You don't have to look like a runner to be one — with Melanie Cote (@the.curvy.runner)

Send us Fan MailMelanie Cote spent years believing runners were a certain kind of person — thin, disciplined, elite — and she wasn't it. So when a coworker organized a 5K, she showed up to cheer instead of run, too embarrassed to try. A year later, she crossed that same start line. Today she's a half-marathoner who runs as @the.curvy.runner, and her story is for every mom who's ever thought "I'm not a runner."Carrie and Melanie get into starting couch-to-5K in your late 40s, why consistency beats performance, the gear struggles nobody warns curvy runners about, running through perimenopause, and letting go of the diet-culture rules we grew up with. It's a conversation about giving yourself permission — to take up space, to take the trip, to be the mom you're proud of.Time Stamps0:00 introduction5:08 how our relationship with running has changed8:43 separating running from weight loss11:29 becoming more active as kids get older14:56 being flexible to be consistent19:55 being creative with winter running25:32 finding community in running29:30 deciding to do a Disney half marathon34:02 running as a curvy woman43:13 dealing with hormonal changes48:40 quick hit questionsCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCourse waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWLCONNECT WITH MELANIE:IG: https://www.instagram.com/the.curvy.runner/Website: www.thecurvyrunners.comThe Active Mom Podcast is A Real Moms' Guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond for active moms & the professionals who help them in their journey.  This show has been a long time in the making!   You can expect conversation with moms and professionals from all aspects of the industry.   If you're like me, you don't have a lot of free time (heck, you're probably listening at 1.5x speed), so theses interviews will be quick hits to get your the pertinent information FAST!  If you love what you hear, share the podcast with a friend and leave us a 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and review. It helps us become more visible in the search algorithm! (Helps us get seen by more moms that need to hear these stories!!!!)