Run Mummy Run has been an inspiration to me for the past three years as I started on my running journey. I remember a friend tagging me into a Facebook message inviting me to join. That decision to make a request to join has changed my life. Sounds dramatic? If you look inside the pages of Run Mummy Run’s first book then you will see that it is actually a common thread.

So many women have contributed to the writing of this book and for me, as a reasonably inexperienced runner, I can find examples of ‘me’ in every chapter.  From needing to find time to exercise while sorting out a busy family to having the amazing experience of running my first marathon. None of these things would have happened if I had not been part of this wonderful community, gaining encouragement and support all the way.

Specifically, the book is more than a self-help guide to running; it is a pocket community. I can read it in one sitting; if I feel inclined, but increasingly I find that I can turn to a specific chapter and compare my experience with others. It’s like a yard stick or barometer, just so I can check what may or may not be ‘normal’ for my running experience. I can dip into the experiences of others, look at case studies and spot where I need to change or alter my own practice,  or simply gain inspiration.

This has undoubtedly helped me develop, in just the last few weeks I have acted on advice and started to see a positive improvement in my running. For an intermediate and sometimes isolated runner, the book allows me to pick up on tips and seek out answers that I wouldn’t have found in a general running guide. Even though I’m not a total newbie runner, I still don’t know all the jargon.  This book has gone some way to de-mystifying a hobby that is littered with acronyms, trainers and phrases that the uninitiated would struggle to comprehend!

Moreover, I know some of the women who have contributed. Their down to earth, no-nonsense contributions mean I know that what they have shared works and can be true for me also. I trust their stories more than an impersonal guide.

Other running guides have had to tread the awkward ground between being authoritative and knowledgeable without sounding patronising. This book has a different, more relaxed and friendly tone altogether. It’s inclusive. I imagine that if you have a story to tell about your running experience it would fit within the pages and not look out of place. Because this book has grown out of the community, it reflects the ethos of the community, never condescending,  never patronising, always positive.

I loved reading this book, but I’m biased because I love so many of the ideals it represents. I admire the women who have shared their experiences  and I know there are hundreds more stories out there waiting to be included in the next book. If you identify with any of the running journeys within these pages then you are RMR.If you need a running buddy, then this book can be a big step towards that support.