For the love of running
I would love to take this opportunity to share with you a story about my love affair with running.
Sadly, I cannot. As many of you know, despite my most sincere and enduring efforts, I am often winded just by leisurely strolling around the block.
However! I am pleased to present this inspiring guest post by my fellow blogger Daniela Payne of CanadianLiving.com's super-fab Green Living blog. It is no small feat that she makes me feel like I am really missing out on something by not running around all the time. Read and enjoy. And then pick up your pace.
Disclaimer: This is not an actual photo of Daniela running. She, um, usually runs around with a giant *blue* scarf, you see.
Running changed my life. I know it sounds dramatic, but it couldn't be more true. I was very active in my high school days, and like everyone else, once I was out of the routine of soccer and field hockey practice, the pounds started to pack on. When I decided to take up running I thought it would be easy, but boy was I mistaken. My first run turned into more of a fast walk, but I refused to feel discouraged. Seeing 30, 40 and 50-year-old, fit women running in the sun, rain and snow – smiling from ear to ear – seriously motivated me. If they could look so fit and happy, so could I. And with practice and determination, I became one of them.
The camaraderie I experience when out for a run is elating. It's the encouragement from other women runners in my area and local park that pushes me to add another kilometre on my run, or to push myself up that darned hill one more time.
I was thrilled this year to learn about the Look Good Feel Better Running Series, a series of women-only runs with a variety of distances and terrain. Look Good Feel Better is the only cancer charity in Canada which focuses on teaching women how to take control of their appearance and morale during cancer treatment. The running series raises funds and awareness about this worthy cause.
This past weekend I participated in the series' Toronto Island Women's Half Marathon, and the experience was great. I had constant encouragement from fabulous women, and watching the first place runner blow by sure lit up a spark of determination to continue to train to better my time in next year's half marathon.
Find out how you can get into running here!
September 25th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Hello! I'm so thrilled to hear about the Look Good Feel Better series. I've been running on and off since I was 14 and I turned 50 3 weeks ago. This past number of years I've suffered with a variety of workplace injuries (I work in an aluminum smelter - physical work) and was unable to run, do any of my other favorite sports or weight train. This year I'm finally in an office and my body is healing. I've been able to run all summer and have regained the exhileration that running brings and am on the road to being fit again. I still have some minor physical issues, but nothing that keeps me from being active. Having run for so many years reminds me how wonderful it can feel and has motivated me to work towards returning to being fit & healthy. Yup running has kept my life on a positive track. I'm thrilled that it is now also a motivator for women going through cancer treatment.