The theme for this week’s post has been brewing for a while, percolating away in the far reaches of my brain, keeping me company on long runs. I wasn’t sure how to approach it and, if I’m being truthful, I was also worried it would be perceived negatively. I mean, I love running so why would I write about why people hate runners? 

RunVerity didn’t happen overnight, for many years before the idea even began to form, I was the “go to” person when work colleagues or friends of friends needed some advice on running.

There is no denying that we still live in a culture where it’s a social norm for people to openly discuss weight, body shape and appearance. I hear so many compliments on men and women’s appearance, on how “amazing” they look now they’ve lost weight, but do we ever stop and think about how inherently backhanded a weight-loss compliment actually is?

You might be thinking I’ve completely lost my marbles when I tell you that I made the conscious decision to run Paris marathon without my watch. This is what I learned.

Are you questioning your sanity as you eat/force another bowl of pasta into your day’s nutrition, reduce your weekly mileage whilst trying to avoid the eyerolling glare of your partner as you burst into tears yet again for “no apparent reason!”.

Running has been my best friend, my most loyal companion: it has been there through thick and thin, when times were tough and when I felt I had nowhere to turn.