Running Inspiration

Its easy to find people to inspire you when you take up running. There are people locally doing a great job, and people all over the world doing amazing things – running so fast, so far, so much. I just want to run 10K.

When I am feeling inspired, its because someone like me is running; putting in the effort consistently, being candid about setbacks and celebrating success. Of course, it also helps if they talk about the sneakers.

Two people really stand out for me as being motivating as I start running.

Jaques ‘kustoo’ Slade

First is Jacques ‘kustoo’ Slade. He probably doesn’t remember meeting us in NOLA for All-Star weekend during the sneaker media basketball game with Foot Locker. Since then I have followed him more closely, watching his YouTube videos and seeing his success on TV with Much Music alum Aliya-Jasmine (weird Toronto connection there). I also started following on Twitter. Jacques has been posting consistently about his progress towards running a marathon. Now, I have no plans to run a marathon! But seeing someone who loves sneakers as much as I do really commit to consistent running started to make an impact on me.

The past few weeks he has been travelling through Asia, appearing at SneakerCons and giving interviews. We all know that travel is an enemy of consistent workouts but Jacques is still putting in the miles. This kind of dedication is legitimately inspiring and helps me when I am feeling lazy, or over-worked. Hopefully he is coming to SneakerCon Toronto in October so I can tell him myself.

Diana Karen Mireles (@dianakmir)

Diana is one of my favourite women sneakerheads on Instagram. She has great taste, a strong collection and takes pics that feature the shoes (sometimes rare for women). She also documents her own running progress on her blog and her Instagram.

I first found her content through the sneakers and pretty solidly ignored everything about the running. I have been following her for over a year though and maybe her message about running started to seep in? I love the obvious joy she finds in running despite the challenges and the community she has formed in LA through running and sneakers. Diana is honest and open about her running journey and is someone I find very similar to me. This might sound trite but if she can do it I think I can too. Right now I feel like achieving her times and distances feels out of reach but I have only been doing this for 6 weeks!

I am not going to say that I started running because of these two. I started running for lots of reasons. But it certainly helps to have active, committed people as part of the sneaker community. I love their content and they help me feel that my own goals are achievable.