For the Love of Running!

When it comes to running, I’m pretty damn bad at it! Despite having a half and full marathon under my belt and another half and full ahead of me, I don’t consider myself a runner. To me a runner is someone that makes it look effortless, but I was recently proved wrong. I AM a runner. No matter how good you are at it, if you lace up those trainers and run, you’re a runner!

This month I’m doing my best to encourage women to do just that; lace up and get out. No matter the distance it still counts! If you’re in need of some encouragement then please check out For the Love of Running as they are the most supportive running group I’ve ever met. I’m honoured to be one of their new ambassadors!

I spoke to some of the lovely ladies in the group and asked them to share why they took up running. Hopefully, this may inspire you to get out there too!

First up is Dawn; I did my first run because my slightly (at the time) obsessed boyfriend decided to sign us up to the first 10k Winter Run UK (2 yrs ago). I hated it! He continued to randomly sign us up for events. Then we joined a running club (now closed) so for me, it was about taking on his interests and found I enjoyed the race day buzz but can’t quite motivate myself to train.

Secondly, we have Stacey; I started running because I spent the summer walking in the sunshine during the summer hols with my kids and felt terrible being stuck indoors when I went back to work in September. Our sports coach and a colleague encouraged me to give it a go so I started C25k (couch to 5k). I found it really hard at first, running/walking along in my crummy old trainers and old joggers, but I kept going because every time I achieved something I thought I couldn’t do I felt amazing! I ran 10k in an hour and ten minutes last weekend at the Winter Run and I have to say it is one of my favourite life experiences. I get to do something for me; not just be a mum, teacher, wife etc. I feel like I could pretty much achieve anything now and my body image is so much better because I think about my body in the terms of what it can do, not how it appears to others (who can naff off if they don’t like it).

Next up is Helen, a lovely friend of mine that introduced me to this group; I started running because I flippantly in the pub declared I wanted to do a marathon. I wasn’t a runner at all. Then in a drunken state, I signed up for one. I hadn’t yet done 5k. So I had to train. And somewhere down the line, I started liking it and crossed the finishing line of the Brighton Marathon on the hottest day of the year just outside 5 hours. My friend’s lovely mother had died a few months before and I decided to raise money for the charity she worked for. She was my inspiration. Then I kept running because it kept me sane and it saved my life when I suffered PND.

Cristy told me; I work in a hospice. Last may for ‘dying matters week’ I was being interviewed by our local news film crew about the week and we were talking about things that we wanted to do before We die. I was put on the spot on camera so I jokingly said, ‘the London Marathon’ which to be honest I had never seriously thought about doing but then realised I really did want to do but never believed I could. I have been a volunteer Physio for the London marathon quite a few times and always admired every person that runs it but always discounted that I could do it. It then got me thinking, why not?, that if I wanted to challenge myself, I wasn’t getting any younger so I signed up for a ballot place. I went for a few run /walks and realised I loved it! I then took part in a 5k colour run with a friend run-walking whilst pushing my son in a beach wheelchair – the sense of achievement I felt was immense and I knew I was onto something! I was dreading October but secretly hoping I had a space but I didn’t get one. However I was starting to struggle to fit my normal boot camp training around being a single mummy and realised I could run either with my son in his special needs pram (which he loves – ‘faster mummy, faster mummy’) or when he is with his dad or in respite. Hence the love began! I have been plagued on / off with injuries but I’m determined to get up to a marathon by next year. It’s my ‘me’ time. I am now signed up to the Eurodisney half marathon in September with my mum and will enter the ballot for LM again this year!

And lastly, Sue; I started about 6 years ago as my daughter got engaged and I wanted to get fit / lose weight as my MOT with the nurse told me I was heading for an obese person, anyway I managed in a year to lose 3 stone & absolutely loved jogging. Did 5k & 10k charity runs but then over next 4 years but the runs slowly started to ease off going from 3-4 runs a week to 1-2. Then 18 months ago got diagnosed with breast cancer which I’ve used as an excuse not to go out, don’t worry all is well on that side of things but just have no motivation, no mo-jo now. Hoping this will help me but haven’t signed up for charity runs yet.

When are you going on your first run?