April Mom of the Month

Our mom of the month program honors moms for their efforts to lead healthy lifestyles, and gives us a chance to get to know them better at the same time!

April's featured Mom of the Month is Collins Whitfield!
 

Congrats, Collins!

Collins has been a Stroller Strides member for over a year now.   She has made great strides in her health and fitness over the past year, getting in shape, running in a 5k, and participating in our Body Back fitness bootcamp program for moms, and has become one of our most dedicated and hard-working Stroller Strides moms.  We are glad she and smiling Sophie join us each week at our workouts!  Join us in congratulating Collins and read on to get to know her a  little better!


Hometown: Wilmington, NC

Current part of the Triangle that you live in: West Raleigh


Education: BS from Meredith college in business marketing

Stroller Strides Member since: January 2013


Members of your Family: Husband Brian, son Owen who is almost 5 and Sophie who is 20mo and 2 cats


Tell us about your children: Owen keeps me on my toes every day. He is very smart and curious and has lots of questions. He is all boy but at the same time so sweet and loving. Sophie is so busy right now. She is into everything and loves to explore and learn. She also makes us laugh all the time. Owen and Sophie play really well together and enjoy spending most of their time outside.


Current/previous Career: Account manager at a commercial insurance company 

What was your childhood ambition? To be a teacher, not sure what happened there.


What does motherhood mean to you? The most special and challenging gift I have ever been given and means everything to me. My children are my world and I cannot imagine not being their mom. They have taught me so much and have changed my life in so many wonderful ways.

 
What is the furthest you have been from home? Istanbul, Turkey or maybe Kos, Greece. Not sure which is furthest.

What has Stroller Strides done for you (or meant to you)? I wasn't a SAHM until Sophie was born and it was a hard transition for me.  When I found Stroller Strides it got me out of the house, helped me get into shape without even knowing it and as a bonus I have met some amazing moms! 


What has your experience with Body Back been like? It is a great workout where I have gotten in even better shape, met more amazing moms and got to workout without passing food to my toddler the whole time.

What is your favorite exercise? Anything ab related.

What is your proudest moment? As far as fitness, it would be proudly fitting into a strapless bridesmaids dress for my little brother's wedding only 8mo after Sophie was born, having it taken in at least two sizes, not looking half bad (thanks to Stroller Strides and Body Back)

What are three of your favorite things (besides your family!)? The beach, a long run or walk by myself and a good glass of wine with my girlfriends!

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us or makes you unique. I have a secret obsession with cheesy Hallmark movies.

If we asked your spouse what they think your best qualities are, what would they say?  He would probably say that I am good mom and he calls me "master controller" but I am not so sure that is a good thing;)

What advice would you give to moms looking to get back into shape? It is so much more fun to work out in a group and you will not regret it!

March Mom of the Month

Our mom of the month program honors moms for their efforts to lead healthy lifestyles, and gives us a chance to get to know them better at the same time!

March's featured Mom of the Month is Amanda Austin!
 

Congrats, Amanda!

Amanda joined Stroller Strides over a year ago, and has become one of our most dedicated and frequent attendees.  And her hard work has paid off in terms of her health & fitness, as she's dropped over 25 pounds since joining us last year!  She also completed our advanced summer running challenge last year-- 120 miles in 60 days!  Which helped her beat a previous race PR from when she was 21 years old that summer.  ;)  All of her hard work has helped her get to a place where she can use her old clothes (that are now too big) as maternity clothes without having to shop... because she is now expecting baby #2, she just announced!  Join us in congratulating Amanda (on many levels) and read on to get to know her a little better. 

Hometown: Clinton, NY (It's a small town outside of Utica)
 
Current part of the Triangle that you live in: Holly Springs
 
Education: I received my undergrad degree from Siena College in American Studies and have a Master of Arts in Teaching degree and Master of International Studies degree (completed that at NC State - Go Wolfpack)!
 
Stroller Strides Member since: February 2013
 
Members of your Family: Nate (my husband), Cullen (my son), Tek and Tessie (our cats), and our second little Austin is due at the end of September! 
 
Tell us about your children: Cullen will be 2 on April 4th.  He loves being outside and all things that have wheels and a motor!  We are waiting to hear if our second with be a boy or girl and look forward to meeting him or her later this year.  
 
Current/previous Career: I taught social studies at the middle school level for about 3 years before having Cullen. 
 
What was your childhood ambition? It changed constantly! I think the one I stuck with the longest was to be a marine biologist... but clearly that changed too at some point.
 
What does motherhood mean to you? More than I ever thought it would.  I always knew that I wanted children but never knew how much I would enjoy it! 
 
What is the furthest you have been from home? Kenya.  I went there in June of 2010 with Habitat for Humanity: Global Village.  We did a 2 week build in a small town called Chuka and then went on a short safari in Masai Mara. 
 
What has Stroller Strides done for you (or meant to you)? Since I started Stroller Strides last year, I finally took off about 25 pounds of extra weight that I had put on after moving to NC back in 2006.  Also I am pretty sure my arms haven't been this toned since I was about 13 years old! There is still room for improvement of course, but I am very happy with where I am at!

What is your favorite exercise? Resisted side steps and anything else I can feel burning!
 
What is your proudest moment? Completing the 120 miles in 60 days last summer.  And beating my previous course record on the 15K race I run each July (my previous best was set when I was 21 years old).  I think doing the 120 challenge played a huge role in achieving that. 
 
What are three of your favorite things (besides your family!)? Campfires, watching the thousands of fireflies in my parents backyard whenever I visit them during the summer, and walking on the beach first thing in the morning.
 
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us or makes you unique. One of my life goals is to become an Adirondack 46er.  You attain this status when you hike the 46 highest peaks of the Adirondack Mountains.  I did my first one when I was 4 years old but haven't hit many more since and plan to start over as an adult anyway.
 
If we asked your spouse what they think your best qualities are, what would they say? Probably that I like watching sports and drinking craft beer almost as much as he does! After typing that answer, I asked him.  He said he likes my hair and my smile. I think he would have gone with the beer and sports thing if he had thought about it longer! =-) 

What advice would you give to moms looking to get back into shape? Just get out and do it.  There are many days that I really don't feel like going out for a run but not once have I regretted it afterward!

February Mom of the Month

Our mom of the month program honors moms for their efforts to lead healthy lifestyles, and gives us a chance to get to know them better at the same time!

February's featured Mom of the Month is Julie de Silvia! 

Congrats, Julie!

Julie has been a Stroller Strides member for over a year and a half now, and she and Annabella bring smiles and great attitudes to our weekly workouts & meetup activities.  Julie works hard at each and every workout and is one of our dedicated, frequent attending Stroller Strides moms.  She has made great strides in fitness, motherhood, & life over the past year and a half, including great accomplishments in running.  Her latest goal in progress is training for her first Half Marathon, with the support of our Raleigh Running Mamas programs.  Join us in congratulating Julie and read on to get to know her a little better! 

Mom of the Month Questions:

 

Hometown: Long Beach, CA

Current part of the Triangle that you live in: Cary

Education: Undergraduate degree at Duke University. Veterinary school at St George's University in Grenada

Stroller Strides Member since: July 2012

Members of your Family: Nick-Husband, Annabella-daughter, Ritz-dog (12 year old grenadian pothound), Frac and Nutmeg-cats

Tell us about your children: Annabella is a sweet and loving child. She is very empathetic and concerned about how everyone around her is feeling. If you're sad, she'll give you a cuddle to make you feel better. She loves books, tea parties and her animals.

Current/previous Career: Veterinarian (currently part-time at a clinic in Carrboro)

What was your childhood ambition? To be a veterinarian!

What does motherhood mean to you? Motherhood is the most special thing that I have ever done. It also helps me to be better in the other aspects of my life as well. 

What is the furthest you have been from home? I lived in Germany for 6 months when I was 15. Veterinary school in Grenada (not sure which was further!). But Norway may have been even further.

What has Stroller Strides done for you ? Stroller strides has been and continues to be an awesome experience for me. It got me out of the house and exercising, which has been great. More importantly, it has surrounded me with wonderful women who I learn so much from. I am pretty shy and find it hard to make friends but Stroller Strides has given me the opportunity to open up and make friends. I love being able to exercise with my daughter. It gets to be a bonding experience, not something that I leave her behind to do. I also love the example that it sets for Annabella. She gets to see lots of mommies taking care of themselves and this makes exercise an important part of her life.

What has your experience with Running Mamas been like? Prior to Running Mamas, I had only every run a 5K. Running is not my forte. I loved having the structure that Running Mamas brings and being accountable for my runs. I am only doing the virtual training for the half marathon but love being able to converse with other running mamas. If it wasn't for this program, I would never even consider running 13.1 miles!

What is your favorite exercise? Honestly, I love and hate any exercise Devon makes us do! :)

What is your proudest moment? Before Annabella, it was being accepted to Duke. I have never been so excited. But that pales in comparison to holding this little person and watching her grow into an amazing little girl.

What are three of your favorite things (besides your family!)? Reading, sewing, and Duke basketball

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us or makes you unique. My marriage and my wedding took place 11 months apart and in 2 different countries.

If we asked your spouse what they think your best qualities are, what would they say?

My moral code, honesty, and kindness (That's what he said)

What advice would you give to moms looking to get back into shape? Just do it! You will never regret it.

January Mom of the Month

Our mom of the month program honors moms for their efforts to lead healthy lifestyles, and gives us a chance to get to know them better at the same time!

December's featured Mom of the Month is Nicole Norris! 

Congrats, Nicole!

Nicole joined Stroller Strides this past fall, and she has brought determination with a smile to her weekly workouts around the Triangle.  Nicole has become one of our most frequent attendees this winter, and she was the only mom to meet our '12 days of Fitness' Christmas Challenge and attend 12 workouts this past Dec!  She has set a great example of the importance of a healthy lifestyle for her family as well as all of us moms.  She, Liam, & Owen have brought smiles to our classes and to our playgroups/meetups, and we are so glad to have them as part of our Stroller Strides 'family'.  We wish Nicole the best of luck on her 5k goal for this year! 

Please join us in congratulating Nicole and read on to get to know her a little better. 

Hometown: I grew up in Angier, NC.

Live in: Fuquay Varina

Stroller Strides member since: Oct 2013

Family members: my husband-Logan, my sons-Liam and Owen

Tell us about your children: Liam is a very active and willful two and a half year old. Owen is a sweet and curious seventeen month old.  They both love books, cars, and dinosaurs. 

Previous or current career: part-time teacher at The Goddard School of Cary. (I hope to get back into preschool teaching in the next couple of years.)

Childhood ambition: As a kid, I always wanted to travel around the world. 

What does motherhood mean to you?  To me motherhood is all the things that I enjoy and endure everyday with my family. (And I wouldn't trade it for anything.)

Farthest from home: my honeymoon in Key West

What has Stroller Strides done for you? Stroller Strides has given me the opportunity to get back to a healthier lifestyle. My boys and I have loved getting out and meeting the other Stroller Strides moms and kids.  

Favorite exercise: monkeys

Proudest moment: The births of both of my sons

What are three of your favorite things (besides your family)?: cooking, crafting, and running (I plan on training for and running my first 5k this year.)

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us or makes you unique: I've never flown on an airplane before. 

If we asked your spouse what your best qualities are, what would they say? my perseverance and my patience

What advice would you give to moms looking to start a healthier lifestyle?  Stroller Strides has been such a fun way to make exercise a regular part of my life. It's so great to be in an environment with other moms who are going through (or have gone through) the same things I am.  I wish I'd found Stroller Strides earlier.

December Mom of the Month

Our mom of the month program honors moms for their efforts to lead healthy lifestyles, and gives us a chance to get to know them better at the same time!

December's featured Mom of the Month is Ashley Arnold! 

Congrats, Ashley!

Ashley started taking Stroller Strides classes this spring, and joined as a monthly member this summer.  She has been a regular attendee, particularly at our Streets of Southpoint location, where she and her daughter Gracie bring smiles and great attitudes to the weekly workouts and playgroup activities.  We are so glad to have them as part of our Stroller Strides 'family'!   Thanks for setting a great example and inspiring other moms with fitting in regular exercise and working hard at your workouts, Ashley.

Join us in congratulating Ashley, and read on to get to know her better!

Hometown: Oak Ridge, NC
 

Current part of the Triangle that you live in: Morrisville
 

Education: B.S Biology, B.S Nursing
 

Stroller Strides Member since: Officially June 2013, but I used those 10 class passes like they were going out of style
 

Members of your Family: My husband, Matt, and daughter, Gracie.
 

Tell us about your child: Gracie is very easy going 2 year old. She is a happy, sweet, generous, and intelligent child. It seems like we laugh most of the day! 

Current/previous Career: Currently, I am a SAHM. I used to work as an RN in drug safety at PPD.
 

What was your childhood ambition? I think I probably wanted to be an Olympic swimmer or a stunt woman.
 

What does motherhood mean to you? It means putting someone’s needs before your own. This job I can say is definitely the hardest, but also the most rewarding job I have ever done. I believe I am a better person because of my daughter.
 

What is the furthest you have been from home? Hawaii
 

What has Stroller Strides done for you? Stroller strides has gotten me back in great shape. It has also introduced me and my daughter to some many great and beautiful people. I’m so lucky to have my Stroller Strides family.
 

What is your favorite exercise? Jumping lunges, jack squats, and plank.
 

What is your proudest moment? Definitely giving birth to my daughter. I didn’t realize how strong of a person I could be. Especially after coming home and not sleeping for 6 months!
 

What are three of your favorite things (besides your family!)? Aerobics classes/ exercising, T.V and traveling 
 

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us or makes you unique. 

When my husband and I first got married, we traveled together across the country while I worked as a travel nurse. We lived for 3 months each in Austin, TX, San Diego, CA, Seattle, WA, and then 6 months in Maui.
 

If we asked your spouse what they think your best qualities are, what would they say? I asked him and he said, “good looks, intelligence, kindness.”
 

What advice would you give to moms looking to start a healthier lifestyle? If you don’t have much time, start with a 30 minute exercise video during nap time or morning/ night. Also I think it’s important to keep challenging yourself. If you always do the same thing, your body will eventually adapt to it and not burn as many calories. Remember to switch things up, cross-train, add weights, reps, or time to keep yourself from plateauing. And most of all, make it fun!

November Mom of the Month

Our mom of the month program honors moms for their efforts to lead healthy lifestyles, and gives us a chance to get to know them better at the same time!

November's featured Mom of the Month is Mandy Yentsch! 

Congrats, Mandy!

Mandy initially joined our Raleigh Running Mamas race training in February this year, having never run outside of HS sports and not worked out much in 8+ years.  She built her way up to running the full 5k at the end of the season, and gained strength, endurance, confidence, and friendships with other amazing moms.  She recently completed her first 10k race (in a great time we might add!) as part of our Fall 10k training season, and is now planning to complete her first Half Marathon in the spring! Super inspiring to all moms out there!  Mandy has been a frequent Stroller Strides attendee in recent months, and we love her hard work, strength, and friendly smile and attitude.  Her boys are adorable and experienced Stroller Strides participants, and overall we're glad to have Mandy (and Henry & William) as part of our Stroller Strides 'family'! 

Join us in congratulating Mandy and read on to get to know her better!

Hometown: Bangor, WI

Current part of the Triangle that you live in: Cary, NC
 
Education: Attended University of Wisconsin La Crosse

Stroller Strides Member since: September 2013/Running Mamas February 2013

Members of your Family: Neil-hubby; Henry-2yrs; William-11mo; Baylen-5 year old Maltese/Pomeranian dog

Tell us about your children: Henry at 2yrs is loving his dinosaurs, dump trucks, and bugs. He also LOVES to read! He defines the word "determined" when he wants or doesn't want to do something. :) William at 11 months is just going with the flow. Getting beat up on every day by big bro, tackling sign language, and learning to walk, he keeps smiling!
 
Current/previous Career: Currently a stay at home mom. I decided to leave American Airlines when our second was born. 

What was your childhood ambition? I have always wanted to work with animals, not sure that will ever happen.

What does motherhood mean to you? Everything. Friendship, leadership, example, nurture, love, education, building forts, playing in dirt, and PATIENCE.
 
What is the furthest you have been from home? Sad to say I haven't left North America, but did make it to Cancun, Mexico
 
What has Stroller Strides meant to you? Stroller Strides has introduced me to so many amazing moms. It has made me more aware of myself including my health and strength. 

What was your experience with Running Mamas like? Amazing. In February I showed up to the first group run never having ran before in my life outside of high school sports, 3 months postpartum, and honestly never having worked out for 8+ years. I couldn't run more than 90 seconds at a turtle's pace. The other moms and exercise made it much easier to be a stay at home mom and feel better about myself; two things I was really struggling with. I made some great friends, lost 27 pounds, and found a new love of running. My husband and kids can vouch, I'm a better person when I run.  

What is your favorite exercise? Running
 
What is your proudest moment? So many moments as a mom make me proud so this is tough. My kids are incredible. About a month ago, Henry read his first word, "mom". I had tears. 

What are three of your favorite things (besides your family!)? Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, chocolate milk

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us or makes you unique. I can't do a cartwheel. I'm second cousins with Red Fraggle from Fraggle Rock; she was also in A Bug's Life.
 
If we asked your spouse what they think your best qualities are, what would they say? I'm a planner. He's super laid back so needs that structure. (wink)

What advice would you give to moms looking to start a healthier lifestyle? Start small. Set achievable goals and reach them one by one. The more you have checked off your list, the more you'll feel unstoppable.

October Mom of the Month

Our mom of the month program honors moms for their efforts to lead healthy lifestyles, and gives us a chance to get to know them better at the same time!

October's featured Mom of the Month is Lisa Qualls! 

Congrats, Lisa!

Lisa has been a Stroller Strides member for over a year now, and she has also recently been helping out as a Playgroup/Meetup organizer for our free local Moms Group (with some fabulous activities at and around the Carpenter Village area, including the recent fun outing to the Fire Station among others!). Lisa has made great strides in fitness, motherhood, and life this year and even completed our Raleigh Running Mamas race training this spring and ran her first 5k this summer, and she's recently started up with our Body Back bootcamp-style health & fitness program for moms as well.  In addition to being a strong and healthy mom, what you may or may not know is Lisa is also a successful business owner and entrepreneur, in many areas including her Monkey Lisa products that are great for moms (Crankles straps for Crocs, wristlet stretchky key chains that are great for moms with full hands--some of you may remember these from last year's SS Christmas gifts for members!, and more).  

Lisa and Elliott bring such a positive vibe and energy to our weekly Stroller Strides workouts, and we are glad to have them in the group!  Please join us in congratulating Lisa, and read on to get to know her a little better. 

Mom of the Month: Lisa Qualls

October 2013

Hometown: Newport News, VA

Current part of the Triangle that you live in: Cary

Education: BA in French from the University of Virginia

Stroller Strides Member since: 2012

Members of your Family: 4

Tell us about your children: Many of you have met Elliott, who'll be 3 in November.  He is usually very outgoing and introduces himself to people everywhere he goes (he's probably hugged your child--hopefully, without knocking him/her to the ground), loves Thomas the tank engine and any kind of music, and always asks us over dinner, "Mommy and Daddy, what was your favorite part of the day?"  Josh, my 10-year old stepson, who has joined me for just a few classes and loved them, is a very soft-spoken, bright 5th grader who loves reading, playing soccer, and participating in Cub Scouts and has recently taken up an interest in drawing cars.  If you every have any questions about Pokemon, Legos, Star Wars or Bakugan, he's your guy!

Current/previous Career: This is an easy question that's tough to answer.  Most of my career has been in marketing for tech companies.  Then, I started my own business, Monkey Lisa, for which I design and make fashion and home accessories, and I did some marketing consulting for tech companies on the side.  Then, I had Elliott and had no time for any work.  Now, I'm doing a little bit of Monkey Lisa work, volunteering my marketing services for a non-profit, and working as a neighborhood coordinator for The Produce Box.  And looking for a marketing job.

What was your childhood ambition?  To be an actress (I did some community theatre a few years ago, so I consider that done) and to see John Travolta and Olivia-Newton John in concert (I was/am a Grease junkie and I saw ONJ in concert a few years ago, so I consider that done, too!).  

What does motherhood mean to you?  Expressing love for someone in so many ways I never thought possible.  Hugs, kisses, holding tight, letting go, words, silence, action, inaction, planning for the future, and taking care of myself.

What is the furthest you have been from home? Austria

What has Stroller Strides done for you? Stroller Strides helped my days return to "normal" after Elliott was born.  It's a four-way tie between the benefits that I immediately got out of SS: social time for me, social time for Elliott, exercise for me, and time out of the house for both of us.

What was your experience with Running Mamas like?  The most mentally challenging physical activity I've ever done.  The running was hard, but making myself complete each run was harder.  Jen K. and the other mamas were so positive and inspiring, though.  I am proud that I started running and am still loving the results.

What is your favorite exercise?  Tennis, but in SS, one of my favorites is the jumping jack/high knees/skier pyramid.  Not only do I feel satisfaction about finishing, but if I can remember which one comes next, that's an added level of accomplishment!  

What is your proudest moment?  Besides giving birth with no epidural (not by choice), I'd say it was when I signed a licensing agreement for my Cranklz straps (reversible, stretchy straps for Crocs which you can find on www.monkeylisa.com) with a company that took my product to the international retail market.

What are three of your favorite things (besides your family!)?  Leisurely mornings at the beach, dark chocolate, and hitting a winning shot on the tennis court with my killer backhand.

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us or makes you unique. Je parle français.

If we asked your spouse what they think your best qualities are, what would they say?  Integrity, compassion, creativity and family-focused.  (Yes, I asked him.)

What advice would you give to moms looking to start a healthier lifestyle?  Find a workout outfit you feel good in, be brave, and walk into a Stroller Strides class.  (Or a gym, or around your neighborhood.)  That first step is important, but so is surrounding yourself with like-minded people who are committed to a healthy life style.  It's easy to learn from their examples, osmosis, and, yes, peer pressure, but it's also comforting to know there are others in the same boat.