A 37-Year-Old Mom Of 2 Breaks American Marathon Record

Keira D’Amato ran a marathon in 2 hours and 19 minutes, aka the time it takes to get your toddler’s shoes on

This weekend in Houston, Keira D’Amato broke the record for the fastest marathon run by an American woman, crossing the finish line in 2:19:12. The 37-year-old working mother of two has been putting up strong appearances in the last year, but had never before won a marathon.

D’Amato ran competitively back in college but took 7 years off from the sport to focus on her family life before returning — and she was then sidelined by a hamstring injury in June. But this weekend, she was at her record-shattering best.

“My journey back to running at the beginning of it was just to have a little space in a chaotic life for myself. And just for health reasons,” she told TODAY. “If you were to tell me I’d be here now, I wouldn’t believe you. I would have probably have hung up my shoes. Because this is just wild.”

Are we surprised that she started training again just to get out of the house? No we are not. We get it.

The previous record was held by Deena Kastor, an American who ran the London Marathon in 2:19:36 in 2006. And we’d also like to shout out this mom who ran a marathon pushing three kids in a stroller.

D’Amato’s two children greeted her with hugs at the finish line, holding signs for their quick-as-lightening mom.

“You’re the fastest in the country ever,” one of her kids exclaimed after she broke the tape.

D’Amato says she can’t quite comprehend what she’s accomplished.

“You know the cute little emoticon with the head blowing up, that’s the best way I can describe it,” she says. “I’m having such a hard time wrapping my head around it: the gravity of all this. I knew I could get my body and my mind to a place to accomplish this goal, I’ve been putting in the miles and doing the work and I believed I could do it, but for it to happen and everything to go good enough is just pretty unbelievable.”

When she’s not running things faster than they’ve ever been run before, she works as a real estate agent in Richmond, Virginia. How does she have time for all this? We’re not sure, but we’re proud of her.

What’s next on D’Amato’s list? Qualifying for the Olympics.

“The Olympics have been a dream of mine ever since I can remember. I remember in fourth grade: What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be an Olympian. It’s something that transforms through all sports and I want to be a part of that. 2024 watch out.”

But she stressed that not only is it still mostly fun for her, but she couldn’t have gotten to where she is unless it was fun.

“I do run for fun and that’s why I’m sitting here right now…There’s ups and downs, but I just believed that I hadn’t found my potential, and I was just so curious to find what the limit was. It’s so exciting to me that I feel like I still haven’t found the limit…. there’s still a lot of room to grow in the sport. I can’t believe this is happening, but my mind is already like: what’s next?”

D’Amato wasn’t the only mom breaking records at the Houston Marathon on Sunday. Sarah Hall, at 38 years old, ran the fastest ever half marathon for an American woman, clocking in at 1:07:15.

Does this mean that we all have to start jogging now? Nope, don’t worry. But it sure is inspirational. And here’s your quarterly reminder that being pregnant feels like constantly running a marathon.