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What starts as a quick run to get out of the house… can end up changing your entire life.

In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast, I sit down with running creator Erica Kennedy aka @inmyrunningerica to talk about how running helped her survive an abusive marriage — and slowly rebuild her confidence, independence, and sense of self one mile at a time.

Now she’s the voice behind the hilarious IG posts that we runners can’t stop sharing — from what to wear in Bald Headed Scallywags winter-storm running weather to her spot-on anatomy jokes and injury stories that make every runner say, “wait… that’s literally me.”

But behind the humor is real Life.

We talk about:

🔷 finding time to run while raising three kids in completely different life stages

🔷 navigating running injuries without losing your sanity

🔷finding the right running shoe (& then losing it)

🔷 the reality (and challenges) of home gym life

🔷 what it actually means to be a “running influencer” (and whether your neighbors even know)

🔷 the wild story of how she almost got scammed by “Asics.”

Plus: a run-stalking murder mystery that proves runner stories are never boring, with both of us unanimously deciding that mutual friend @lauramcgreen will singlehandedly lead the investigation and the GoFundMe. (You're going to have to listen to get this one! It's worth it!)

Because running isn’t just pace and mileage.

Sometimes it’s survival. Sometimes it’s therapy. Sometimes it’s the only 30 minutes that’s yours. And sometimes it's a great time to share a laugh.

If you’ve ever needed a run to keep your sanity — you’ll feel very seen in this one.

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

4:30 creating funny skits

10:22 finding the right time to run

17:05 struggling with injury

21:32 sponsorships and scams

27:41 home gyms and strength training

34:42 mom life and kid personalities

41:39 what her parents think

47:09 rapid fire question

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH ERICA:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inmyrunningerica/

The 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

The 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!!!!)

Send us a text

What happens when pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and military fitness standards collide?

Because “light duty” doesn’t exactly exist when you’re a soldier… or a mom.

In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Megan Jones, a civilian physical therapist who has spent nearly her entire career embedded inside the military system, helping pregnant and postpartum service members stay strong, capable, and mission-ready.

She works at the intersection of tactical athletes, pelvic health, strength training, and postpartum performance — supporting women who are expected to carry heavy loads, pass fitness tests, deploy, and return to high-level activity… often while navigating pregnancy, birth recovery, and pelvic floor symptoms that rarely get talked about out loud.

And honestly?
So much of this mirrors what our everyday runners and lifters face too.

We talk about what actually prepares women for the long game — not just “clearing” a 6-week checkup or surviving a fitness test.

Because strength isn’t optional.
Recovery isn’t weakness.
And asking better questions changes everything.

Inside this episode, we cover:

• Military fitness test standards and expectations for women
• Postpartum return-to-fitness for tactical athletes
• Why lifting during and after pregnancy matters more than ever
• Pelvic floor + psychosocial components of recovery
• Asking smarter clinical questions (not just chasing symptoms)
• Running and coaching through pregnancy and postpartum
• How to help women stay active for decades — not just months

Whether you’re a clinician, coach, military service member, or an active mom trying to get back to running and lifting without leaks, pain, or fear… this conversation will expand how you think about pregnancy and postpartum performance.

Because women don’t need to shrink their lives to fit their bodies.

We need better support systems.

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

3:39 expectations for female service members

9:17 standardizing the Army’s pregnancy/postpartum fitness

14:14 culture and accountability

20:09 combating outdated information

22:53 advice for working with tactical athletes

29:39 process of seeing a PT in the military

34:13 running and finding ultras

41:30 lifting early in postpartum

45:09 finding the right resources

50:18 rapid fire questions

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH MEGAN:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reclaimfxn/

Website: www.reclaimfxn.com

The 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!!!!)

Send us a text

In this episode, we welcome back Carter Norbo—home health physical therapist, lifelong runner, and mom to two-year-old twins and a five-month-old baby.

After narrowly missing qualification for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 2024 following the birth of her twins, Carter returned to racing postpartum and is now officially qualified for the 2028 Olympic Marathon Trials—just months after welcoming her third baby.

Balancing full-time work, elite-level marathon training, and life with three kids under three, Carter shares what returning to high-level competition after pregnancy actually looks like. This is an honest conversation about postpartum recovery, training through pregnancy, fueling, strength work, and learning when less is more.

We talk about:

• How her mindset around training during pregnancy has evolved
• Qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Marathon Trials postpartum
• The realities and logistics of training as a twin mom
• The role of strength training during pregnancy and after birth
• Learning to be flexible when life (and recovery) demand it
• Fueling appropriately for long runs while breastfeeding and postpartum
• Why more training is not always better—especially after pregnancy

This episode is a must-listen for runners navigating pregnancy, postpartum return to running, or anyone curious about what it really takes to train at a high level while raising a family—without burning out or breaking down.

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

2:29 going for another Olympic Trials qualification

9:23 race day experience

15:25 lessons from being a mom

18:12 differences between pregnancies

21:10 advice for her previous self

27:03 plans for the future

30:19 the Rabbit Chase Team

37:35 Lever system for treadmill

42:45 fueling and hydrating for running

47:18 rapid fire questions

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH CARTER:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnorbo/

The 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!!!!)