Welcome to OMG Unfiltered – a new monthly series where I pull back the curtain on the real, raw, sometimes chaotic and slightly ridiculous side of motherhood.
There are no filters, no perfectly curated highlight reels, just a personal and honest insight into mumlife as I see (and survive!) it.
Each month, I’ll share my reflections, rants, lessons and my little “ah-huh” moments as I navigate the beauty and chaos of everyday life with a toddler in tow.
From balancing work, running, and my fear of swooping magpies, daycare drop-off trauma, wild bus rides to the “If you get in the pram I’ll let you do … X” trade-offs – this is motherhood, unfiltered.
“do magpies swoop at night?“
That was my question to one of the guys I was chatting with at the local Monday night run group.
Admittedly, I’ve been on a running hiatus lately – there’ve been far too many excuses and way too much couch time watching Deal or No Deal … and even *cough* Bold and Beautiful.
OMG, Luna is alive! *GASP* … Absolutely riveting viewing for sure.
After far too many months of zero running, I finally decided to get off said couch, stop making excuses, bite the bullet … *insert your fave idiom here* … and attend the Club KT Monday night run group.
With a toddler who’s now doing laps from the living room to the kitchen … “Ready, setty, GO!” … finding time to exercise is a challenge.
Who needs 3kg dumbbells when you can squat holding 12kg of giggles and fun!
Anyway, J got home early last night and stayed with Little Miss A so I could go run.
And aside from the classic pre-run awkward small talk and the “just-looking-at-my-phone-so-I-don’t-look-awkward-and-alone” moment (we’ve all been there when in new settings, amirite!), the run was AMAZING.
I actually felt GOOD running, AND I actually ran the entire way (almost 5km!).
Yes, this is an achievement these days … a little different to the days when running 20km on a Sunday morning was no big deal. *Sigh* I def miss being run fit!
But even better than the run itself was the reminder of how awesome the running community is.
Sure, the first few minutes were awkward (looking at you, social anxiety!), but I forgot how welcoming run and tri clubs are.
And let me tell you, it’s a sense of community you don’t often get in other social settings.
Since moving back to Brisbane after a few years in the Middle East, finding my mum tribe has been well … tricky.
The “Let’s do a playdate sometime!” invites rarely turn into actual playdates.
But last night reminded me that community doesn’t always come from where you expect it.
And it feels so good to be welcomed and encouraged to come back!
Just what this mumma needs: A little bit of “me time” and a whole lot of community.
So, I think I’ll definitely try to get back to the run group next Monday … and maybe even the Monday after that.
Lifelong friendships can definitely be made when you’re all sweating away, huffing and puffing, putting one foot in front of the other, pursuing crazy running goals … and telling yourself, “Just stay with the group so you don’t get swooped by a magpie!”
So, here’s to running, community, and not getting swooped by magpies on the Monday night run.
And here’s to getting back to running.
x G.
editor, journalist, digital content creator with a background in nutrition & dietetics.
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