Two moms. Each with 3 children. On their way to qualifying for the Olympic Trials in the marathon.

Meet Jenny Goswami (35) and Anne Marie Everhart (36). Both are moms of three. Both live in the Philadelphia area. Both have their eyes set on qualifying for the Olympic Trials in the marathon to be held in Atlanta in February 2020. Jenny’s marathon PR is 2:47 and Anne Marie’s is 2:45:56. To qualify for the Olympic Trials in the marathon as a woman, one needs to run it in 2:45:00. That’s an average of 6:18 per mile.

I had a chance to speak with both Jenny and Anne Marie and here is what they had to say about their training, nutrition, lifestyle, and how they balance it all with 3 kids.

HOW DO YOU TRAIN FOR A MARATHON?

Jenny: I run 4 times/week, peaking at 50 miles/week of running, but I get closer to 75 when I add in cross training (pool, bike, or elliptical) “miles.” I’m injury prone, so I cross-train a lot. A 6-mile run usually takes me 45 minutes, so instead of running 6 miles, I’ll cross train for 45 minutes. I meet up with Anne Marie on Saturdays for a long run that includes marathon pace work. On Sundays I do a short run. Examples of my workouts are 8-10 x 800 at 2:50-2:55 pace, 5 x 1 mile, 8 x 1000.

Anne Marie: My last training cycle was aimed at getting a 2:50 at the Grandma’s Marathon in Minnesota [but that’s where I ran 2:45:56]. My PR prior to that was 2:58 so I didn’t think the Olympic Trials would even be an option. Grandma’s marathon was magical. The stars aligned. The weather was perfect. The course was perfect – a straight line and no turns. And I really felt the vibe of other women going for the marathon trials. Just being around fast WOMEN…

I follow the Hansons-Brooks method. There isn’t much mileage prescribed, but a lot of marathon specific pace for a lot of miles. The idea is to run fewer miles faster. I do 3 workouts per week: speed on the track (e.g., 6 x 1 mile @ 10s faster than marathon goal pace), tempo runs on Thursdays that gradually increase in mileage and peak at 10 miles, and a long run on Saturdays with Jenny where we build in marathon pace work. The hardest workout is 10 miles at goal marathon pace with a 2-mile warm-up and a 2-mile cool-down. The Hansons-Brooks method states that the maximum miles you need to run before the marathon is 16 miles, but they noted that most elite runners peak at 20-22. So, I decided to add four 20-mile runs at the pace prescribed in their plan, which for me is 7:05-7:10 pace.

I don’t do much cross-training when I’m in the thick of marathon training. I do it once a week the rest of the year.

HOW DO YOU DO IT WITH 3 CHILDREN?

Jenny: My children are 5, 3.5, and 19 months old. Lifetime Fitness has a drop-off for my kids where they get to do soccer, floor hockey, and ballet while I work out. I can’t run with my kids in the stroller anymore since there are 3 of them [and we therefore outgrew our double jogging stroller], so I have to run on the treadmill, even for my tempo and speed workouts. My husband is on “dad duty” on Saturday mornings so I can meet Anne Marie. I feel like I don’t sit down until the end of each day, but at least my kids do 30 minutes of quiet time! 

I think what really makes everything work right now is having a supportive husband, someone to help watch my kids for an hour or two (or push them in the stroller!), and a motivated and fun training partner. I can say – without a doubt – I wouldn't be running the times I have without Anne Marie in the picture. She keeps me motivated and makes it fun – which is what it's all about.

Anne Marie: Jenny is my secret sauce for getting the mojo back. I used to think that once you’re a mom you can’t be a marathon runner anymore. That is not true. Jenny got me back into the game.

I have 4.5-year-old twins and an 18-month-old. After I drop off the twins, I push the baby in the stroller for an easy run which could be 6-8 miles at 7:30 pace. I also have 3 very good sleepers – the kids sleep from about 8pm to 7 or 7:30 in the morning. Taking care of babies is part of training! Just think about all the physical work you’re doing every time you go up and down the steps holding a child. I love throwing them in the pool, etc. I embrace the lifestyle.

My husband is also a runner (we met through Philadelphia Running Club), and he’s training for a trail race in Vancouver. We switch parenting duties on the weekend. I go out for my long run with Jenny on Saturday morning while he’s with the kids, and he goes out to the Wissahickon to do his long run on Sundays while I’m with the kids. I’m lucky that my husband and I have the same mindset – we both have each other’s backs.

My husband is an early bird so during the week, he wakes up super early and runs, rows, or goes on the treadmill while everyone else sleeps. Tuesday mornings I go to the track for speedwork and Thursday mornings I do my tempo runs, which I get a babysitter for. Babysitter hours are key during marathon training. I’m a mom of 3 so I’m constantly giving myself up to everyone else for most of the day. If I have to get a babysitter for 2 hours on a Thursday morning, I’m going to do it. I run with the baby in the stroller Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

TALK TO ME ABOUT INJURY.

Jenny: Achilles tendonitis, and tight IT bands and hamstrings, but I got smarter as I got older and as soon as I feel something, I immediately take 3 days off from running. After I had children, I became more aware of aches and pains. I developed Diastasis recti after my third (when your abdominal muscles separate), and I couldn’t run for a while because of pelvic pain. I now do breathing and core compression exercises that I found on YouTube.

Anne Marie: I’ve lucked out with injury and never had a serious one. I have nagging hamstring tightness, so I take Epsom salt baths. I don’t use a foam roller, but I’ll do yoga or get a massage if I’m feeling really tight. My recovery day is Wednesday. I either take completely off or do very low mileage.

WHAT IS YOUR STRENGTH ROUTINE?

Jenny: I would like to spend more time on this, but I use up my gym time running on the treadmill and taking a shower! I foam roll and do core stuff after my kids are in bed.

Anne Marie: I strength train 2 days a week. My kids take swim lessons at Fitness Alive, so I do a core and upper body circuit during that time. I also do Solidcore and Unite Fitness (which is higher intensity) when I’m not in marathon training.

WHAT DO YOU EAT ON A TYPICAL DAY?

Jenny: Oatmeal in the morning with banana, peanut butter, and an egg. Then I work out. Afterwards, I eat an Rx bar or a banana before I shower at the gym. For lunch, I have leftovers from dinner, a frozen veggie burger, salad, quinoa, or a turkey sandwich which is what I prefer! For a snack I have a smoothie with frozen bananas, blueberries, mango, spinach, milk, or juice which I also make for my kids. And for dinner, I rotate between meatballs, salmon, and shrimp. We have ice cream for dessert every night (that’s how I grew up). Peppermint Bon Bon is what we call it in Minnesota. But here it’s called Mint Chocolate Chip. After the kids go to bed, I have another snack of either a protein shake, yogurt, cereal or Justin’s peanut butter cups – I have a sweet tooth!

Anne Marie: I learned that I need to fuel for training as opposed to eating my kids’ leftovers. I eat scrambled eggs and avocado for breakfast that has to include Cholula chili hot sauce. Lunch is a salad with veggies and canned salmon. Dinner includes a protein with tacos for the kids and a mountainous salad for me – ground bison or some other type of taco meat that I throw on veggies, farro, etc. For snacks I have trail mix or Lara bars – my favorite kind is the coconut cream!

2 hours before a race, I eat an Ezekiel English muffin with peanut butter and a banana. I eat another banana 30 minutes before the race, and a gu at the starting line.

DO YOU DO ANY MENTAL TRAINING? DO YOU VISUALIZE YOUR RACE THE NIGHT BEFORE?

Jenny: I have a book about the mental aspects of racing and I was a neuroscience major, so I am interested in how the brain and body interact. But no, I don’t visualize.

Anne Marie: I have a play list for the training cycle and I use it to visualize the race – like a soundtrack of the race. I listen to it during an easy run and I remember songs and catchphrases that amp me up. My favorite catchphrase is from a song called “Feels Great.” I listen to my soundtrack over the course of the few months leading up to the race, clinging on to catchphrases, and this has helped me immensely.

Look out for Jenny and Anne Marie at the Twin Cities marathon in October as they chase the Olympic Trial marathon standard!