I began this weblog in September 2012 after coming useless final in a race…I’ve informed this story one million instances, on stay levels, on the TV and in newspaper articles everywhere in the world.
I actually needed to google “Find out how to arrange a weblog” once I acquired began as a result of I used to be that clueless.
On the time I used to be working in Native Authorities in a coverage position serving to London to organize for the 2012 Olympic & Paralympic video games.
I used to be not sporty, nonetheless.
I began writing about my experiences as a result of I felt lonely. I began writing about being a “Fats” runner as a result of so many humorous, unusual, bizarre and irritating issues saved occurring to me.
I had already been operating races for greater than 5 years by the point I began writing the weblog.
I assumed writing the weblog would assist me grow to be a greater runner, a smaller individual.
In actual fact, it did the alternative.
I noticed enhancements in my operating for positive, I even nearly managed a sub 30 minute 5K as soon as…coming in 30.06 at Hackney Parkrun again in round 2016.
I ran 6 marathons, a 40 mile ultramarathon, did Triathlons, Robust Mudders, Climbed Mountains and all that jazz.
However changing into a greater runner was by no means actually the driving force. I’m a garbage runner I’m simply very persistent.
I turned a greater individual, not a greater runner.
A stronger individual.
And I turned BIGGER…not by way of my physique (though the burden has been creeping up of late) however by way of my outlook on and angle to life.
My TEDx discuss on the Concern of Judgement helped me to articulate what radical self-acceptance does for a girl….reminding myself that I’m not what I appear to be, that my weight is just not “All” there’s to me…and that I don’t owe anybody something by way of my physique measurement.
I by no means truly needed to be the face (or physique) of this model.
After I made the choice to show the weblog (which was nameless) right into a enterprise in 2013 after being made redundant from my job, a enterprise professional informed me it might be unattainable to monetise with out being entrance and centre of the model, and over time I acquired used to the concept of being an “influencer”
I by no means acquired used to individuals hugging me as a result of they’d learn considered one of my books…or the emails from individuals telling me how they’d modified my life.
However I’m grateful individuals did these issues.
The operating world could be very completely different to the one which I began this weblog in, the world could be very completely different.
Issues for ladies are tougher than ever in my opinion. Particularly plus-size girls, particularly center aged girls, of which I’m proudly counting myself in that demographic.
I began this weblog being a carefree 30 one thing, no youngsters no duties, no actual route to the place my life was going, and I shut it as a dad or mum, a author of 12 books, an award-winning worldwide speaker, and most significantly a Mum to probably the most wonderful, physique assured, sassy, astute 10 yr outdated…who has been with me each step of this journey.
I used to be pregnant with Rose once I ran the London Marathon for the primary time in 2012…though I didn’t know, it was solely on my first restoration run every week or so later that I nearly handed out, after which came upon I used to be 6 or 7 weeks pregnant.
Rose has by no means identified me to not be scripting this weblog.
“Who even are you mum if you’re not operating marathons”
However my marathon days are behind me.
London in 2020 was speculated to me my final one, as I constructed a crew of fifty girls who have been going to run it with me…everyone knows how that ended.
As a substitute after contracting COVIF myself and ending up in hospital briefly, I launched into my craziest plan ever, and took a small crew out to West Africa to run the Sierra Leone Marathon…the only most wonderful expertise of my life.
An expertise that made me query EVERYTHING, an expertise that makes me extra dedicated to preventing inequality and poverty than ever.
The pandemic triggered a lot harm in my neighborhood, to confidence ranges, to our shallowness, and the enterprise (and perhaps my motivation to maintain preventing) if I’m being sincere by no means recovered.
I by no means set the enterprise as much as grow to be a enterprise, however after dropping my job (pregnant with Rose) it appeared like a wise step…and I’ve spent nearly a decade dedicated to creating it work commercially…investing a lot of the revenue again into the enterprise.
I simply can’t do it any longer…not on my own.
I took a Job working for a change administration firm in Septmber, hoping that the safety from that may allow me to run Too Fats to Run (the social motion) extra like a facet hustle or inventive interest…however alas I used to be made redundant 6 weeks in the past, being owed 3 months of backpay.
And so the time has come.
I have to focus 100% on constructing myself again up, and making my new enterprise “The Yr to Change” work…or discovering myself a full-time job whichever it seems to be.
I not have the time or vitality it requires to carry area for individuals on the dimensions that I’ve completed. To do the campaigning work, to do the abroad journeys (which have been at all times unpaid).
I recover from 100 emails a day from PR corporations and ladies from my neighborhood…only a few of which result in any sort of revenue, and that’s simply not sustainable.
In January 2020 we had 600 paying members do our learners programme, and this yr we maxed out at 38.
Its unhappy, its irritating, however additionally it is indicative of the present local weather, and perhaps even a sign that the operating world has moved on and that the motion and the programmes I supplied usually are not wanted anymore.
Who is aware of.
What I’ve discovered by means of this course of although, is that there are issues which can be price preventing for.
As a campaigner, a crusader for change you’ll discover wonderful individuals in your journey, likeminded people who could have your again.
I’ve seen a lot kindness over time.
The warmest of hugs, the deepest felt emails and messages on social media.
Though it typically appears like no person actually offers a shit…I do know that isn’t true.
The weblog has touched hundreds of thousands of lives.
I’ll always remember a girl at mile 22 of the New York Metropolis Marathon (who I had by no means met and even spoken to) standing with a “Go Julie, Go TFTR” signal.
Or the 9-year-old lady from Canada who selected to do a college challenge on me and physique positivity.
Or the person I met at a race up north who requested if he might hug me, thanking me for serving to him get his spouse again (that sounds weirder than it truly was written out like this lol)
Or the woman I met in a elevate in Orlando whereas there for a convention who was like “OMG IT’S JULIE CREFFIELD” and insisted she acquired a selfie.
So many tales, so many moments, the place I’m reminded of the great on the earth, of the facility to positively have an effect on the lives of individuals with the facility of your phrases, the facility of your intention.
The world is a bit blase about blogs nowadays…and let’s face it AI might in all probability do an honest sufficient job writing my posts nowadays…however for these few years within the early days of this weblog, it was actually magical.
And for that, I’ll at all times be actually grateful.
Okay so this has became a little bit of an Oscars speech and my intention was merely to wrap issues up with some overarching classes.
- Be variety
- If you happen to run, stroll, jog or any model of that (AT ANY SPEED) you’re a runner
- Your physique is yours and yours alone…what you do with it, or the way it appears is no person elses enterprise
- Be seen, don’t conceal…we have to see all our bodies being lively and residing their finest life
- Be affected person with your self, change isn’t straightforward
- You’re liked and you aren’t damaged (even for those who really feel such as you want fixing typically)
- Transfer as usually as you’re feeling able to…most issues really feel much less problemy after a stroll
- Write out your emotions, it helps even for those who by no means share them
- Give individuals the advantage of doubt…perhaps they’re simply having a foul day
- Give greater than you’re taking…individuals will at all times keep in mind what you’ve got completed for them
And so, what’s subsequent???
I’m engaged on a brand new enterprise idea referred to as The Yr to Change, which helps strange individuals to do extraordinary issues of their lives, of their companies and within the office. I’m at the moment within the pilot section, validating concepts, securing the model and so forth, and attempting to lift sufficient cash to stay on.
You possibly can comply with what I’m as much as on Linkedin, by way of Instagram and by way of www.juliecreffield.com
And I’m engaged on a brand new e-book which I hope will come out in January 2024
This blogsite will keep open as an archive, for so long as individuals discover it and skim it, and for so long as e-book sale income covers the prices of internet hosting it.
A couple of girls from my neighborhood requested whether or not they might ship me some cash to thank me (which felt a bit bizarre) and so I’ve reopened my Ko.fi account, which was fairly helpful in the course of the pandemic when so lots of my revenue streams dried up.
I’m having to study to be open to receiving…and so that is in all probability the ultimate lesson for me, enable individuals to say thanks Julie.
You should purchase us a espresso (or perhaps one thing stronger) right here
Phrases won’t ever specific how grateful I’m for the previous 12 years, for every one that has ever supported this work, purchased a e-book, or a tshirt or taken half in considered one of my programmes. For the small variety of manufacturers that I labored with, for the PR corporations that put me ahead for press journeys, for occasion organisors who booked me as a speaker. So many individuals over time have helped me construct this model.
It’s usually stated,
We overestimate wha we will do in a yr, however we underestimate what we will do in ten
Right here’s to the subsequent 10 years…who is aware of the place my ft, my coronary heart, and my phrases will take me subsequent
Love At all times
Julie
xxxx
