TORONTO September 24th 2015. Digital Champion Karyn Cooper started running in 2011 after suffering a miscarriage. Running cleared her head and eased her sadness, and since then she’s had a son and become a marathoner. Karyn’s most memorable accomplishment was finishing the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon last year. She is inspired to be a better runner by her 3-year old son who loves to see his Mom accomplish her goals! When Karyn isn’t running, she works full-time in community-based HIV work. Connect with Karyn on Twitter and Instagram.
How Running Taught Me To Love Myself. By Karyn Cooper
For as long as I can remember, I’ve never quite felt good enough. I had a great childhood. I now have a great family of my own. For some reason, however, I am often consumed by negative self-talk and comparing myself to others.
Running has brought some amazing things into my life. It has helped me feel like a positive role model to my young son. It has made me a better wife because I take care of myself physically and mentally. It has brought amazing people and experiences into my life. Over time, it is changing how I’ve viewed myself for so many years.
Something it has unexpectedly brought into my life is an increased awareness of the impact negative self-talk and comparing myself to others has on my day to day life.
I began running in 2012. I’ve always been a solo runner, whether on the treadmill or in my rural neighbourhood. In the beginning, I was not active in the online running community so I worked on becoming a runner on my own without much concern or awareness of the bigger picture. As I became more active in the running community on social media, I was overwhelmed by the support. In many ways, it made me more confident, more open to new experiences, and it motivated me to continue this running life.
In other ways, however, it made me consumed with comparing 
my running ability to others. I was constantly seeing posts of other people’s pace, distance, nutrition, etc. Many times I felt like I didn’t quite measure up.
This is why I knew that my first full marathon (STWM 2014) would be a game changer. Running a full marathon was so far out of my comfort zone. To say I doubted my ability to finish would be an understatement, but I DID cross that finish line. For a long time I was embarrassed by my 5+ hour finish time, but with reflection and encouragement from others I soon realized that it was an amazing accomplishment.
I still struggle with comparison and negative thoughts, but that full marathon taught me that I’m not a quitter. It taught me that when the going gets tough, I can keep going. It taught me that running is a personal thing. We set personal goals. We accomplish personal bests. I need to continue putting the emphasis on personal. This shift in thinking is noticeable in my training for this year’s marathon. I’m focused solely on my own plan. People have noticed a more relaxed approach to my training this year. I am still nervous but I know that I will cross that finish line and that will by my personal accomplishment.
