Recently I read an article in Runner’s World (see link below) that really struck a chord with me. Don’t worry – I’m not sharing this article to try to turn all of our followers into runners!!! But it made me really think about our perceptions of age, attitudes, and abilities (my own and others’). The article describes four women who are different ages, different types of runners, and have different body types. Each has decided to embrace who they are and what they’re capable of, after years of negativity.
I’m not really much of a runner now – more of a person who goes on slow, short jogs😆But when I was younger, I ran much more than I do now, and I wasn’t that bad. However, during that time in my life a few different people said to me in a surprised tone, “you’re a runner? But you don’t have a runner’s build!” (Meaning – your hips are too wide to be a runner😕). And as someone who was trying my best to do something that was good for me and that I enjoyed, what was I supposed to do with those statements? I wish I could have risen above and ignored them, but clearly they stuck with me!
One runner in the article noted, “For the longest time, I had never run in shorts; I was too embarrassed… I have cellulite, my thighs touched, I was convinced everyone thought I didn’t belong.” But she did eventually start to wear running shorts and ended up feeling a sense of freedom she hadn’t anticipated. Have you ever worried so much about your appearance that you can’t actually enjoy what you’re doing? I know I have!
But the best quote in the article was from a young runner, whose body had gone through many changes as she matured. She advised –
“F*** that. Be proud of who you are, the legs that you stand on, the arms that swing to propel you forward, the heart that beats to your own drum, the lungs that fill and release to breathe in every moment, and the head on your shoulders that gives you the choice to decide what you allow in and what you don’t.”
So the most important message from this article is one that can be applied to so many things in life: don’t let your body type, age, gender or other peoples’ attitudes affect the choices you make – especially in staying active! If you like running, swimming, walking, gardening, hiking, cycling, kayaking, playing pickle ball, etc. – just keep it up (assuming there aren’t health reasons why you shouldn’t) no matter what others say!
We’re at a time in our lives when being active is especially important. So do what you love – and don’t let the haters get you down😊
Every Body Is a Runner’s Body: Four Women Explain How They Embrace Change and Shake Off Negativity to Run Freer, Happier, and Stronger Than Ever
Read in Runner’s World: https://apple.news/AZv2ivDCeT6yztSXl3G2K5w
-Annette