Braggin' on Women Who Run...

1) Women who run are BAD.ASS.  We have learned, by putting one foot in front of the other, over and over again, that limits we thought we had were all imaginary. As we challenged and stretched our physical capabilities, we learn how brave and competent we really are. 

And that learning generalizes to other areas. We think "Hey I just ran 10 miles before breakfast! Work stress? Bring it on!" You know that saying "If you want something done, give it to the busiest person you know"? Well I say- give it to a runner!

 I've known women who, once they were runners, suddenly started rehabbing homes. Or who climbed a mountain. Or started an amazing new business. Or learned to do their own car repairs. Personally, I was suddenly able to do public speaking without dying a thousand deaths. My serious blushing problem vanished. I found myself speaking up at work with clarity and confidence. 

It's like our brains switch from fear/self-doubt based to confidence/competence based. We say "OK, what else have I been lying to myself about, thinking I couldn't do?" And then we do it.

And we feel PROUD. And proud is beautiful.

2) Women who run learn about honesty. It's such a transparent process.

There is absolutely no place for pretense or posturing while running. It's you, the pavement under your feet, your lungs supplying steady oxygen to your heart and whatever dialogue you carry on in your head.  Your head can tell your body "I can't" but your heart and lungs will know it's a lie and try to prove you wrong, if you let them.  You learn to be straight and honest with yourself. And then you carry that cleanness out to your relationships with others. Because you've learned you CAN. And that it feels GOOD.

3) Women who run are physical creatures, comfortable in our own skin. It's not that we have great, lean "runners" bodies either, we come in all shapes and sizes. But as my daughter said, and I quote, "I learned to love my body for what it can DO, not how it looks." Boy do we develop a healthy respect for our strong, amazing, lovely bodies! And we get very, oh what's the word? Sensual, I guess, because we are so "in" our bodies. We like to run through wind and rain and snow and dark and blossom showers and early mornings. It wakes us up.  We are more alive than we were BWWR (Before We Were Runners). 

4) Women who run are a happy bunch. Yes it's the endorphins. Yup yup yup! Our "drug of choice." But it's also running out in the wind and the sun, loving the beautiful world we see so much more clearly now. It's the happiness that comes from granting ourselves the oh-so- precious gift of time for ourselves. Time for long runs or short, cross- training, and hanging with the running pals who support our crazy ways. Because giving yourself the gift of time says "I'm worth it". And what is happier than THAT?

5) Women who run make great friends.  Honestly, my running gal pals amaze me every day! They know how to support and encourage, they are bold and fun-loving. They laugh big, they live big. We have adventures together, and nurse injuries and heartbreaks and juggle responsibilities and give hugs and dry tears.  We try to share the love and the strength that running paved our lives with.

So if you're a woman who runs, we're already friends who haven't met yet.

 If you're a woman thinking about running, we welcome you. 

You are going to love us. 

You are going to love YOU. 

We already do.