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.