There are a lot of obstacles that females have had to power through over the years.
Athletics are no exception to this. Female runners have experienced a lot of difficulty over the years, dealing with the idea that women are somehow less valid as athletes. The Boston Marathon, for example, had no women runners until 1967.
The woman who ran in that race was even threatened and nearly pushed off of the road. The point is, there are a lot of female runners who continue to pave the way for women today. This article is here to honor those inspirational athletes.
Inspirational Female Runners
Most of these women are inspirational on and off the track, and we’re glad to show our love for them. Who knows, if these women inspire you, maybe you could be the next person to join the list!
5. Alexandra Heminsley
Alexandra is an inspiration in the sense that she was once an average, non-running person who took the initiative to make running an essential part of her life.
She changed her mind about running when she realized that nearly every person that she ever saw running on ads and television shows were paid models. There is a myth that runners must have a certain look and style. In her memoir, Running Like a Girl, Alexandra works to debunk that myth.
4. Amelia Gapin
Amelia is a trans woman who works in similar ways to Alexandra Heminsley. Her message is that there is no one “runner’s body.” She says that your body becomes a runner’s body when you begin to run, and that’s that.
She also works to promote the relationship between running and mental health. As a person with mental health issues, she holds that a good run is the best medicine for her to get back to a grounded state.
3. Sarah Reinertsen
Sarah Reinertsen has a laundry list of accomplishments as an athlete. She is an Ironman athlete, extensive marathon runner, and Paralympian. She has powered through the fact that her left leg was amputated when she was just seven years old.
She has never compared herself to the two-legged runners that she works with. Her goal has always been to improve her own time and her efforts have certainly paid off.
2. Erica Schenk
Erica Schenk has grown to popularity recently as a steward of the “plus-sized” movement. She was the first plus-sized on the cover of Women’s Running.
She’s trying to push the idea that curvy women are also healthy women. There doesn’t need to be a separation between curvy women and an idea of health. Erica has made it easier for a lot of women to love their curves instead of seeing them as something to be ashamed of.
1. Toni Carey
Toni Carey became a runner later on in life and soon found that she was one of few women of color doing what she was doing. She had the idea to create a community of runners that was not exclusive in any way.
People of any race who ran at any pace were accepted. The fruition of that idea was Black Girls Run!
Are You a Budding Runner?
Taking inspiration from other female runners is one of the first steps to moving toward a healthier lifestyle. The other end of the equation is reading up on the ways you can streamline your efforts.
If you’re interested in learning more about running and how to do it right, our website has everything you need.