It’s demanding enough for a woman to complete the six Abbott World Marathon Majors challenge.
But imagine trying to do that while also serving as a faithful mother to four children, three of whom are still of an age to be living at home.
Now that should make her eligible, if not the favorite, for some kind of “Mom of the Year” award.
Yardley’s Christen Baglieri, though, hardly needs any more silverware or wall plaques.
She just completed the Berlin Marathon on Oct. 6 in the brilliant time of three hours, 36 minutes.
The trophy from that one will go into the awards case alongside Boston, New York and Chicago. The only ones left on the Abbott docket are Tokyo, which she plans to do next year, and London, possibly the year after.
Not bad for a 45-year-old who, in addition to the aforementioned activities, also serves as a school counselor at an elementary school in Manalapan, N.J. and a co-running coach with Megan Bogan at Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary School.
The rest of the Baglieri “lineup:” Tyler, 19; is a freshman at Penn State; Cameron, 16, is a junior at Pennsbury High School; Evan, 13, is in seventh grade at Pennwood Middle School and Leila, is in second grade at Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary School.
What’s the secret to this balancing act?
“We have everything on a calendar,” Christen said in a telephone interview. “We move things around so that we make it work. If it means waking up at 5 a.m. on a Sunday so that I can do my long run, then go to my son’s Ultimate Frisbee game or lacrosse or take them to dance or gymnastics, you definitely have to have that planning mentality.
“But at the same time we try not to sacrifice our own goals for our kids. We move things around and have to be regimented in certain ways. We always make sure we fit in our kids’ activities, be supportive of them just as they’re supportive of me. They cheer me on.”
Having a supportive life partner, namely her husband Brian, certainly helps.
“It’s only possible because my husband is so supportive,” she said. “We definitely have to collaborate with everyone’s schedules.
“He’s very supportive. He’s the one who makes all the arrangements for our travel, hotels, whatever.”
Berlin was certainly a logistical challenge as well as an athletic one.
“I’ve never done anything internationally,” she said. “Chicago was the farthest marathon I had done. Doing something in a different atmosphere, a different country was just enticing. It was a really cool race. A very different vibe than any American race.”
She ran a career-best 3:37 at Boston earlier this year. So Berlin had to be deemed a success.
“I think I could have done a little better in Berlin if not for the time change,” she said. “There was jet lag and all that but I was really happy with that result.”
After having her second child back in 2009, Kristen decided she needed something to get her fitness back on track. So she took up running.
And not just any old running, but marathon training.
She registered for the 2010 New Jersey Marathon without so much as having run a 5K.
Talk about lofty goals.
“That (New Jersey) just threw me into the marathon culture,” Baglieri said. “I’ve kind of been addicted since then. I did Chicago three years ago, right during COVID, and that was kind of my first taste of a major.”
She grew up in Wilmington, Del. then went to Villanova where she met Brian, who’s from North Jersey. When they decided to become a family, they were looking for a halfway point between the two original families and a place in Yardley seemed ideal.
“After I had my second child (Cameron), I kind of needed to get back to something for myself,” Baglieri said. “Like goal-setting for myself. Get back in shape. So I just started leisurely running. New Year’s Eve, 2009 I thought ‘I think I want to run a marathon.’
“I started training and I’ve been all in since then.”
Serving as a co-coach for the Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary School Running Club makes her a natural role model. Evan and Leila are in the club so there’s a natural connection. Plus, Christen gets a lot of support from running partner Carla Perry, who accompanied her on the running treks through New York and Berlin, plus cheered her on at Chicago and Boston.
“What we try to do with the kids in that running program is we work on different values like determination and integrity,” Christen said. “We use running to motivate them and to teach them those character traits as well. So it’s a really cool experience to watch them set goals and to grow.
“I feel like I’m a good role model for them because they always ask me about my goals in races. It’s nice to share that experience with them.”
The kids are getting older so they’re a little more independent. But goal-setting definitely once gave Christen the discipline to make everything work during the children’s formative years and there’s been a carryover effect.
“With my own goals, I was better able to handle everything,” Christen said. “It is so hard to fit it all in but it’s important to make yourself a priority as well.”
>Race calendar
>Saturday
Newtown Haunted Hustle 5K, 9 a.m., Newtown. Contact www.findarace.com
>Sunday
A Run For the Heart 5K, 9 a.m., Warrington. Contact www.findarace.com