Hi Younger Self,It's the Older Etta here! Just thought I'd drop
you a line from the future to give you some
words of advice. Incredible as it seems right
now, you are destined to become a marathon
runner and it'll give you the confidence to
enjoy doing something you love without letting
the fear of failure prevent you from trying. You will run many races
and you won't be the fastest but you'll be part of a global running
community and this will mean the world to you.
One day you'll be a doctor and running will help many of your patients to feel less depressed and
anxious. You will find yourself telling them to do parkrun and they'll love it.When you run your first marathon, in 2016, please remember that, just because you are in New York
City and your running shorts have two pockets, it doesn't mean you need to stuff a bagel in each
one! Oh, and whatever you do, don't run after people helpfully handing back to them the items of
clothing they've discarded while waiting for the start gun. And do make sure you visit the race expoand buy the beautiful t-shirt that says
'NYC Marathoner’.
Because the next day, just as you are about to give up at kilometre 30,
convinced that this whole marathon malarkey was part of a mid
and that you should've taken up knitting instead, you'll think of that -life crisis
t-shirt and how much you want those words to be about you. And you'll
finish the race.Younger Self, remember that you don't have to be fast to be a runner. If
you feel the determination and the drive within you then go ahead and be
that person, no matter what your speed. In Italy we have a saying,
ti porta il cuore”, which means, "Follow your heart “Va dove
running, you will go far. Literally. ". If you do this withAll my love, EttaDear Younger Self,It's your Older Self here with some predictions about the future! You
already love running right now, you enjoy the way your little legs
move so effortlessly. But sadly, as you get older, you'll eventually
stop completely. And, at the grand old age of 34, having given birth
to two children (they're called Nicholas and Oliver), your body will no
longer feel like your own and you'll know something has to be done.You'll find that running is the answer, even though it makes your
legs hurt. But very quickly that lung- busting run to the end of your
street will turn into a mile, and then a 5K
or longer, but only if you push yourself
through that initial discomfort.
If I could give you any advice about running
it would be this: always make sure your
running gear has a regular service because,
just like your car, it travels a heck of a lot
of miles. Well-worn comfy running shoes might
seem like your best friends, but having to
run home holding a trainer sole in your hand
with one leg temporarily shorter than the
other when your shoe comes apart mid-run makes for some
strange looks from passersby.
Younger Self, you don't know this yet, but one day
running will give you the confidence to enter one of the
most famous marathons in the world, the 2017 London Marathon, a challenge you
never thought was possible when you couldn't even run a mile without stopping.
And you know what? You are going to make sure you love every second of it!Get out there and embrace every mile.Love, Tracey“A wardrobe failure ‒ and
a marathon ‒ await you!”
Tracey Duffi eld, 38, Todmorden, West Yorkshire“You won’t be
fast ‒ but you’ll
have fun!”
Henrietta Bowden-Jones, 52,
London the fear of failure prevent you from trying. You will run many races© PAUL DUFFIELDwomensrunninguk.co.uk
LIFE LESSONS