Out of the top 10 female finishers at the 2017 New York City Marathon, four were Americans, including, of course, Shalane Flanagan, the first U.S. female to win in New York in 40 years. Two of those Americans, Kellyn Taylor who finished in eighth place and tenth-place finisher Stephanie Bruce are also moms (as are second-place finisher Mary Keitany and Edna Kipligat who finished fourth, both from Kenya). Taylor has a 7-year old daughter and Bruce is mom to two boys, both under the age of 4.
As any parent knows, children add both joy and complexity to life, especially when it comes to scheduling runs around kids’ sleep schedules and activities, work and the rest of life. But imagine being a professional runner, where running was your JOB, and having to perform at your best on limited sleep, with the faint smell of spit up in your hair and wondering if the mouthful of sticky Cheerios your toddler gifted you on your way out the door will A) make you sick and B) be enough to get you through your run. The challenge of organization is real, but it also means every workout has to count. These ladies, like many before them, prove it is possible to have it all if you want it bad enough.
Taylor and Bruce both race for team Northern Arizona Elite. Check out some of their training and racing stats from the recent New York City Marathon to see if you’re tough enough to race like a mom!
Bruce averaged 13 run sessions adding up to 104 miles of running per week in the eight weeks leading up to the race.
Taylor also had 12-13 run workouts per week in the buildup to the race, averaging around 113 miles per week.
Bruce’s highest pre-race weekly mileage was 117 miles, and Taylor hit 119 miles for her biggest training week.
Both women ran 26.2 miles as their longest training run.
Bruce’s pre-race dinner included: white rice, avocado, sweet potato, tandoori chicken, Gatorade, milk, banana, peanut butter and more rice.
Bruce’s race cadence averaged 192 steps per minute, and her heart rate was around 179/180.
Mile 19 was the fastest for both women. Taylor crushed it in 5:22. Bruce ran it in 5:31, with an overall average pace of 5:47.5 per mile.
Bruce ate three gels (GU Toasted Marshmallow) and drank seven bottles (of three to five ounces) of electrolytes and water during the marathon. Taylor fueled with water, plus Maurten 160 and 320.
Bruce’s post-race refueling included a Chipotle steak bowl with guacamole, fountain soda Coke and dark chocolate.
