Ladies Run Club: Into The Darkness 2022

Into The Darkness: an InnerFight Endurance challenge of a 50km bike, 50km run, 50km bike. As the years have ticked on from the initial challenge a few years back, the night of ITD has become just as much about coming together as a community, supporting each other, and taking on a personal challenge. 

Ladies Run Club members were there on Friday night with their laughter and high energy, as always. We had some running 50km, some doing 25km, some 30km, and also a relay team taking on 10km each. The distance or times didn’t matter. Each one of them there for their own reason, yet each one of them ready to help and support the next. 

As the sun set, there were introductions, photos, and selfies. (Funnily enough some members only know each other through IG and WA due to being morning or evening runners). Nerves were there, but contained, and the smiles were from ear to ear. 6:59pm hit, and in true LRC spirit, I had to interrupt the chatter to remind them they were there to run. 

Not running myself, I started to drive the course and bumped into the relay car (party car) at 5km, and continued to do so for about 25km, each 5km. The fun and laugher at each stop was simply infectious. At 10km, as Olivia worked her way through the LRC warm-up, we were greeted by the slowest and most vivid shooting star overhead. We counted our blessings, made a wish, and went back to heckling Olivia. 

Those running the 50km loop passed us seamlessly each 5km, and Steph’s daughter, Mila, excitedly distributed glow sticks once the dark settled in.

One of my biggest concerns when setting up LRC in 2020 was, “what if no one comes”, but a concern that wasn’t big enough to not try. Here we are almost 2 years on, and thriving. We welcome new members every week, and we have had some members with us from day 1. 

From busy family lives to challenging careers, and everything in between, these LRC members juggle a lot of commitments and responsibilities. Yet they show up for themselves and each other on a weekly basis. There is no competition, no judgement, and no comparison. 

This LRC community (or cult) blows my mind, and motivates me so much. 

Thank you ladies, 

Steph x

Find us at @if_ladiesrunclub to get involved.