I wouldn’t be where I am without running. It has changed my life and I don’t think I’m unique. You see I have a theory, I think that running is the ‘ah-ha’ moment when women recognise what they are made of. I want more women to experience what that’s like, and what better opportunity to talk about it than Global Running Day?

Global Running Day is a worldwide celebration of running which happens on the first Wednesday of June every year. It’s all about reminding us of the positives that running can bring to our lives like the impact movement can have on our physical and mental health and the amazing power of community and connection.

My Running Story

It has been nearly a decade since I took up running, a compulsive decision driven by I’m not really sure what. I’d been looking for a hobby for a while and although running had crossed my mind I’d never thought about actually doing it. I mean why on earth would you want to spend time doing that?! It looked boring and painful. But after experimenting with a whole lot of hobbies that didn’t stick, or weren’t really me, I kept coming back to running and I figured I’d give it a shot. 

I remember coming home from my first run amazed at how much I had enjoyed it, shocked that I could do something I had always dismissed as ‘just not me’. Feeling smug that I could actually do something ‘hard’, I kept running. The more I ran the more confident and happy I became.

When I took up running I was at a very low point in my life and I felt very small. My mental health was in the gutter, my relationships with my friends and family were a struggle and I was constantly trying to keep my head above water while feeling miserable. Running got me out of the house and gave me space to think about what life I really wanted, it gave me a common interest with friends and family enabling reconnection and it gave me the confidence to know I could do hard things.

Running has given me momentum – once I learned what I could do on the pavement I realised I could do more in the rest of my life too. My creeping confidence helped me realise I could start building a life I love. And that is exactly what I did, my life would look nothing like it does today if I hadn’t given in and gone on a run one night. 

Why Is Running So Powerful?

So what is it about this simple act, one foot in front of the other, over and over again? What is it about clocking up miles, getting up early, heading out rain or shine?

Running is a positive action; it requires commitment, focus, reflection, and resilience. It is a unique act of self-care, so many women put themselves aside for others, but if you run you need to pay attention to your own wellbeing and give yourself time to be yourself.

Coupled with this, running demands that you keep going even when you feel you can’t and train even when you don’t want to. There is something about running that, even when things are hard, pushes you forward beyond what you thought you were capable of.

Before you know it all these factors collide and you start to subtly change. You become more confident, more self-assured. You’ve run one mile, two miles, three miles, ten miles, twenty miles. You kept going when you were quite sure you were going to die, through torrential rain, late at night, when you were bone tired. When you reflect on what you have done you realise you are powerful, you are resilient, you own those streets – you are a superhero. It is only natural that this bleeds through to the rest of your life, even if you don’t quite realise it.

Running Isn’t Always Simple

My running story sounds so simple, but it’s important to keep in my how privileged I am and how easy it was for me to access the sport and reap its rewards.

When I started running I was in my late 20s working in a well-paid job that had reasonable hours. I could afford to buy a sports bra and trainers to get me started and I could afford to enter a race to motivate myself. I didn’t have any caring responsibilities that I needed to work around and I lived somewhere safe enough that I could run alone at night. I was also pretty confident in myself and my choices, I had no hang-ups about my body and was pretty ‘sport literate’ having been pretty active growing up. My barriers to entry were really low, not every woman is so privileged.

A whole plethora of challenges can stand between a woman who wants to run and them being able to run, and often these challenges are underpinned by some pretty hefty social and economic issues too (you can find out more in this post). And that’s after you get past the initial barrier of thinking that sport just isn’t for them (this post explains the impact of gender ideology on women’s participation in sport).

According to the United Nations international awareness days, like Global Running Day, ‘are occasions to educate the general public on issues of concern, to mobilise political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity’.

So, while Global Running Day is an amazing reason to celebrate what running has brought to our lives, it is also an opportunity to think about the challenges we face when it comes to making our sport as accessible as possible. And how we overcome those challenges.

How Do Break Down Barriers?

That’s the million dollar question isn’t it?! There aren’t, sadly, any easy answers. Lots of the barriers to participation are linked to systemic social and economic issues and even when governments introduce policy interventions can be so deeply entrenched that they influence how we see our selves and our place in society.

However, I do think there are things we can do on an micro level that, very gradually, can help shift the narrative.

support grassroots organisations

Organisations like Black Girls Do Run, Black Trail Runners, The Outrunners and a whole host of other groups are doing awesome work to increase the inclusion and participation of under represented groups in running. I’m a straight, white woman and it’s not my place to say what Black or queer people need to access running, but I can listen and support these organisations in their action.

Put Your Money Where Your mouth is

Money talks, so think about who you give it to. I made a commitment earlier this year that if I was going to enter a race I’d choose one that promoted inclusivity and accessibility, and ideally ones where the organiser is signed up to SheRACES Race Guidelines and actively committed to levelling the start line like Camino Ultra (who I’m an ambassador for), Run Through (which has some great diversity and inclusion initiatives underway) and Rasselbock Running (who are constantly striving to do more) (you can find a list of all the races that’ve signed up here). If a race isn’t signed up I’ll look at how they present themselves; do they have a cut off and is it reasonable, when they share pictures are they diverse and inclusive, how do they talk about their race etc. to see if it aligns with my values. I might also drop the race director an email and encourage them to look at the SheRACES Race Guidelines.

Raise your voice

If you follow me on Instagram you’ll know that every so often I’ll call out organisations if I feel that they’re failing when it comes to equality and diversity. Most recently I raised my concerns about Marathon de San Sebastian’s cut off times as I felt they were discriminatory and analysed the gender gap at London Marathon. You don’t have to go this far, but by speaking out, sharing that post and questioning the status quo you’ll be amplifying the message that things need to change. Similarly, challenge how your friends talk about running, if someone is making statements you think are unhelpful say so.

Support Pace Inclusivity

This links into my last two points, but A FINISH IS A FINISH! All running should be celebrated and the idea of the course being torn down around you because you’re ‘too slow’ is so demoralising. According to research conducted by SheRACES 45% of runners are put off entering races because of a lack of confidence in meeting the cut-off times - these are women who already run, imagine what it’s like for someone who’s new to the sport?! This interview with Mirna Valerio (one of the superstars taking on Lululemon’s FURTHER initiative next year) explains what pace inclusivity means beautifully.

Think about how you talk

Every so often I see comments like ‘anyone can run’, ‘running is free’, ‘if you want it badly enough you’ll make time for it’. This really irks me because it’s simply not reality for lots of people. If you don’t have childcare and you can’t afford a running pram then you can’t run. If you don’t have running shoes and there’s no budget for them then you can’t run. If you’re juggling two jobs to makes end meet then you can’t run. These are real scenarios and people facing them don’t need to hear that if they were just empowered to train then they could run, that puts the responsibility on them for structural problems and compounds the idea that sport just isn’t for them. Compassion and understanding are invaluable, and maybe that person will be inspired to start running in the future when their life allows it or with the support of a grassroots organisation that understands what they need.

A lot of these ideas focus on races, but races are one of the most public manifestations of running and if we can show greater diversity and inclusion on the start line we’ll be breaking down barriers and showing that running really is for everyone.

images: Simon Roberts Photography and Natasha Wynn Photography