#halfmarathon

Dear Instagram,

How are we ever to #fixgirlssports if this is what the feed of an avid runner and coach looks like? These photos are just a sprinkling of what shows up in my daily feed. I am 37 years old. A mom. A coach. A huge proponent of getting girls out there on the playing field, as an athlete or as a coach. It took me months to gain enough courage to post anything. I sit in my baggy sweatpants every day, scrolling through these images in disbelief, self-confidence being knocked down along the way. I can’t imagine what it must feel like for younger girls and women. I have a wide knowledge base that I desperately want to share. But these ideas live mostly in my head. Since I don’t look like the women in #run or #halfmarathon photos, I feel scared to post. My living room doesn’t have a white leather couch and the perfect lighting for me to show off my exercises. My Instagram feed is far from “pristine” as I’ve heard someone once describe another’s.

But my brain is full of #running knowledge. My body is one of an experienced #runner. I know what I am talking about. So follow me because you want to learn. Follow me because you want to become a better athlete. Follow me because you want to be inspired. I don’t care what you look like.

Sincerely,

The Efficient Runner