Running with Women
Today I ran in the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run. Although it was cold, rainy, and a bit crowded, the race itself was quite enjoyable. It is a very popular venue and is restricted to 15,000 entries. The course is flat and traverses the National Mall along the Potomac river in DC. As the name implies, runners are amongst the cherry trees which are in full bloom now. If you are into organized races then I highly recommend it.
One thing that caught my attention was the number of supporters cheering along the route. A lot of them had made signs for their friends and family that were running, but they were cheering everyone. I always love the feeling and am so thankful for their encouragement. It really makes a huge difference. Thanks to each of the volunteers and fans. It was especially great that they braved the elements.
Another thing that struck me during the run, was the large number of women in the race. I really enjoyed seeing so many women participating in such a healthy activity. I believe our culture has neglected the participation of women in these types of activities and I hope things have really started to change for the better. These were women of all different shapes, different ages, and probably different socioeconomic backgrounds.
I believe men should encourage women to participate. Examples include not negating their efforts (cat calls, directly competing, critical observations of their training outfits, etc.), directly encouraging them if you know them, making them feel secure by providing safe places to run, and running with them.
If you were one of the women out there running today, congratulations to you all.
