Every Runner Is Beautiful

This is directed to every single person that has ever stepped their foot out the door in order to run. A hundred meters, a mile, ten minutes, three hours, doesn’t matter. If you did that – and if you are doing it again, too – you are a runner, and this is for you.

Highly impacted by the event of this week’s Dublin Marathon, where I volunteered, there are things piling up in my heart that I just need to share with the world.

One of our favourite pictures from the @sseairtricity Dublin Marathon – perfectly sums up the emotion on the day. pic.twitter.com/PvFXqMFZZ4

— Dublin Marathon (@dublinmarathon) October 27, 2015

Just a tiny background brief before I become all cheesy and emotional (I will, believe me): I have gone through a very persistent injury in the past 18 months. Nothing bad or dangerous, but annoying and existing enough that I am only now on my way back to running more often without feeling pain.

Having halfmarathons, marathons and ultramarathons behind me, I have always taken running very emotinally because it has brought me to places I never expected. So even the event of watching and cheering for marathon runners puts me in a specific state of mind.

Massive thanks to volunteers & supporters who lined the streets today. We live in a damn fine city. #DublinMarathon pic.twitter.com/rfs7IaWE69

— Carl Mullan (@CarlMullan) October 26, 2015

Here’s what happened yesterday: I was beside the marathon course, where I got to see over 15,000 runners going for something so amazing. There were so many moments where I thought to myself how fabulous these people are. Literally. And I will now tell you why. Yes, runners, I am talking directly to you.

You are beautiful. Whether you are running a three-hour or a six-hour marathon, you are there, putting one foot in front of the other for 42 kilometres. You are brave, because we all know what 42 kilometres is, and you still decided to go for it.

You are beautiful. You don’t need to be a marathon runner to be beautiful. You can be running few times a week or a month or twice a day, but by stepping out your door to go for a run, you prove to be different than anyone else.

You are beautiful. You are doing that for a reason that you know the best. Maybe for yourself, your health, your challenge. Maybe for your partner, or parents, or a friend, or whoever needed such strong person around. You are strong, and now becoming even stronger.

You are beautiful. Because maybe you are doing this for a cause. For cancer, multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis, brain disease research, down syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease. For suicide prevention. For bone marrow and blood donation awareness. Diabetes research. Whatever it is, I know it is on your mind every second of your run, and you are amazing for doing that.

If you ever lose faith in human spirit, go out and watch a marathon. @dublinmarathon ❤ #dublinmarathon pic.twitter.com/wSwQUQXSTF

— Marijana Kostelac (@MarijanaKay) October 26, 2015

You are beautiful. Because maybe you are doing this because you have beaten – or are still fighting – one of those diseases. Or you’ve lost someone you love to a disease, and you are running for them. These things never leave anyone indifferent, and you should be proud of yourself more than you probably are. You are a warrior.

You are beautiful. Whatever your reason for running any length or any period of time might be, you are running while you could be doing anything else in the world. That means you’ve discovered how magical running is. You decided to invest your own time and energy into something that leaves you all tired and sweaty, but happy.

And even if your only reason to run is just running itself, whether it’s a 5k distance every now and then or preparation for 5 marathons a year, please know you’re awesome. You might be running to save the world, or you might be running just because it’s keeping you from gaining weight. You might be running for those heavenly endorphins or for some great company or because someone said it’s good for you.

Whatever your reason is, you’re beautiful.

Because by being a runner, you have a special privilege of being a member of the kindest, warmest and friendliest community in the world, and by running around the world, you are spreading the beauty everywhere.

So let me tell you why I believe in that: you can’t fake running. You can’t buy kilometres. You can’t pretend you’ve run a race. You can’t fake endorphins, or spread negativity through running. You most certainly can’t run for a charity or a cause for a wrong reason.

So pat yourself on the back and let yourself know: you’re beautiful and awesome. And make sure you say the same thing to the next runner you see.

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