Global Running Day
Global Running Day is here! A day to reflect on what running means to you.
Every runner has their own unique relationship with running. Sometimes we hate it. Sometimes we are injured. Sometimes we feel like we are invincible. We get nervous. We talk endlessly about gear, nutrition, routes, events and the list goes on. We track our data as if our lives depended on it. We are a weird bunch.
But we have one thing in common - we need to run. Day after day. Because there is something primal about running that delivers optimism and hope. It’s deeply personal but has strong roots in community. It’s competitive but very supportive. You don’t need much equipment.. You can do it alone or in a group. You can do it almost anywhere, anytime. It brings people together.
As it is Global Running Day, I reflected on what running means to me.
I started running about 6 months after my 2nd child was born. I felt flat, out of shape, grumpy and desperately needed something to change. One Sunday afternoon, leaving it as late as possible, I slipped on my runners and went for an 8km run along the St Kilda foreshore.
Those 8kms saved me. It was hard. I doubted myself the whole way. Told myself I looked silly and didn’t belong running alongside these faster runners. But I persisted and I did it. I got home and my outlook had significantly shifted.
I continued to run, slowly increasing my distance and pace. These early morning runs became the happiest part of my day. I found my tolerance as a mother of two young kids increased dramatically. I was smiling more, happier, more content. All from the simple act of getting myself out for a morning run to start the day.
Inevitably, I signed up for an event - the 2010 Melbourne Half Marathon. Trained for it and loved every minute. Of course, I then set my sights on the full marathon. I was all set to enter but then hit a bump (literally) as I fell pregnant with my 3rd child. So my 2011 marathon moved to 2012.
After being given the green light by the health professionals, I resumed my training. Most of these runs I did on my own, but I joined a few of the official training runs hosted by The Crosbie Crew, especially the 30km + distances. This is when I first discovered the running community. The support and advice I received was incredible. Not to mention the amazing runner chats I had as we weaved our way around the Capital City trail and endless other kms through the city of Melbourne. I had found a crew of people from all walks of life that shared a similar passion to me. They shared knowledge about nutrition, gear, pacing, and the course. And it made the runs go so much faster.
The morning of the 2012 Melbourne Marathon was perfect - cool morning, blue skies, very still - I couldn’t believe the day was here. I felt like I had run this marathon in my mind a hundred times over. The feeling of starting the race is something I will never forget - the gun went off and as I ran over the start line, I saw the spectacular hot air balloons rise over the city - I started crying tears of happiness and relief as all that nervousness and anxiety I was holding onto was released. It was hard. I told myself finishing was my goal, however deep down I wanted to come in under 4hrs. I remember the long long long section of Beaconsfield Parade - I remember seeing people collapse all around me on the long section back up St Kilda road. I remember the pain of having to turn away from the MCG and go through the Botanical Gardens. I remember seeing my kids and crying with happiness as they screamed “Go Mama go”. I remember the wonderful family who were handing out Zooper Doopers around the 38km mark. And of course I will never forget the feeling of running onto the hallowed turf of the MCG and running that final 200m. In my head I was channeling Cathy Freeman though I’m sure I looked nothing like her as I pushed myself to the end. Running across that finishing line is one of the proudest feelings I have ever had. There is nothing like it. I ended up with a time of 3:48:04. I was chuffed with that.
Left: My first marathon, 2012 Right: My most recent marathon, Boston 2022
In my mind I said that's it, I’m done. The marathon is ticked off my list. And I didn't run again for 6 months or so until a friend (Thanks Ivy) convinced me to sign up to the Great Ocean Road Marathon, which of course I agreed to do.
Fast forward to 1st June 2022, Global Running Day, and I have run over 20 marathons and ultra marathons. I have been lucky enough to run the New York and Boston Marathons. I have run trails on the Mornington Peninsula, 100kms along the spectacular Surf Coast, and run through remote bushland where I am the only one for miles. I spent almost 18 hours running 100kms through Melbourne with three of my best friends for Oxfam. I have co-founded a running group and became a running coach. I have switched to a career in Health Coaching and Fitness training. I have realised the importance of both movement and community to our physical and mental wellbeing. All of these things happened because I started running.
This is the main message I want to share with others, I didn’t wake up one day and run a marathon. It took many, many months before I could take that on. You don’t have to run a marathon, or even a half marathon to be a runner. You just need to run. There is no pace you need to run. No minimum distance. You just need to run for yourself and be open to where it may take you.
So on Global Running Day, I am filled with gratitude for what running has brought to my life. The friends. The health. The experiences. The races. The early mornings running around the track in the freezing cold and dark. The post run coffees. The runner chats.
But most of all, I am grateful for what running has taught me about myself. I am strong. I am determined. I can pull myself through tough situations. And I can’t do any of this without community.
Mel Marshall
