As the running boom of the noughties has spread across Europe, it has a woman’s touch, more women only races, women majority races, more women’s shoes and custom apparel designed to match the needs of the sports woman who has it all.
But it’s in pink. It’s a Barbie Tsunami and I’m taking a moment to rant.
There are reasons for pink in running, the most obvious being that lots of “women’s runs” are breast cancer fundraisers and so that means pink ribbon- but the ribbon got out of control and you get, free pink t-shirts, strongly pink running clothes and shoes, pink websites and before you know you can’t call it “for women” unless it’s pink. Have a look:
Now, you’ll see that even some of my own work (AYAMi tank top product page) is implicated here so I’m as guilty as anyone, but why does women’s have to mean pink? We’ve grown up right? Perhaps we swallowed the whole pink thing when we were little girls, told to be a ” good little girl”, our parents bought us presents from the pink aisle of the toystore (as we walked longingly past the distinctly boyish lego section) and now grow up buying pink tops and pink bras just in case we forget what we are.
Strangely enough the women’s run we’ve come to know in the media is nearly always “for ” something or someone else other than the women involved. It’s for sick people, moms, dads, kids, the elderly, the homeless and a worldfull of illnesses women doing things for other people -again. Sometimes I wonder if a run is something even a woman can have for herself? Do women need to define themselves constantly by what they do for others?
I’m a believer that if you don’t take care of yourself, you’ll soon not be much help to those around you, you’ll be washed up and worn out. Running is one of the best ways I’ve found to stay strong, stay sane and create space in my life, I’m slow to hand it over and put it under a banner because it’s one of the things in life that I truly make my own.
Running world- races, brands, charities and designers let’s resist the urge and try to go beyond the pink next time, because running for women means a lot more than a single color can say.
Leave it to the ribbon to bring the pink.
And since I’m on it, let’s have another kind of Pink on here…
Good rant! Liked that … however, I always was a fan of Pink Panther???
Interesting point on not running for ourselves as women. As soon as I started listing the women’s runs here in Ireland, you’re so right, there are none just for the sake of running. But most male events are just pure competition. Although I have met plenty of guys running for charities as well, it does seem to be more of a girls thing. Maybe because many of these women feel they can’t justify just doing something for fun, are we really so programmed? Very thought-provoking post!
thanks for for the comment- I’ve noticed that gender split too but I’m a little slow to argue about why men run, since I’m not a man. I dare say we all do it to feel good, but feeling good may not be enough reason for a woman to do something.
Anyway, as you said… thought provoking. Maybe you can bring it up on your blog sometime :)