As a way of celebrating Women's Month, many of our articles in August will focus on women's achievements and personal stories. Here Liana Meadon shares a part of her journey in learning to celebrate being a woman.

The woman in me is being challenged. For a good few months now, I have been pondering my womanliness and what I can do to feel more appreciative about being a woman.

Ok, so I was born a woman - but with this destiny comes a whole truck-load of responsibilities and inevitable confrontations! I am exploring ways to enhance my womanliness and ways to celebrate me.

I am running. Literally. Not running away from my challenges (despite the urge to do so!), but embracing them. I set myself the challenge to complete the ‘Woman’s Day’ challenge and run a 10km race.

Running is something I want to be good at, and in my mind it is something that will help me to deal with the many challenges in my life. About three years ago I was running 3-4 times a week and loved it. I had a personal trainer, lots of time on my hands (being a part-time teacher) and I was doing my Masters in Education. Running was fun and training made me feel strong, in control, and positive about myself, my body and life in general. I had a goal in mind and wanted to do my first half marathon: the Two Oceans.

After months of training and with three weeks to go to the marathon, I started feeling sick, lethargic, fatigued and moody. Yes, I was pregnant. And with that news came a month’s worth of tears and many more changes in my body than I was ready for! So I gave up running due to morning sickness and spent most of the morning of the Two Oceans I had trained so hard for in the bathroom, clutching the toilet seat!

After the birth of my gorgeous son (and after gaining 25kg!), I decided to get fit again. Breastfeeding, colic, prams, nappies and lack of sleep did not help, but luckily I managed to lose my pregnancy blubber. I set my target on the next Two Oceans and despite my best intentions, managed to train about 5 times before the marathon. Needless to say, it was a long, hard and painful race! I did, however, make it to the finishing line a few minutes before the cut-off time and that was something I celebrated!

So this Woman’s Day challenge is different. It is only a 10km race as opposed to a 21km half marathon, but I am fitter than I have been in 3 years! I am running 3 times a week and it feels great.

Running again has made me realise a lot about myself. I am strong. I have a body that enjoys being exercised. I have the ability to set goals and achieve them. I can live a more balanced life. I can be a mother, a friend, have another go at rebuilding my marriage, eat balanced meals, pursue my career, and run! With Women’s Day around the corner, I am feeling more like a woman and ready to celebrate my womanliness with all the other great women in this country. Being a woman is challenging, yes, but being a woman who challenges is my way of embracing and celebrating exactly that.

About the author: Liana is on the cusp of turning 30 and can’t wait. Nearly divorced and now a ‘single’ mother of a gorgeous two-and-a-half year old boy, she is once again learning about herself and about life. She was born in Johannesburg and moved to Rio de Janeiro when she was 16, where she finished high school. It was in Brazil that the travel bug bit her and so she spent the next 3 years travelling, working and living in different parts of the world. As a result of her itchy feet, she only started her University career at the age of 23 with a BA in English and Film, followed by a Post-Grad in Education and then a Masters in Applied language and literacy studies. She is currently working for an educational publishing company and making textbooks for schools.

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