I saw some tweets earlier this week about body confidence week and thought that was an interesting idea – at first I thought it was to do with a response to fat shaming week, which would mean that body confidence week was about bigger people showing that they can be confident but as I’ve watched this unfold I can see that it is much more open to interpretation than that and therefore, on my running blog, I’m writing about this.

I run, I run far, I run fast sometimes but I love chocolate, I’m 36 and I work behind a desk, I never take my shirt off in public and I avoid tight fitting clothing wherever possible – I’m not fat, I’m not even particularly big at 5’8ish and about 72kg but I’ve never been confident in my body. It was all about a big nose, or slightly round in the middle or big thighs or hairy feet, there has always been something I’ve been ashamed of. Running has helped me enormously in both keeping fit and helping me to redefine my own confidence and when I line up at the start of a race I don’t mind wearing tight fitting clothing, partly because I need to, to avoid chaffing but also because I know I’ve worked hard to keep myself in check. I could write about all the embarrassing episodes to do with body confidence but then why should I air my dirty washing in public instead I’ll simply say that I am hugely impressed by anybody that can stand up and say ‘I am confident in my body, I’m not perfect but I like myself.’ I’ll never be quite sure I can do this but I’m working my way towards it and if I never get there at least I know I’ve gave it my best shot – now where’s my skin tight mankini…