My First Time Hosting a Project Love Run Event

Andrea running her first half-marathon

Working nurse Andrea

Andrea, proud xtendbarre member

Written by Andrea Ottonni

What do you get when you put together a few inspiring ladies, a leisurely run, a beautiful day, a delicious brunch, and a conversation about self-care?

An amazing Sunday morning! Coincidentally, it was my first time hosting Project Love Run in Edmonton.

A bit about me: I’m an almost-30-year-old living in downtown Edmonton with my husband of 2 years. I’m a full-time public health nurse, working at a tuberculosis clinic. I’ve always tried to be active – I competitively figure skated (my passion was synchronized skating – google it!) up until university. I then tried other activities that my schedule would allow: bootcamp, spin classes, the gym, barre, etc. I’ve had an on-and-off relationship with running – I ran a half-marathon in 2014 and then didn’t touch the sport for years. I tried several times to start up again, but this resulted in boredom or injury (I got a stress fracture in my heel, and my doctor said “maybe running isn’t for you”). I’ve also recently struggled with mental health issues (anxiety and depression) and am still trying to find the right balance. I did the odd run here and there in the past couple years, but I’ll be honest – I hated every minute of them.

I first learned about PLR when my sister-in-law Dina invited me to join her July PLR event when I was visiting Calgary. As an introvert and someone who loves to sleep in on Sundays, I was hesitant (to say the least). But I dragged myself out of bed for the sake of earning in my brunch by burning calories.We met at a beautiful trail, I met some lovely women, and felt encouraged and supported during the run (contrary to the negative feedback in my head when I run solo). It was fun and empowering, and the run was a great way to chat with other women about our goals – fitness or otherwise. The brunch was well-earned and delicious, but my favourite part was the discussion. It was kind of like a book club, but instead of homework there were endorphins and food. I didn’t think I’d like this sort of thing, until I realized it was exactly what I was missing in my life – the opportunity to exercise with some badass women, then chat about stuff we all care about (i.e. the topic of the brunch discussion was “body image”).

 I was so inspired and uplifted that I contacted the creator of the event, Filsan Abdiaman, and asked to host one in Edmonton! I started up the ol’ Instagram after a year-long hiatus, printed posters, and emailed all my girlfriends ad nauseum. I’m grateful to have so many supportive people in my life willing to try new adventures, invite their friends, and promote it on their own social media channels.

On the day of my event, three beautiful ladies joined me to enjoy an easy 5km run in Edmonton’s river valley. We talked about the reasons why we joined PLR and what we were hoping to get out of it. I was nervous to host my own run, but I instantly felt supported – I was recovering from a head cold and everyone was supportive of my slow pace and need to walk at times. We broke into pairs during the run and had some chats and got to know each other, and before we knew it the 5k was finished. It’s amazing how everyone has such different lives but share many of the same values and goals. For example: one is a mom of two boys and working as a school counselor; one is a nurse completing her masters degree; and the other is a newlywed who does night shifts. But we all set aside some time for fitness and to try something new.

Our brunch at a local eatery (District Café) was fantastic and we sat in a little nook and discussed self-care. We initially started talking about where self-care came from, and our earliest memories of it. The conversation flowed naturally and we started talking about the struggles we feel trying to find time for self-care in our personal lives – whether it’s taking care of a partner, kids, parents, etc. We did our fair share of ranting, but agreed this felt SO good because we found the others felt the same (i.e. feeling the need to make sure our partners are happy before we think about our own happiness). This realization was so calming and reassuring. It may have even felt better since some of us were new acquaintances and the anonymity somehow allowed us to be more honest and vulnerable.

 At the end of the event, I’m happy to report that the ladies shared the feelings I had after my first run in Calgary – supported, happy, and “not as bad as I thought”. My relationship with running has actually improved – I’m realizing I don’t have to be the fastest or the best, it’s just about listening to my body and improving my mental and physical health. Plus eating brunch directly after doesn’t hurt, either ;)

Andrea on her second PLR run