No it’s not a joke, it’s what occurred yesterday as a part of the primary ever Fats Woman Run Clinic – a novel 1 day working retreat for plus sized runners.
A couple of 12 months in the past I puzzled if there was such a factor after trying into working retreats myself. I used to be too nervous about my pace and health ranges for mainstream programs and figured there needed to be one thing on the market for runners like me.
There wasn’t.
However there’s now!
So at 10am yesterday morning I met 19 excited (and nervous) girls from all around the UK ready patiently outdoors within the solar by West Ham tube station.
I didn’t give them a lot time to emphasize any additional although, rapidly pairing them up and setting them off on their first problem – to find and get to Fats Woman Run Clinic HQ a brief 20 minute stroll away, that they had quarter-hour max and just a few easy instructions.
All 19 made it to our assembly room within the allotted time, the place they discovered refreshments and had been issued their uniform for the day. After setting off the final two runners from West Ham and making my manner again I entered the room and will hardly hear myself assume over the hubbub.
The Fats Woman Run Clinic was properly and actually open for enterprise!!
What adopted was a jammed pack day of knowledge, sharing, and the dealing with of fears. With a forty five minute run across the beautiful Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, a beautiful pub lunch after which a pace session within the shadows of the stadium deliberate, what the women weren’t anticipating was the hundreds of younger revellers making their manner into the holi pageant that was collaborating within the park too this weekend.
Or the on/off rain!!
However fairly than being the embarrassing expertise this might have been the women informed me they felt empowered working of their brilliant “Too Fats to Run” t-shirts in public and acquired a great deal of encouragement from the kids!!
Working in 3 teams the women negotiated the huge space of the damp Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park which is a runners paradise with good extensive thoroughfares, hills and canal paths. One group acquired misplaced, one other needed to wait patiently for the water fountains to return on and by the point we acquired near the Velodrome all 3 teams congregated in time for a fab picture under the Olympic Ring Sculpture.
We managed to get some assist from an actual athletic teenager too within the type of olympic lengthy jumper Jade Johnson who posed for an image with us after we popped into the Copper Field venue for a little bit of a nosey! Jade was impressed with what the women had already managed and thought the entire “Too Fats to Run?” idea was an excellent one.
At the moment was all about dealing with fears, but in addition about being seen and altering the hearts and minds of others. We definitely acquired some consideration wherever we went, particularly as we headed right into a crowded pub for lunch. We had a desk reserved upstairs and lunch was a scrummy however wholesome affair and an opportunity for us all to have a natter about our lives and our working experiences.
By the point we left the pub it felt like we had been a unit and as I paired the women up into two recordsdata and led them on a gentle jog previous the aquatics centre again into the South Park individuals stopped and stared on the website of us, and never in a freakish “Have a look at that” type of manner, however a wow have a look at them go, and because the sooner women took turns to drop again and catch up once more guaranteeing we remained as a gaggle it was clear that each single certainly one of these women understood the way it feels to be left behind.
The afternoon session occurred on a pleasant gentle grass space subsequent to the Olympic Stadium the place Mo Farah did his factor in 2012. With a spread of video games, and approach based mostly relays the main target was merely on rediscovering the enjoyment of working and discovering your inner gearbox which lets you shift issues up a notch when it comes to pace.
We had the proper restoration drink ready for us again at HQ, an ice chilly The whole lot However the Cow – a scrumptious and nutritious new soya protein shake made with actual fruit. Not solely did the women love the style the distinctive mix of 7g NON GMO soya protein and 20% actual fruit, with only a trace of honey was nice for put up exercise restore however is equally only a nice wholesome drink alternative.
We completed the time off with a Huge Fats Silly Aim setting session, attending to the underside of what holds us again from reaching our targets. typically you simply must plant a seed after which stand again, and it most positively labored for one woman who introduced “I’m going to run the London Marathon subsequent 12 months” after saying simply 3 weeks in the past that she would by no means have the opportunity to take action.
After a ultimate activity of sharing what one factor every woman can be doing because of the workshop, they excitedly acquired their goodie bag and had been despatched on their manner, again to their very own lives to implement what that they had realized.
The entire day was completely phenomenal from my perspective. It was every little thing I dreamed it will be and extra. I just about collapsed into my mattress shortly after, I assume I had been working on adrenaline in the times main as much as it and wanted some sleep.
At the moment although now that I’m properly rested, I’ve been deconstructing all of it in my thoughts, taking a look at all of the updates on social media from the women and studying the suggestions they kindly left me on postcards after the session.
Love working round like a baby, I had forgotten that working may very well be enjoyable Becky, Brighton
Wonderful inspiring day, Julie is a wonderful coach, delicate to the wants and fears of the plus measurement runner. Sensible!! Claire, London
Nice day for all talents smiled from begin to end, I got here away feeling I ca do something Joanne, London
I actually loved the day. It helped me notice that my ambition to run a marathon shouldn’t be put apart due to my weight points Karen, Hampshire
Probably the greatest working workshops I’ve been on. A terrific day with fabulous girls, that has constructed my confidence in working. Really feel very impressed to maintain going and do extra Amy, London
Guess what? Nobody is Too Fats to Run, and its by no means too late to start out Liz, Basingstoke
As a 55 12 months outdated girl who has by no means run – EVER – this present day was a revelation. I really did 5K and I really feel nice, and I understand how to maintain it going now too!! Kathy, Essex
There you could have it, from the women themselves.
Try the date for the following few retreats over within the store
I’d similar to to say large thanks to these 19 wonderful women who took a punt on this as the primary ever attendees!!
