Lessons I Learn From (Many) Women: #2 “We All Have An Inner Runner”.

Honourable mentions to Corinna Homer; Annie Case-Miller, Bel Crawford and the ladies behind Motivate Me. 

I’ve started running again. Yep, believe it or not I have. Now, let me be crystal clear here, I hate running. Loathe it even. My feet go numb, I occasionally have problems with my left calf seizing on me causing me to rub in the deep heat, and then five minutes later totally forgetting and rubbing my eye making it sting and water. I hate the way I assume people are judging me as a I plod along in my Nike T-shirt and ¾ black running tights.  And despite my very firm-fitted sports bra, I hate the way my boobs bounce even though I know that like every other female runner on the planet, most (okay, ALL) men will cop a squiz at them as they drive past anyway.  I hate meeting peoples eyes who pass me, so I wear my sunglasses, just so they don't see the pain I'm in. But I try to overcome these "hates" by whacking on my headphones and running to a motivating playlist that ranges from T-Rex and Muse, to Father MC and Rihanna.

Despite hating running with an absolute passion, I do love certain aspects about it.

1. First of all – it’s free, no monthly gym fee, no sweaty patches on machines or instructor yelling at you in aerobics class.
2. I really love the fact that running is a self-motivating exercise. It is you telling yourself to get up, get dressed, slap on the running playlist and get yourself out the door. It is you who tells you to keep going, urges you to run a little further, to go a little faster and it is only you who will get you from start to finish .
3. I love how proud I feel of myself while I’m out there and again as I reach the front door I left 50 minutes earlier, breathless, so proud and loving those endorphins wrapping me in a big hug of yellow. 
4. And I love the way other women always acknowledge you with a smile as they pass you either walking or running in the opposite direction. That sisterhood, that mutual smile we exchange that says, “Good on us, we’re doing it…”.   And we are. 

All of those woman I have encountered motivate me to keep going. I also will myself to keep going through the heat, wind, pain and puffing by a) picturing myself running the same route but in a much lighter, smaller running outfit; and b) thinking about a few ladies I know who embrace their inner-runner on a regular basis. 

Through good old Facebook, and the fact she is looking really incredible, I know my friend Corinna Homer is running via her Nike Run app on her phone that tells us when she’s out so we can send her a “cheers” as she pounds the North Shore pavements. Unless things have changed I’m PRETTY sure Bushie has a similar attitude as me towards running – but she manages to fit her runs in around her two children, demanding career and husband.

Anne-Marie Miller is certainly one of my heroes who looks absolutely amazing. She’s a long-time runner, and I watch her vicariously via Facebook as she runs under the scorching Perth sun – and now this woman has decided that body sculpting will be her goal for 2013 as she approaches 40. Annie is also a Mum, wife and career woman.

Bel Crawford – young, hip, successful….Bel runs in some ridiculously sweaty temperatures in Palmy – soon to change locations to the stunning Bay Of Plenty and puts 8k’s under her belt several times a week.  I only recently discovered Bel runs, but that motivates my inner-runner as well. 

And to the ladies behind Motivate Me on Facebook, thank you, because every, single day I get something from your page.

So, to all the ladies who have gotten off their arses, denied themselves that extra hour’s sleep in the morning or happy hour after work; the ladies who have grabbed those sneakers, pulled on the t-shirts long enough to cover their backsides and clicked shut the door behind them to set out on a run, to all of those sisters no matter how long or far you run, how round or thin, tall or short, fit or breathless you are….I hold up my five-year-old Nike running shoes and I salute you.  We all have an inner-runner hiding there somewhere, the trick is not to just get her out, and it’s to motivate her to keep going out until she actually starts to enjoy it.  Here’s hoping that one day that person is me.  

Lesson I Learnt From Women #1: 'Don't Sweat The Small Stuff".

Women. Ladies. Wahines. Gals. Chicks. The fairer sex.  We are strong, fierce characters who also have the fabulous ability to talk about anything from tampons and technology to rugby rules and Ruby Woo Mac Lipstick.  We hold our own in the boardroom and bedroom while juggling our families, careers, girlfriends, households, self-esteem, lifestyles and money. We cannot live without these great women, our sisters, our comrades in the clubs and confidante’s in the coffee houses.  This blog is to celebrate all the good women I have met and enjoyed the company of in my life. Whether they are old friends, related, acquaintances, old workmates, new workmates or someone I was only able to admire from afar, each one has had a very profound and lasting influence on my life, and through this blog, I hope they will have a positive influence on yours.

I met Mereana Faulkner quite a few years ago now when I was doing a promo in Whangarei for The Edge; she was the PD of the Radioworks office. (And later went on to be the GM.)  I liked her instantly.  She was straight-up, wise, beautiful, natural,  funny and very talented.

I was fortunate enough a few years later to attend her engagement party and subsequently her wedding to Jason. These days she is Mereana Hawthorn, working Mother of two gorgeous boys, wife of one brickears husband and friend to many.

Mereana is everything that we women want to be – amazing under pressure; glamorous in a casual way; loved by all and admired by many. I don’t think ego and Mereana go together at all, despite her numerous accolades over the years and amazing success in her career.

Most importantly, M has that natural, flawless ability to not sweat the small stuff. Even on her wedding day, which was another hot Northland one, Mereana was the calmest, coolest person in the place and I believe the ONLY one who wasn’t sweating. She was also cool, calm and collected when she hired the world’s hottest Nanny, blonde, slim, sexy. Instead of vetoing her because of her looks, Mereana hired her because of her amazing domestic skills and incredible chemistry with the children. How many of us would do that? You and I both know we’d hire the oldest, “curviest” Nanny on the list. She just doesn't sweat the small stuff. 

She has a big laugh that fills the room and makes you feel like Tina friggen Fay if she laughs at something you’ve said.  Whatever you do, you always want to get some sort of reaction from her because it’s always memorable.

Like the radio awards one year where she sent me from zero to hero in an instant.  This is back in the day the radio awards was a very swanky, glittering affair with drinks, ceremony then more drinks, dinner and dancing.

Both Mereana and I had been nominated but unfortunately that year neither of us gave acceptance speeches. We were consoling each other after the ceremony and heading to the dinner at Sky City when Lynley Sutherland (a former Radioworks GM to Mereana and someone I sort of knew) came over and we chatted. As we parted Lynley said, “Tarsha, you look just lovely this year in your black dress, it’s a good thing too because last year you looked like a hooker!” and she walked away. I instantly went bright red and felt really stink. Mereana burst into laughter and said, “Ohhh babe…I know it might not feel like it right now, and although Lynley is pretty straight up, she definitely meant that as a compliment. Besides, you do look really lovely.”  And with that we got on with it. I definitely avoided Lynley for the rest of the night, but I never sweated or moped on that comment thanks to Mereana. 

Over the years Mereana has had some sad moments, some great moments and several hundred hilarious ones in between. But she does it all with ease, grace and without breaking a sweat. If there were ever a poster girl for cool, calm and collected, Mereana would be the one on all of our walls.  Everything seems clearer, better, soulful, lighter and easy with Mereana in your life,  and everyone who knows her will agree. Mereana Faulkner, thank you.