Celebrating active mums this Mother’s Day
Happy Mother’s Day to all mums out there. To celebrate, EFDS is sharing stories from three mums who balance being a parent with being active.
Read on to find out about the benefits being active brings and for advice from disabled mums who have managed to strike a balance between keeping fit and spending time with their children.
Dr Jen Warren, an anaesthetist from Rugby
My name is Jen, I live in Rugby and I had an accident nine years ago that caused me to have limited use of my left leg, so I struggle to walk. I’ve got a daughter, Sally, who has just turned three, and who can be a handful!
I was in the Army and fairly active before my accident, but hadn’t done much in the couple of years or so before Sally was born. It was only after she was born that I thought I had to get fit and do something in order to be able to cope with looking after her. So she’s the reason I properly got into sports again.
I started with wheelchair racing, but I’ve been branching into triathlons, which I really love doing – it’s my main sport now. I took part in the 2016 Invictus Games which was a fantastic experience and I’ve got a few triathlons coming up this year, as well as a duathlon, a 10k and a few other events.
I enjoy the freedom that being active gives me, and it gives me the confidence to be able to do whatever my daughter needs me to do. I’m able to chase her about and get around in my wheelchair – there’s no way I’d be able to do that without being fit and active myself.
We do some activities together as well. I take Sally swimming, and she’s involved in my other sports – she knows what an allen key is, and loves fixing my handbike! She’s grown up around racing wheelchairs and handbikes, and has a trailer which we put on the back of my husband’s bike. It’s a great way for us to go out as a family.
Balancing my sporting interests with being a mum can be tricky, particularly when some of the races involve travel… I think I’ve got a very understanding husband! For me it’s about planning my time. Our local gym has got a crèche, which Sally sometimes goes to while I train. It can be hard to juggle it all, and I sometimes think ‘gosh, what am I doing?’, but you just have to be organised.
You don’t have to be an elite athlete right from the start, and not everyone wants to get to that level. If you are disabled, it can be hard to go out and find something that you enjoy. My interests changed significantly after my accident - previously I only really enjoyed team sports and never even thought of doing a triathlon. Now I love competing even if it’s just against the clock. Sport is for all and I'd love to see greater participation in amateur sport for disabled people. It’s important that non-disabled people keep an open mind, and see that we don’t expect anything more than anyone else.
It can be particularly hard for mums to get active, but there are many opportunities out there and I think people just need to have the confidence to make that first step.
Lucy Tappin, Disability Sports Officer in Oxfordshire
As a busy mum working full time, I try to embed being active into daily life and fit it in whenever I can around the usual family commitments. Playing rugby for England Deaf has been really rewarding and I have developed great friendships and comradery with people who share similar experiences.
Being active together with the children is so fun and rewarding. We go on morning jogs at the weekend, swim together and go on dog walks. We also love to Geocache together, which is a free outdoor activity where we use mobile phones or GPS to search for ‘caches’ – a bit like treasure hunt. I really hope to inspire them towards having an active life as they grow older.
Kerry Large, paratriathlete from Bedfordshire
I’m Kerry, I'm 31 years old and from Lidlington in Bedfordshire. During either the labour or pregnancy of my beautiful daughter, I received sacral nerve damage. This affects my core muscles, leg muscle control and feeling in my foot, bladder and bowel.
My daughter’s name is Emily May Large and she is nine years old.
I am part of the paratriathlon Great Britain talent squad. In 2016, I competed for Great Britain, winning one silver and two bronze medals at the World Paratriathlon Events, came third place at the British Triathlon Championships and fifth at the World Triathlon Championships.
I love sport and the feeling of achievement, and it keeps me motivated, and helps me manage my pain. I balance being a mum and doing paratriathlon with a great supporting network around me. I work full-time and train every day, but I always manage to spend quality time with my daughter. It may mean late nights, or early mornings training while Emily is sleeping, but it is always worth the juggle.
Emily is a keen swimmer and we enjoy swimming together. She is also very good at shouting at me when I am training to work harder!
Advice I would give to a parent looking to start a sport would be find a sport you enjoy, and work out a programme that fits in with family life. Find other like-minded parents that also want to get fit or start a sport and team up.
I also think it’s important to be active with your children. Whether that means swimming, bike rides, or just going to the park together, you will be having quality time with your family while getting fit. Make things fun – and most importantly, enjoy what you do.
If you are interested in being active, find out how to start. You can also find an event near you on our website, and view a list of inclusive gyms in your area.
