As I looked at a photo that a friend recently posted after completing her first marathon, her face beaming with pride, medal in hand and her family by her side, I was momentarily overcome with emotion. I sat for a while thinking about how hard she has trained and all that she has achieved, and how pleased I am for her, and it was then that I remembered a run that we did together about 2 years ago.

We had gone out for a short run, only about 7 kms and it certainly wasn’t fast. I remember it because it was one of the very first distance runs she had done.  We talked to pass the time and I offered intermittent words of encouragement as I often do when I’m running with someone. That run was just the beginning of my friends running journey.  Back then I encouraged and supported her, and helped her believe that she could do it even when her brain was screaming ‘no you can’t!’.  I remember on more than one occasion, her referring to me as her ‘inspiration’; but as I looked again at her photo, I realised that she is now mine.

I had forgotten just how much I actually enjoy running until I was forced to again start pounding the pavement in preparation for a half marathon that I was bought entry to as a birthday gift recently.  I have always found running therapeutic; it helps me to escape from the hustle and bustle of the otherwise seemingly constant rush hour in my mind. While running is not renowned for its muscle strengthening qualities, my mind seems to be at its most resilient when I run on a regular basis. However, my efforts over the last few weeks have been just that, an effort. Seeing my friends achievement at the weekend has given me the inspiration I needed to go out and chase after my running goals, with newly found vigour and passion.

Inspiration seems to have many different guises;  and what inspires one person may actually revolt another.  If I am ‘looking’ for inspiration, it will usually be in the form of quotes or contained in the lyrics of songs. But it’s the moments in life that truly take your breath away or reduce you to tears without warning, that give us the real, heartfelt inspiration that can generate the wherewithal within each of us to move mountains, should we so desire.  So the next time my legs hurt and my brain is yelling at me to stop running, I am going to remember how I felt when I looked at my friends photo and I am going to very politely tell my brain to ‘shut up’ as I run just a little faster.