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Women & The Power of Running
Eric Belliveau • February 8, 2019

Running and the sport of women’s running has been on my mind for some time now. I am in the midst of putting the final touches on 18 Maple’s newest endeavor: a Women’s Only Runcation to be held this July in Ludlow, VT. It’s yet another lofty project but one that I feel is important to the women of the running community.

I’ve followed the continued rise of women’s running in the US and it has become apparent that what once was a seemingly cut throat, don’t share the “special sauce” mentality has shifted drastically. Female runners are joining forces to not only train together but race together. There are small groups of women meeting to run locally and nationally. These same women are putting their hard work to the test in races to help each other cross the finish or pace out to an Olympic Qualifying Time for the marathon. Think Running Girl Gangs but in the most supportive yet badass way.

Much of this can be attributed to Shalane Flanagan and her “F*ck Yeah!” fist pumping win at the NYC Marathon in 2017. The New York Times wrote an article in 2017 dubbed it the “Shalane Effect”. Known for her competitiveness, she has found a way to continue to thrive well into her career and do so by building and mentoring a team of young, elite female runners around her.

Each of these women, to no surprise, have seen their own national and international success. Shalane’s NYC Marathon win did not just end a long time winless drought by an American female runner, but it sparked the “Shalane Effect” in young girls and women of all ages. The New York Times describes the "Shalane Effect", and I’d have to agree, as being unapologetically competitive and team-oriented all in the name of elevating the women around you.

The inspiration and respect women have gained for one another in Sport, the Work Force, and Life over the course of the last few years has been tremendous. It is shown by the support towards one another’s training and goals and triumphs rather than discouraging them. I write this not to suggest that this hasn’t been done and isn’t already alive and well but to suggest that we are in a time where women are banning together and rising to their fullest potential. The difference now is social media. The platform is there and it is being seen and shared. Topics that were once taboo like body image are now very relevant.

Professional runner Allie Kieffer speaks often of body image and the ideal for a professional marathoner. Her passion to move the conversation forward in a positive direction is inspiring and one that all female athletes should listen to. Professional Triathlete & 3-time Olympian Sarah True has tweeted about the need for balance between strength training, diet and training. Too much of one thing and not enough of the other does not allow for peak performance. Running companies and brands like Oiselle are using their platform to promote clothing designed by and for women and to create a “sisterhood of support at a variety of levels from beginners to professionals”. Their social media feeds are bursting with strong, powerful women doing their thing.

These examples are just a few reasons why the need for a Women’s Only Runcation is timely and warranted. The goal is to provide women of all levels an opportunity to join a group of like-minded women, lace up their sneaks and explore new roads and destinations together. It’s not about how fast you can run but how much you can help raise the woman up beside you. It’s about inspiring her to find a new distance or pace PR, or maybe sign up for that big race that she hasn’t been able to commit to...until now. What I ultimately am hoping to provide the women who attend 18 Maple’s FIRST Women’s Only Runcation is an opportunity to feel empowered, connected, and ready to take off in a new direction with her running.

For more details about 18 Maple’s Women’s Only Runcation or to sign up email me for more information!

SK

Read the New York Times How The “Shalane Flanagan Effect” Works here:

Learn more about Allie Kieffer on Instagram @kiefferallie

Learn more about Sarah True on Instagram @sarah.b.true

Read up on Oiselle and what inspired the brand here:

The Meat Hangover

By Eric Belliveau • October 7, 2020
When it comes to taking meat out of your diet, some people have the idea that they will only see positive changes immediately following this choice. While those positive changes are definitely part of the deal, so is an adjustment period for your body.

We're Trying

By Eric Belliveau • September 23, 2020
We were all thrown on this crazy ride together. Emotions were running high but so were patience, empathy, inclusion, and respect. Most of us could rally behind the #WeAreInThisTogether manta. We wanted to do right by each other - donate to charities, lend a hand, check-in on one another. Do our part. As the days turn to weeks and the weeks into months these dispositions decayed rapidly. I know that this Quarantine order has been going on for a long time. I know that a great number of us do not agree on the why. I know an even greater number of us are “over it”. I am painfully aware of the difference of opinions surrounding the pandemic. It is impossible to NOT be aware of this. This leads us all to frustration, anger, resentment, and the feeling that you are not being heard. Very real and very human emotions! It is okay to feel this way. I am not only writing this from the perspective of a fellow struggling human. I do find myself struggling with everything I mentioned above. Not just daily but multiple times a day. My ability to focus has been challenged by my worry. My ability to create time for myself and focus on self-care has been derailed for fear of other things becoming more pressing. I work on this every day. I am not only writing this from the perspective of one of the business owners who were never given a playbook for this. For weeks on end I thought WTF happened to the business and how would our model need to change and remain viable, how each business owner had to either weather a period in which we were completely shut down or allowed to operate under capacity restrictions, etc. The unknown of what the timeline would bring and whether we would be able to continue our dreams or make an extremely difficult decision of not continuing. This still haunts every one of us daily. I AM very much writing this as a service provider! I am writing this as an impassioned human who genuinely loves what I do for a living. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to have built a career surrounding something I get excited about every day. I am making a stand for all of us that make their living in the service industry. To the receptionist, hostess, waiter, cook, dry cleaner, teacher, technician, barista, utility worker, automobile service technician… It is truly impossible to be inclusive of everyone here.  No one human mentioned above asked for this ‘situation’ we are in. We are sure as hell trying to provide a level of normalcy, service, care, and happiness to the lives in which we choose to serve. With added restrictions, added expense decreased capacity and the fear of being fined or shut down for doing it incorrectly, everyday.

The Meat Hangover

By Eric Belliveau • October 7, 2020
When it comes to taking meat out of your diet, some people have the idea that they will only see positive changes immediately following this choice. While those positive changes are definitely part of the deal, so is an adjustment period for your body.

We're Trying

By Eric Belliveau • September 23, 2020
We were all thrown on this crazy ride together. Emotions were running high but so were patience, empathy, inclusion, and respect. Most of us could rally behind the #WeAreInThisTogether manta. We wanted to do right by each other - donate to charities, lend a hand, check-in on one another. Do our part. As the days turn to weeks and the weeks into months these dispositions decayed rapidly. I know that this Quarantine order has been going on for a long time. I know that a great number of us do not agree on the why. I know an even greater number of us are “over it”. I am painfully aware of the difference of opinions surrounding the pandemic. It is impossible to NOT be aware of this. This leads us all to frustration, anger, resentment, and the feeling that you are not being heard. Very real and very human emotions! It is okay to feel this way. I am not only writing this from the perspective of a fellow struggling human. I do find myself struggling with everything I mentioned above. Not just daily but multiple times a day. My ability to focus has been challenged by my worry. My ability to create time for myself and focus on self-care has been derailed for fear of other things becoming more pressing. I work on this every day. I am not only writing this from the perspective of one of the business owners who were never given a playbook for this. For weeks on end I thought WTF happened to the business and how would our model need to change and remain viable, how each business owner had to either weather a period in which we were completely shut down or allowed to operate under capacity restrictions, etc. The unknown of what the timeline would bring and whether we would be able to continue our dreams or make an extremely difficult decision of not continuing. This still haunts every one of us daily. I AM very much writing this as a service provider! I am writing this as an impassioned human who genuinely loves what I do for a living. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to have built a career surrounding something I get excited about every day. I am making a stand for all of us that make their living in the service industry. To the receptionist, hostess, waiter, cook, dry cleaner, teacher, technician, barista, utility worker, automobile service technician… It is truly impossible to be inclusive of everyone here.  No one human mentioned above asked for this ‘situation’ we are in. We are sure as hell trying to provide a level of normalcy, service, care, and happiness to the lives in which we choose to serve. With added restrictions, added expense decreased capacity and the fear of being fined or shut down for doing it incorrectly, everyday.
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