The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
The power of mum
Gayle catches up with members of Mums on the Run, a dedicated bunch who put their children in a buggy and meet for exercise and a catch-up – come rain or shine...
These determined mums meet for exercise and a catch-up no matter what the weather.
It’s a cold, wet, miserable autumn morning when I turn up clad in lycra at Craigtoun Country Park.
I’ve come to meet members of a group who call themselves Mums on the Run. I’m half expecting nobody to show because, let’s face it, who wouldn’t rather be indoors on a day like this?
Mums on the Run meets up once a week in Craigtoun Park, just a few miles from St Andrews, to – you guessed it – run! They don’t just run, though – they walk, talk, jog, stretch and do some core exercises. Oh, and they always round it off with a trip to the park’s café for coffee and, in some cases, a cheeky bit of cake.
To my surprise, it’s not long before I see one buggy, then another, shuttling towards me.
In total today, five mums, along with their babies and toddlers, turn up, which is quite something given the dreich conditions.
“We’re out in all weathers!” jog leader Laura McCallum tells me. Laura, who is mum to seven-month-old Ruaridh, says sessions are great, free exercise and really sociable.
“The fresh air is fantastic and it’s really nice to have an excuse to get out of the house,” she adds.
Sessions are an hour long and start with a warm-up walk round the picturesque park and then the group might split up into runners, strollers and everything in between.
A few hardcore members have done ultra marathons, while others are training for 10ks and half marathons.
Not having a child to bring along, two of the mums take pity on me and loan me their children.
Never having run with a buggy, it’s quite liberating and less difficult than I’d imagined.
The buggies have big, robust wheels and are designed to go off-road, so there’s no need to worry about wee ones being uncomfortable.
Certainly, there’s no crying or gnashing of teeth today and the only noises I’m aware of are the odd gurgle and chuckle from Marta Raynor’s two-year-old son, Daniel, as I wheel him along the path.
The biggest issue for new mums, especially if they’ve had a C-section, is that they don’t come along too quickly, says mum-of-five Kirsty Nicol.
Having said that, she competed in the gruelling Tough Mudder challenge just three months after having her 18-month-old son, Nuallan.
“I was a member of Staart (St Andrews Adventure Running Team) before having Nuallan but I found it hard to get back into it,” she says.
“It was fantastic when Mums on the Run kicked off, as it brought mums and kids together for exercise and chat.”
On a fine day, the group, which launched in May this year, can attract up to 20 mums but on rainy days like today that number is closer to five or six.
There are no plans to stop for the winter, fellow jog leader Henry Paul tells me. Henry, a volunteer at the park and also a parkrun leader, is a cheery, happy soul, and his gorgeous golden retriever brings a smile to everyone’s faces.
Once we’re well and truly drenched and feel we’ve had enough exercise, we head to the café for a coffee followed by a 20-minute core workout, led by fitness instructor Ally Tulleth.
Exercise mats will be provided soon, but today, some folk do the regime on towels while others, like me, just do it on the floor.
We do squats, press-ups, sit-ups and a range of stretches but everyone works at their own level.
“I’d suggest new mums wait at least 12 weeks before trying the core session,” says Ally. Wise words indeed. Any mum who thinks they don’t have enough time to get along to Mums on the Run sessions need only look to Kirsty and Marta for inspiration. They both have wee ones and work in a local pub until late and yet they still manage to go along.
Why do they make the effort? “Because it’s so worth it!” beams Marta. “It’s great in terms of keeping you fit, as well as socially.”