2017 Most Inspirational Member: Tammy Kuehne

Look up the word ‘perseverance’ in the dictionary and you may find Tammy Kuehne’s name in the definition. Tammy was selected at our August Celebration Dinner in Minneapolis as Moms on the Run's 2017 Most Inspirational Member.

While Tammy is not able to run, she completed the MOTR 5K in August with a walk time of 50:13, surrounded by her encouraging MOTR teammates.

Tammy loves to run. As one of the coaches for Brooklyn Park Moms on the Run, she also loves to encourage others to run. Last December, however, her own running journey was derailed after a serious car accident shattered her left kneecap and broke her right ankle. Forced to learn to do the simplest tasks without the use of her legs in order to heal, Tammy asked her surgeon, “So when can I run again?”

Tammy has a wire holding her kneecap together, pins on the inner side of her right ankle and a plate on the outside of her right ankle. She spent 17 days in the hospital and continues to go to physical therapy. While her journey has been long and frustrating and she's not yet able to run, she continues to persevere, hashtagging #MOTRstrong through every hurdle she successfully accomplishes in therapy.
 
Here’s what Head Coach Aimee McNamara wrote in her nomination:
“I can absolutely think of no one more deserving of the Most Inspirational Award than my amazing coach, Tammy Kuehne. I also can think of no one else who would laugh and roll her eyes at the thought of receiving this honor, because anyone who knows Tammy knows that she doesn’t think of herself as an inspiration. Even after a serious car crash derailed her running career — temporarily — in December of 2016. Even after the doctors had to piece her shattered left knee and right ankle back together like a puzzle. Even after she had to navigate how to do even the simplest tasks without the use of both her legs. She persevered. She fought. She made herself vulnerable and took all of us with her on her difficult journey of healing, perseverance and strength. But her journey has been tough — she’d never tell you that though — but for those of us that know her, we feel it. We truly feel her frustrations at not being able to do what she wants to do. That she’d like nothing more than to run the MOTR and Ragnar races she loves so dearly. But she’d never dwell on this. Not Tammy! Because anyone who asks the surgeon after a major car accident and surgery, “Soooo, when can I run again?” is a fighter. And those of us that have the pleasure of knowing our amazing Tammy will know that she absolutely will run again. SOON! And I am incredibly blessed to have her on the Brooklyn Park team.”

Since her receipt of this award, Tammy says that it has helped her to stay motivated to keep pushing ahead. "Moms on the Run has been beyond supportive and encouraging since my accident. Without them I wouldn't have made it this far. It's been challenging both physically and mentally and some days I get so frustrated with the limitations I want to quit, so receiving this award was just what I needed to break down those barriers and continue to push forward. I'm sure there are women in our group more deserving of this award, but knowing I'm an inspiration to others is such an awesome feeling. I love being a coach and can't wait to get back out there. For now, I'll continue to cheer from the sidelines."
​
As Most Inspiring Member, Tammy won a $150 gift certificate from our sponsor, 361°. Thank you for inspiring us, Tammy!