I know Rachel through the Trail Running magazine #Run1000Miles Facebook community. She was very surprised to be asked to do an interview. Hopefully you’ll instantly see why her story is such an important and positive one to share.
How and why did you get into running Rachel?
Rachel before running
As a family we love parkrun and wouldn’t be without our weekly fix – in fact we even did the New Years double and have done a Christmas Day parkrun for the last 2 years (not sure the kids are that impressed with that one!). We love the atmosphere and social side to parkrun as well as the challenge of trying to improve. My daughter and I are determined to get our volunteer shirts this year and will be volunteering each month in order to do so and hopefully we’ll reach our 100 milestone in the summer.
What a moment that will be – to do 100th together 🙂
You now lead a weekly run group. What would you like to say to your participants?
I want them to know how proud so am of them all, I’ve watched our RunTogether group go from single figures to over 50 people running on a weekly basis, new friendships have been made and everyone comes together to get out and have fun. It’s one of my highlights of the week and so love my Weardale Flyers.
How has your approach to nutrition changed?
It’s very odd that the woman who hated PE at school now runs 5 Times a week, goes to the gym, Tap dances, does yoga and core conditioning. I only recently joined the gym and can now be found regularly avoiding the treadmill (I much prefer to run outside) and working out in the weights area.
What 3 words best describe you?
Happy, determined, settled.
What do you think about when you’re out running?
Anything and nothing! I find running really helps keep my mind focused on life itself and has done so much for my mental health. I run to clear my mind, figure things out as well as laughing to myself about the day or marvel at the world around me! If I’ve got my aftershockz on it can be trying to remember the words to the song that’s playing. There are of course the “what the heck am I doing” moments but they’re all part of running and you just need to dig deep, play tricks on yourself and keep going!
How has running benefitted your wellbeing?
It’s benefitted me immensely, as well as being fitter physically I’m far more fitter and healthier mentally. Running helps me keep me grounded when the world is crazy and keeps me happy and sane when things get hard.
I’m lucky to live in the Durham Dales and there are trails literally on the doorstep. I love running on the Weardale Way and exploring local footpaths and trails.
Scared but excited! I know I can do it, but I also know it’ll be a challenge unlike anything I’ve done before!
What else is on your bucket list?
I would love to do all the marathon majors (road I know!) but also desperately want to do the Race to the Stones and The Wall, depending on how Edinburgh goes!
I’m sure you’ll achieve it too! The trail challenges as well will be amazing. Thanks so much. Looking forward to seeing your progress again on #Run1000Miles Challenge 2018. 
All the best
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Dawn, what would you say to anyone who tells themselves “I’m not a runner”?
I think if you run, you are automatically a runner, but often we are too worried about what others think. For example I will say “I’m a runner” but then will quickly follow up with “but I’m really slow”. I am trying to reprogramme my thinking to be proud of what I am achieving and acknowledge it better. “I run. I am a runner and I have great fun doing it”.
Where do these self-limiting beliefs come from?
Years and years of negative thoughts. They creep into your thinking and vocabulary with stealth and gradually build up until they become your natural way of thinking and talking.
You hear kids saying “I’m an awesome runner” or “I can run really fast” or even “When I grow up I want to be Superman”. Somewhere along the way we lose that belief in ourselves to be replaced with self-deprecating thoughts. Humility is encouraged in adulthood and we are not great at saying “I’m awesome at that”.
That is so true Dawn. We all need to find our inner Superman!
Could you describe your own backstory?
I started running not for me but when my step-mum of 32 years was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I wanted to run the Race for Life for her to raise money and show my support for her in what would be a hard treatment journey. I was 7 stone overweight and hadn’t really done exercise for 18 years, it had just got too difficult and was a vicious cycle resulting in low self-confidence and low mood for me. But I set about training for the run, mostly in the dark. It was really tough to begin with and I cried a lot but I never thought about giving up (which was a first for me). Cut a long and sweaty journey down, I did the run but I was worried that if I had nothing else to aim for after, I would give up running as I always gave up things. So I found parkrun and did my first 5k there. I realised I had started to actually love running (weird I know). So to date I have done 43 parkruns, 3 x 10km runs, run in my spare time, go to the gym, go horse-riding and am hoping to do my first half marathon next year.
Awesome! What’s the best non-running benefit of running?
Friendships definitely – the people I have met along my journey have been so amazing and I have forged friendships for life. And the benefits on my mental health have been phenomenal. I always felt my life was on hold until I was “thin” almost as if then when I achieved what my head depicted as “thin” I would be finally happy and the clouds would part and all would be well with the world. I now no longer hate what I see in the mirror as I look at myself and realise how strong I am and what I have achieved and how awesome that actually is. I know I have the skills and tools to keep myself physically and mentally well and if I have a dip in mood a run even in the rain reminds me of how strong I am.
How would you describe Parkrun?
Family. Epic. Life changing. And so so welcoming.
You came to people’s attention with your iconic parkrun finish photo. Could you describe your feelings at the very moment you crossed the finish line of your 1st parkrun?
That picture was from my 6th parkrun, I think the finish line picture of my 1st was a crying blubbering mess, less joy more emotionally and physically exhausted.
What stories have people shared with you because of that photo?
Mostly that they see themselves in me. They feel running isn’t for them or they are too slow or there is the expectation they will need to run the whole thing or they will finish last. All those things are the thoughts I have had so love to hear those challenges and gently talk to people to break down those misconceptions and hopefully inspire some excitement to consider giving it a go. The other more surprising stories are from the really fast runners that a lot of them actually admire the slower runners for getting out there and giving it a go.
Have you experienced negativity towards you through running?
Not really. I get the occasional disbelieving person when I say I run when they look me up and down and you can see them judging from my size that it is doubtful I am a runner. I have been known to wear a race t-shirt as evidence, but usually to remind me on a bad day that I have actually run 10k before so to pull up my big girl pants and just get on with it and stop being miserable. Initially when I was on BBC Radio and they tweeted a picture of me running one guy laughed calling me ‘fatty’ and asking if I was running to Weight Watchers. I’m not even going to bother answering that kind of comment, but thankfully there have been a handful like that – and usually the responses from other followers are enough to put them in their place.
I’ve had a bit a negativity from my teenager that I am not at home as much but that has meant she has had to learn to do a few more things for herself, which is no bad thing in the long run.
Any advice for others that may suffer from negativity?
Be proud and believe in yourself. When you are kind to yourself and acknowledge your achievements, it’s much easier to be positive and ignore comments which are totally ridiculous and probably more about the person saying them than they are about you. And are you really going to let someone else’s small-minded opinion stop you going out there and enjoying yourself? You deserve to be happy so go out and find it and keep doing it.
Fantastic! So how can people get more active?
I have realised why I never really stuck to activities before, it’s because I didn’t enjoy them. We only have a fixed amount of hours in a day and very few of them (if any) are ‘spare’ so why spend your time doing things you don’t enjoy? Running may not be your ‘happy’, but go out there and find what it is. Because if you are having fun it doesn’t feel like a chore or a slog, and meeting other people who share that same love, you’re going to make friends whilst having fun. Local clubs, sports centres, work bulletin boards all have details of different sports and activities. You might have to try a few to find the right one. Sport England and This Girl Can websites (you don’t need to be a girl to read it) have great details of all types of sports too.
Any plans for a #2018dawnsyear?
Hopefully to do a half marathon without the need for CPR or a defibrillator. The feeling of crossing the line after my first 10k was epic, so I am excited to take on this extra challenge and give it a go.
Finally, any tips?
Look up when you are running or doing your sport. I was always so embarrassed running in public that I used to look at my feet. Another runner coming the other way flagged me down and told me to ‘look up’. She said she had been trying to smile at me to encourage me and I missed it because I wasn’t looking up. She said to be proud.
So that would be my tip – Look up and be proud.
Dawn thanks so much for sharing your running experiences and dreams for 2018. It’s such an uplifting story. Hope next year is amazing for you and that you continue to go on inspiring so many of us to get more active 🙂
Yours in sport
That was the question posed by a running club mate as we both recovered from a chip-timed track 5k.
What he was getting at, in joking obviously, was the pain. You know you’re going to go through it. You know it will hit you and your brain will tell you “Stop!”. You know if you’re trying, you’ll endure self-inflicted pain.
When you push yourself, in either training or during an event/race, you go through this. Anyone doing any kind of endurance sport knows it. So why bother?
Well for a start, there are the endorphins on finishing. As GB ultra runner, Robbie Britton says: “…your short-term memory plays tricks on you. After your legs stop hurting…you only remember the elation.” That feeling of elation, in body and mind, after you have completed a session…it’s the great thing about any strenuous exercise.
pic by @bobotheeklown
Then there is the runners high. In his ground-breaking book “Born To Run”, Chris McDougall describes how the natural engaging of body and mind, causes our brain to release endorphins to such an extent that a feeling of extreme euphoria can be experienced for anything from a nanosecond to a few minutes. It’s as if you’re floating, effortlessly running in an other-worldly manner. Everything seems easy and you are so intensely in the moment, totally immersed in your activity. You feel nothing of the pain, no pounding of the feet, no gasping of breath. Just. Pure. Joy.
Obviously that doesn’t last and the pain, self-doubt, nagging voice etc etc all kick in again. But that’s all part of it. You also know the feeling of elation at the end. That may be in achieving your furthest ever run, completing your first parkrun, running with mates.
So put your shoes on, smile at the world and head out of your front door. There’s joy to be had on those trails
Have you achieved the runners high? What pain do you put yourself through?
Join me on the #Run1000Miles challenge with the Trail Running magazine Facebook community. You’ll be amazed at what can be achieved.
Yours in sport
Jeff
First, Louis (15) wanted to try and complete a 5k run. So I took him to Heaton Parkrun – running with him was amazing. On completing it his reaction was “God at times I felt I was dying then!…Can we do it again soon?”
Within two weeks – after some runs in and around our area – our daughter, Izzy (13) was attempting her first #parkrun. By incorporating the odd walk, she managed it. This time I’d taken a real ear-bashing on our way round. Well what’s a parent of teens for after all?! Her reaction? “That was horrible – the hardest run I’ve ever done!…Can we come back next week?”
Running with someone doing more than they’ve run before. Pushing through their own barriers. Telling themselves they ‘can’t’ but ultimately showing themselves they can. It fills you with a sense of pride. Makes you feel alive. Whereas us Vets are looking for marginal gains (or falls!), they’re smashing all previous bests! How?
pic by Matt Jones
Well, weekly #parkrun has given them the confidence to enjoy running. The courage to push themselves. The knowledge that your best isn’t always better than previous. That they can never ‘fail’ by trying. In fact they now prefer the far more hilly and difficult Watergrove Parkrun to Heaton Park. A big reason for this is Rochdale Harriers…
Rochdale Harriers have been of immense help to Louis. They were incredibly welcoming of him and their encouragement has been a huge factor in his increasing speed and endurance. Not only that, he’s now finding pleasure in the naturalness of running. The result: He’s fitter and sleeping better, has a release from GCSE study stress – and is smashing me in a 5k run! Meanwhile Izzy often has me taking her on 5, 6, 7k runs or hill reps after I’ve been on club training She’s obviously getting faster and stronger so I’ll only be able to continue doing that for so long!
Both had the confidence to enter for their first paid events – the Lakeland Trails 5k & 10k. And they’re participating in a chip-timed track 5k soon, that mainly consists of adult members from three clubs.
This is all so uplifting. As parents we’re incredibly proud. As a Vet runner it inspires and motivates me to do my best. And they often love to join me on #Run1000Miles trail runs.
Thank you kids. Thank you Harriers. Thank you Parkrun
]]>That was the question posed during a meditation session on training motivation.
Up to a year ago my feelings would have responded in the positive. I was forever measuring myself against past performance. Getting frustrated at my inability to reach previous levels – be it a 5k, 10k, trail run or track session. Everything was a battle. Fighting Lyme Disease. A mindset of ‘beating’ chronic illness. That it won’t ‘defeat’ me.
All of this was counterproductive in the extreme. Not least because I became so focused on me and in some denial as to the extent of its impact on me and my family. I became a self-centred pr*ck. Behaviour never to be excused.
Turn to daily meditation and appreciating what we have in life resulted in a totally different outlook. A far more productive outlook and appreciating little things that matter. I use Headspace btw.
So the feelings that came when that question was asked were that happiness is not dependent on my goals. Being content comes from appreciating the life we have. The constant flux. Saying goodnight to those we love. A simple smile
Related to training and running. I have learned to appreciate the joy of being active, whenever my body and time allows. So to smile when out running rather than being driven by times. Appreciating the beautiful off-road routes on our doorstep. Running mindfully when jogging with the kids – who are both getting quicker!! Truly appreciating the fact I can still be active when lots of chronic illness sufferers cannot.
You might be returning from a long spell of injury, frustrated at how hard you now find training. Be kind to yourself and remind yourself of why you do it. Is it for views and fresh air? Wellbeing of mind & body? For the simple fun of exercise?
All the best
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