Respect to the runners who are neither slim nor speedy

Lisa Scott, Editor
Respect to the runners who are neither slim nor speedy
who worry what others think
who are embarrassed by their bodies
or their speed,
yet run regardless, finding joy and freedom along the path.
Respect to the runners who know
that finishing last beats not finishing at all,
but a Did Not Finish trumps not even starting
Every.
Single.
Time.
Respect to the runners who run through grief and loss
of identity
of loved ones
of missed opportunities and unspoken dreams
who lose themselves in running, and discover themselves there, too.
Respect to the runners whose bodies jiggle
and wobble
and leak
and hurt
yet they show up and train
and find a path through the pain,
which leads to self-belief.
Respect to the first-time parkrunner, who knows no-one
who will take over an hour to finish
who walks more than runs
whose body feels so unlike their own
whose clothes are loose (to hide the belly and boobs)
who wants the Earth to open up and swallow them whole, yet visibly
Keeps.
Moving.
Forward.
Then shows up again next week.
Respect to the runners who don’t have the
right clothes
right shoes
right watch
right language
right form
right body
right pace
right distance
yet participate, care-free and joyously, anyway.
I see you.
I salute you.
Welcome to the club.
x

Lisa Scott
Managing Editor
Lisa is a mad-keen runner, mad-cap mum, and still can't quite grasp that she runs marathons 'for fun'. She also believes there's no coincidence about the number 42. After all, 42 is the distance of a marathon, her current age and according to the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, the meaning of life!