Five of the best: Why we love these Insta running posts
There's a lot of rubbish on social media, but these posts will hopefully brighten your day and inspire you to go out running (part 2)
You all seemed to enjoy our previous trawl through Instagram to find some of the more inspirational reels and posts, so we’ve taken another look so you don’t have to spend hours scrolling through.
Here’s five more inspiring and funny posts. Enjoy… or just go for a run!
Limbering up for a return run:
I’m not generally one for promoting running influencer content, or indeed influencer content in general. So much of it is either samey or, frankly, rubbish.
But I’m a big fan of Tommy Lewis’ Instagram account, as he’s one of the more genuine people out there. His @tommyrunpt page gives useful, uncomplicated advice for runners of all abilities, and you get the feeling he’s genuinely trying to make a difference rather than simply feathering his own nest.
There is no rocket science in this post, but the simple, practical warm-up demonstrated will help a lot of new runners and those recovering from injury or illness.
Rock on, Tommy…
Follow Tommy’s updates on Instagram at @tommyrunpt
Embracing change and encountering epic:
I found this post thanks to my Everyday Athlete Podcast Network co-host Joe Hardin, the man behind the brilliant Beyond the Finish Line pod - make sure to check that and Joe’s Instagram out.
He’s also got his own incredible back story that involves swapping alcoholism for ultra marathons.
But this is all about Doug Fingliss, who is set to run with Joe across the entire state of Rhode Island in March and across Indiana in August. Only nine years ago, Doug was himself caught in the depths of alcoholism, his liver failing and his lungs filling with fluid.
How he has turned his life around is quite the tale and this post gives a taster of his remarkable story.
Follow Doug’s updates on Instagram at @dfingliss
Making every day a little brighter:
One of my favourite accounts on Instagram comes from Paulina, aka @free_pauli_run.
She not only posts some cool messages and advice, but the pictures she takes while out running are absolutely stunning.
Whereas my running snaps make Northampton’s current slightly drab and damp wintry surrounds look ten times worse, Paulina somehow manages to transform South Yorkshire into the Côte d'Azur.
Follow Paulina’s updates on Instagram at @free_pauli_run
Putting in the hours to run huge distances:
She lifts weights, runs ultras and patches up runners’ feet and hearts. Natasha Swartley is pretty awesome all round.
At the moment, she’s training to take on Tahoe 200 and her latest video shows some of the preparation the US Navy veteran is currently putting in.
As well as being an ultra running badass, Tasha is also a trail medic, providing assistance to those in need on their own endurance challenges.
We could all benefit from some of the wisdom in this post. As Tasha says: “This journey is one to remind me of my ability to do hard things, worthiness of achievement, acceptance, and self-love and appreciation.”
Follow Natasha’s updates on Instagram at @wonderlostunicorn and @thortrailracemedic
'I blew shit up' - now I run ultra marathons
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Proving running doesn’t suck when you interview marathoning rock stars:
One of his most recent pieces was a chat with Enter Shikari singer Rou Reynolds, who is set to run his first marathon in April for UK charity, the Mental Health Foundation.
This is a great line from Rou, taken from Raz’s piece below: “Having something like running - that reminds you that you’re stronger than you think you are - is really important in today’s world, because we’re so bludgeoned by crises, and you look at the trajectory of humanity, and it’s honestly terrifying.”
Follow Raz’s updates on Instagram at @runningsucks101
"Running Sucks... but that's why we love it"
If you enjoy this post check out the other inspirational stories on this newsletter.
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This is fantastic. I love Joe, Doug, Natasha and Raz.
Actually going to meet Ray for coffee after I run those same stairs that he has in that pic you shared.