I often feel like there is this idea that once you become a mom, your life will be overwhelmed and you will only be defined by the care of your children. Don’t get me wrong, I think being a mother is amazing and one of the most important roles that I will take on in my life, but I also think that it is wrong to think that just because you become a mom, you cannot achieve new and exciting things. While I know that it will be crazy and busy and I won’t have the same amount of time and flexibility as before, I still have every intention to lead a life full of adventure and be fitter than ever before.

I think it is also frustrating when people say things like “oh that (achievement) is awesome, especially for a mom”. I think there is a fine line to recognize that as a mom, it takes a lot more dedication and planning to get certain things done, but don’t undermine the achievement by saying “it’s good for a mom”. Luckily, there are also more and more role models out there that prove you can be a mom and still do it all. I still have a ways to go before I have my baby and write about my own journey, but I thought it would be great to share with you some stories about supermoms that inspire me in this blog post!

One of them is Mirinda Carfrae, an Ironman superstar, multi-time Kona world champion, and reigning record holder of the Kona run leg. She took time off in 2017 to welcome a baby girl and was back at it in 2018 where she won two 70.3 titles and then also got 5th place at Kona World Championships. Balancing a baby and being a world class athlete isn’t easy, but she has embraced both roles with grace and vigor. Her husband is also a world class Ironman Athlete (2nd place at Kona 2019) and they have an awesome channel on YouTube documenting their life with training, races, and baby Isabelle. I used to watch it while I did my long trainer rides and always loved having an inside glimpse into their life.

Another Ironman superstar/badass mom is Caroline Steffen (nickname Xena). She has won 23 70.3 Ironman titles and is also a multiple ITU long course world championship. She welcomed a baby boy and was at Ironman Western Australia, Busselton when I was there for my first Ironman! I went to an event hosted by Women Who Tri and she was one of the star guests. It was her first full distance race since Kona 2015 and many of the questions were about her pregnancy and how she felt getting back into racing after giving birth. It was amazing to hear from her first hand and even MORE amazing when I found out the next day that she had broken the course record! Here is a great interview she did regarding pregnancy and getting back to racing.

To read more about triathlete supermoms, check out this article. Here is another article about triathlete moms who are not professionals athletes. This website also focuses on lots of badass women in sports and adventure.

I know that returning to triathlon won’t be an easy process, but I hope that documenting my journey back to the starting line will be helpful for others!

One of my other heroes is Kimi Werner. She is a spearfishing champion and is dedicated to educating others about the importance of sustainability and environmental activism. She recently gave birth to an adorable baby and spoke candidly about her fears of having children and the effect it would have on her career and passion for free diving. She went to Jeju to meet the Haenyeo, the freediving women of Korean who bring food to their family’s table through hard work and dedication. The short film was very touching and is on Patagonia’s YouTube channel. Her instagram is one of my favorites.

Another Instagram account that I love is Nataliya Moon @Rebornbyadventure. She and her husband lead an extraordinary life traveling through the world and currently have a 2 year old daughter. Her blog is an amazing resource regarding experiencing nature and adventure with a baby/young child.

Lastly, I also love this awesome fit mama Mona Jane. She has two young boys and lives in Hawaii, where they enjoy an active and nature filled lifestyle. She exudes positivity and I love how she includes her kids in many of her activities. Here is her Instagram account.

I hope that you guys enjoyed reading about these awesome kick-ass moms and also feel motivated that your life will only get better after kids! It won’t be easy and it is a balancing act, but it can be done. I am looking forward to the day I can share my own journey!