Gaining confidence, changing attitudes - Marion’s story

“I started running in Summer 2019 – work was offering a free couch to 5k course (during work time!) as part of their ‘health and wellbeing’ offer and one of my colleagues signed me up so she would have company. The whole focus of the course is to be able to run 5k without stopping or walking, which set the tone for my running journey over the next couple of years. 

During Covid times, running on my own was a way of getting out of the house and seeing other people along the way. I found 5k didn’t really cut it for me anymore, and gradually increased my distance to 10k. From there, still enjoying my running, I challenged myself to complete a half marathon. Not being a member of a running group, I found a couple of running groups on Facebook and took advice from posts along the way. The overriding message I was taking from a lot of the groups was ‘don’t stop, don’t walk or you’re a failure’. Many people, mostly women I have to say, seemed to be justifying their walking by calling it ‘jeffing’, and two ladies I have run with even had signs on their back declaring they were jeffing (Jeffing can be used as an excellent running/ training style but I also find it can be used by some who think they NEED an excuse to walk) . As you can imagine, needing to walk a bit during the final couple of miles of the ‘Big Half’ around London left me feeling like a bit of a failure. 

So I signed up for a second half marathon, determined not to walk this time. As part of my training, I signed up for a series of 10k races (Our summer series!). Still being new to racing I was intrigued by the thought of running the same race three times over a summer, and having medals that went together. And so I met the Big Bears. It was small enough that there was room for everyone, but big enough that there were others my speed (and slower). Having the series meant I got to know some of the other runners, and chatting on the way round as well as at the start and finished revealed there was more to Big Bear than just 10k.  

Having been encouraged to sign up for a six-hour race, I was reluctant. Six hours running around the same path seems boring, and well, at the time trail was not my preferred surface – I don’t like having wet feet, or slip sliding in mud. So, I did the next best thing and volunteered to help at a couple. That was eye opening, to say the least. To watch runners supporting runners regardless of their speed, to see them stop and have snacks, drinks and chat breaks between laps really challenged my perception of what running a race should look like. One person was even stopping for a cup of tea between laps! I got the chance to chat further to people, and also to run one lap with them – it's amazing that when people are focussed on a distance and maybe not a time that they will slow down as they pass and chat for a while before continuing at pace.  

And so, I signed up for a couple of runs. The first one I completed five laps, and they were all different. Different people to pass in both directions, the light changes, the weather changes, but by lap three your feet know the way and you’re in the zone. The second time I also completed five laps, but they were longer, so I think I travelled about 30km that day, some of it in the dark with my chest light on. I learnt that it’s ok to stop for snacks and chats, that it’s much better to save energy and walk up the hills and that no one there is judging when you have a walk. You can even walk the whole way if you want to! 

It’s really changed the way I think about my running. I’m still not a fan of wet feet, but I’ll suck it up and enjoy splashing through the puddles. I’ll cut myself some slack if I need to walk – and I will walk up the hills. I appreciate a well-stocked aid station and enthusiastic, supportive volunteers and fellow runners. I’ll chat to anyone along the way and celebrate their achievements with them. Also, I’ve expanded my knowledge of fellow runners in the area, so I can turn up to an event – a race, parkrun – and know that somewhere in the line-up will be a friendly face.”

If there was ever a better journey and story around Big Bear I’m not sure I’ve heard it! Initial apprehension, volunteering, dipping your toe in and then having your outlook changed. Perfection! I’m glad you took that leap Marion and than you for sharing your story for others to see… you don’t need to be ultra fast, you don’t need an “excuse” to walk and having a cup of tea on each lap is encouraged!!

This is part of our series of posts we’re doing around the real lives and stories of some of our runners. Without being too unsubtle - the idea is to show you that they aren’t all super hero ultra runners who have been doing high level athletics since they were 4 and they aren’t all retirees who have nothing else going on in there lives either! Of course I’m sure we have some of those in our start fields but the majority of our runners are “normal” people with “normal” struggles deciding to do something a bit different and enjoying it. I hope I’ve given these people a venue to enjoy themselves for a few hours every few weeks surrounded by good people. But enough of my waffle… .