Day 407 of my running streak and it didn't matter about the pace or the distance I ran... but I was leading my first ever beginners' session and getting other women active and starting running was what it was all about. We'd expected there would be around about 25 women - and as we waited for the session to start, more and more kept arriving. There was nowhere to park in either of the free car parks by the time 11am arrived. In the end there were 62 beginners!!!! 62!!! Plus 5 helpers, 1 assistant (who also took the photos - ta, Zoe!) and me leading it. 69 of us basically took over a country park in Nottingham!
If I could bottle this feeling, I totally would! I never in a million years thought I'd be leading a group of beginners. Two years ago when I was starting to learn to run myself, on my own, I just slogged away at it until I got there. But helping other women to support one another while they go through that same journey is a fabulous feeling.
Y'know, when we first talked about putting on the sessions back in September / October, we hoped we might have a handful of beginners. I can't quite believe how many people turned up, or how brilliantly hard they tried the whole way through - and more are wanting to come next week! From those who were obviously regular exercisers to those for whom any exercise had been a long while ago. They were incredible. So inspiring!
Every time you see someone starting their journey to becoming a runner, you are privileged. I got to be part of helping 62 people do just that this morning. I feel like the luckiest runner ever. And afterwards I ran round the park with a couple of running friends, and felt lucky all over again that I have so many great people in my life, and all through running.
Today was amazeballs. :D
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