RELAXED RACING
Fact: people fear public speaking more than they fear death! And, when it comes to running, I’wve heard countless women say that their greatest fear is coming last. As someone who’s done so in almost a quarter of the 106 marathons I’ve run, I believe I’m uniquely qualified to comment on this subject.
Firstly, what many women don’t realise is that it’s actually incredibly difficult to come last – in fact, it took me, the slowest runner I know, 13 years! Secondly, coming last is never humiliating – you are actually more likely to get a bigger cheer than the winner because everyone will admire your guts and determination. Thirdly, those of us at the back have a lot of fun – we’re never too busy or breathless to chat, and we know our ‘enemy’ is the distance and not each other.