Happy Miles Facebook Group
• SWAG item of choice 
• Workouts in the Final Surge App

Basically, it is like Joy to the Run on steroids. The program costs $235 for the year. And while i had originally set out to find something online that was free, after as much as I enjoyed JTTR, I decided to register. I am already in the Facebook group, which has again been super supportive, like the JTTR one, and am anxiously awaiting to get started in January. Each month has a different focus, and January is Press Refresh, exactly what I need. 

For more information on Many Happy Miles, you can check out the AMR website here: https://anothermotherrunner.com/many-happy-miles-2024/ The registration goes until mid-January if you want to join me. I am sure I will be posting more here and of course on my social media pages (Instagram: runnerdgirl and Twitter: runnerdgirl) about how the program is going. 

(Please note: I am not advertising for Another Mother Runner in anyway, or receiving any form of benefit for mentioning their program, just writing about my own personal experiences.)