We all take up running for different reasons – to improve our health, lose a few pounds, raise money for charity, or perhaps because we drunkenly made a pact with a friend. Like many, I took up running to lose weight, when three years of partying and eating Pot Noodles at university finally got the better of me and I no longer owned a pair of jeans that fitted. Strangely though, it wasn’t being able to fasten the button on my jeans again that boosted my self-esteem (although it did help!). More so, it was the newfound feeling of strength, fearlessness and self-belief it cultivated within me.
Running seems to have this affect on many of us, including Viv, our incredible cover star this month. After undergoing a double mastectomy following a breast cancer diagnosis, Viv made the courageous decision not to have reconstructive surgery – a choice directly influenced by running and the newfound body confidence it gave her.