THESE DAYS, IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T HEARD, women are running the world. By many measures—shoe company surveys, retail sales, new subscriptions to Runner’s World magazine, even entries in road races—women runners have reached 50 percent of the total running population. And their participation is growing.
Twenty-five years ago, women made up only 5 percent of all runners. This is a revolution, make no mistake about it. And it has happened because running is the perfect sport for women.
I actually figured this out a long time ago. It was a simple call, really. You didn’t need a crystal ball to see it. You just had to think for a moment about women and all the attributes they bring to running.
Many women are disciplined and determined and incredibly well-organized. They have to be to succeed in all the roles society layers on them—job, housework, mother, wife. And more. Running comes easily to these women, because all running takes is discipline, determination, and organization—exactly what women have.
And there’s a bonus: Running doesn’t require any special athletic skills. You don’t have to be able to hit a backhand. You don’t have to know a three-iron from a nine-iron, or a slalom from a mogul. You just have to make up your mind that you’re going to do it.
Women also excel at running because they understand the importance of patience and following directions. Guys? Not always so bright. My wife cooks meals according to recipes, and they always come out delicious. I make things up as I go along, yet I can’t understand why everyone refuses to eat my concoctions.
In running, it turns out, following a plan is the key to success. There’s a beginning plan, an intermediate plan, an advanced plan, a first-time marathon plan, and so on. Follow the plan, and you’ll do just great at running. Women value plans, and they reap the benefits.
Women also understand the emotional side of running better than men. Men sometimes make the mistake of thinking that running is a never-ending race against the stopwatch. We want to go fast. All the time. As a result, we too often get injured, fatigued, and burned out. Worse, we get depressed when we reach an age where we can no longer run as fast as we did in our youth.
Women like to run fast, too. I’m not saying that they don’t train as hard as men, or don’t try to make it to the Olympics. But more women than men accept running for what it is—a simple and immensely satisfying fitness activity. A time for solitary reflection, or for group social banter. An opportunity to drain out all of the stress of daily living and to celebrate the joy of good health.
Over the years, I have been lucky enough to run with some famous women. I ran with Joan Benoit long before she became a Boston Marathon and Olympic champ. I ran with Oprah Winfrey long after she became an international TV and movie star.
And here’s what I’ve learned from Joan and Oprah and hundreds of other women runners: You can make your running into whatever you want it to be. You can go for the gold, or you can simply set out to achieve something you never dreamed possible (even if no one else notices).
It’s entirely up to you. I know you can do it, because tens of millions of other women runners have done it. In the pages that follow, Dagny Scott, a wise and experienced woman runner, has laid out all the plans and recipes and wisdom you’ll need.
The next step is yours.
Amby Burfoot
Executive Editor
Runner’s World magazine