Don’t give up your right to run

So as the UK deals with the fall out of yesterday’s general election, I have been on a bit of a come down from the highs of the last few weeks.

Let’s recap because April was kinda crazy for me. I started a 6 week #5weeksto5k feature on daytime TV, seeing my new ebook of the same name go to Number 1 in the running ebook charts.

Then I only went and won best blog at the Running Awards 2015 in front of an audience of important running peeps.

And then of course there was the small matter of finishing the London Marathon and being featured in the BBC highlights show.

Phew

It’s been great in terms of profile, the blog saw over 100,000 hits in April alone…but…and it’s a big but…the hard work still has to go on.
I still have a todo list that seems only slightly more achievable than any of the political parties manifestos and an inbox with literally hundreds of emails  to respond to.

But yesterday I came across one message which really struck a cord, it went a little like this

Dear Julie,

I’m sure that you get many, MANY messages, but I felt I just had to…I just had a wee look on YouTube and saw the clip showing you completing your first marathon and almost in tears repeating that it was hard…I cried. I actually sat and cried like a baby watching you and I wanted to hug you too. I’m a fat girl. I’m currently just under 15st and a size 20/18 and since I was a little girl I wanted to run.

Each year I watch the London Marathon and I sit there glued and cry watching the runners coming over the line. I sit there gasping and cheering and always wished that one day that could be me. But I’m too fat and so unfit.

As a little girl I would play that I was running the marathon and throwing my arms up, closing my eyes and cheering as I run under that finishing arch…and being laughed at – not just by the cruel kids, but friends and family.

When I did mention my longing to run to a few close friends I got told that I was, “built for comfort and not for speed” with one of my oldest friends finishing with, “Don’t expect me to sponsor you!”. I’m not after speed though, I’m after running through that arch, with my eyes closed and cheering that I actually did it.

Because of seeing you, reading about you, I am going to do it…I’m going to run that bloody marathon! Well, one day at least. I’m going to have to do this on my own as I literally have no one who will support me on this, but after seeing you, listening to you, I know I can do it…or at least give it a bloody good try 😊 So this quick note (sorry, I have a problem with those, lol…’quick note’ is not in my vocab, lol) was really just to say, thank you. It’s people like you, who say ‘stuff it! Yes, I can!” that show the rest of us, that yes, we really can. So bless you, my lovely And thank you, for giving me hope

Hugs

It was exactly what I needed to hear, and with permission this kind lady allowed me to publish her email, and email which came at just the right moment for me. A reminder to keep my feet firmly on the ground and simply just get back to my core business of helping women to find the joy in running….just like I have.

Things seriously need to change in this country, and I am not talking about obesity…or even inactivity levels particularly, we need a revolution in womens sport and we need it now. I am sick of seeing billboards of bikini clad women promoting the next big diet craze, and glossy magazines fat shaming anyone with as much as a dimple on their thigh…ENOUGH ALREADY!!!

It’s so sad to know that up and down the country women who want to run are being crippled by fear, put off by the media and sports brands portrayal of what a so called “proper runner” looks like or worse still discouraged by their loved ones from taking up the sport for all kind of weird reasons.

Its simple.

If you want to run you should run, sod what other people have to say about it, just do it and often. Don’t worry about being slow or looking strange in Lycra, just get out there and do your best.

It’s your absolute right to exercise regardless of your dress size, so don’t let anyone rob you of that right.

OK I will get off my soap box now.

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