Motivation

'Project Own Your Run' with Coach Saima: Part 1

Coach Saima has once again teamed up with SportsShoes and adidas to bring you Project: Own Your Run where she aims to work with a group of empowering females over 3 months to train them up to complete their first ever 5 or 10k. Many of these runners have never ran before and have all suffered with mental and physical issues. They wanted to take on this challenge to achieve an amazing end goal and improve their outlook on running.

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Saima previously carried out this campaign last year and after the huge success we decided to open this year's applications to a larger group of women. She created individually curated 3-month training plans for each person to ensure all their running needs were met and to educate them on the huge benefits of 'better running health' through strength and conditioning.

Each runner has been kitted out head-to-toe in adidas running gear, ensuring that their running shoe best reflects their own personal needs.

This footwear includes these adidas models:

Adistar CS

Solarboost 5

SolarGlide 6

Solar Control

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With the support of SportsShoes and adidas, Saima held a touchpoint event at the gym from which she trains in London, guiding the runners around the local area followed by an educational Strength & Conditioning session, where the ladies were put through their paces!

The runners will now look to complete their first ever 5 or 10k run on Saturday the 22nd July at Regents Park, London.

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We spoke to some of the women involved to ask why this initiative means so much to them and what they are hoping to achieve;

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CELESTE MILES

I love running because it makes me feel strong, and it costs nothing! I use to run regularly; I was never super-fast but I loved it. I started in 2016 and built it up over a couple of years. In that time, I started doing races and couldn’t believe what I could achieve through it. Distances I never thought I could be capable of and meeting an amazing running community along the way. Along came Covid-19 and lockdowns. Unfortunately, the pandemic wiped me out, I went from training for my first marathon to barely being able to run for more than a few minutes. I was diagnosed with long covid which turned into a three-year battle. One step forward 10 steps backwards when it came to my fitness and running, a few good weeks and then I would be wiped out again with fatigue and back to square 1. Through this programme I’m finally getting back to running and building my running strength, and I’m starting to feel like I can do this! I’ve started to enjoy the process and running again. I really didn’t think I could ever get back to running like I used to. I love that running is financially free, I love that it can take you anywhere and I love the sense of achievement I get from it when I go further than I think I can. When I push myself, I secretly love the next day dooms, it makes me feel super strong!

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ANGELA HILL

I used to run regularly, about 20 years ago before I joined a gym and started regular classes. I still maintained running although it wasn’t very often. I’ve known Saima a while who introduced me to ‘Jog Together’ which are a local running group that I joined for about a year but unfortunately work got too busy and I couldn’t commit to the running times. I then saw Saima post about ‘Project: Own Your Run’ and I thought this would be a fantastic challenge that I could do around a time that worked for me and my busy schedule. I remembered the feeling I used to get when running and thought id like that feeling again. The comfort of knowing Saima and the challenge of a 10k end goal appealed to me so I was over the moon when I was accepted to join the group.

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KEELEY

The reason why I started my running journey is because I knew I had to do something physically and mentally to improve things for me in my personal life. I know how much exercise helps with this. I don’t get chance to get out much recently, but I knew if I was able to get out to do running that I could manage this and it makes me feel on top of the world. It’s such an amazing feeling and a huge dose of happiness. It makes me feel empowered to be out doing something for myself and I feel great about it. Being part of this group means the world, knowing that I am accountable to other people and also being able to support others helps so much with commitment. This is something completely new for me, and has massively helped with my self-confidence.

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LALINI NARENTHIRAN

Running wasn’t always my thing, but during lockdown with so much spare time I decided I wanted to focus on something so I decided to start running. I began to love the feeling I got after completing each run. The feeling of accomplishment and high energy levels was my biggest motivating factor. As life got busy, I started running less and less and unfortunately never fully committed to it. When I saw Saima was recruiting for Project: Own Your Run I knew this opportunity would help push me into running again. I was fortunate to be involved with one of Saima’s adidas events last year with SportsShoes and thoroughly enjoyed it, which also motivated me to be involved with the project.

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CHARLOTTE HOLT

I’m getting back into running with Own Your Run because I want to push myself to see what I can achieve. I’ve never been a distance runner and always focused on sprinting and other sports like hockey, so even running my first non-stop mile was a challenge for me. I now really enjoy the 5k distance and there’s no feeling like knocking time off your PBs. I enjoy running because it lets me explore new places in a different way and is also a great way to take some time to yourself to relax and destress after a busy day.

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FRANKIE MACPHERSON

Getting back into running with a proper plan and support from Saima after injuring myself a couple of times when I tried to return to running solo has been a gamechanger. I’ve always loved running and especially getting out off my head and into fresh air. I love getting to etch that time out in my day to get outside, move, listen to my music & explore. Having a strength plan has also massively helped me get over my fear of embarrassing myself or misusing equipment in the gym and combining the two has helped me feel stronger, fitter and more energised. Running always helps me destress and with a plan, I also feel like I’m properly working on my improving my physical health too. Seeing everyone else working on their runs n exercises has also been super motivating when everything’s up in the air and is a nice regular reminder that you can always get back into running.

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Stay tuned to find out how they all get on in Part 2!

SHOP ALL ADIDAS RUNNING PRODUCTS HERE

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Are you feeling inspired? Then join our SportsShoes Strava Run Club and become part of our inclusive community.
And for more inspirational tips to become stronger, better and happier, then check out our Motivation category. Because it’s no fun standing still.