I realise I’m in danger of alienating a good number of readers with what I’m about to write. But I’m going to write it anyway. I wish a few more women would write things like this.


I love my legs.You might think this vain or proud. I don’t. I’m tired of seeing magazine polls that reveal stats such as 50% of women hate this or that body part. It makes me sad. Arms, legs, shoulders, toes – it seems there’s no bit of a woman’s body that hasn’t come under the scrutiny of a user satisfaction survey.

I used to hide my legs away. I’d been called matchstick legs when I was a child which didn’t bother me. Then in my early teens I got called ‘sparrow legs’. I had no idea what the desirable shape of a woman’s legs was supposed to be but I became aware that my peers thought it wasn’t anything like mine.

My ginger hair and spotty skin – two other things that attracted negative attention over the years – were things I could cover up or change, but my legs weren’t so easily updated. So I wore jeans and trousers, my knees rarely getting an outing. Then many years later I became a runner and that all changed. Now I love my legs.

It’s a bit taboo for a woman to declare that she loves part of her own body. Instead we’re supposed to spend our time wishing we had bits of Kate’s, Gwyneth’s or Kylie’s instead and buying bottles of snake oil that promise to give us just that.

Not only are we supposed to be down on our own bodies we expect others to be down on their own. That’s why your reaction to my revelation might have been negative. Well life’s too short and your body too amazing for all that nonsense.My sparrow legs haven’t changed too much over the past few years but my attitude has. Did you know my legs have run six marathons? They ran one last week in 3 hours 38 minutes. Whatever they look like, these legs deserve to be applauded not hidden away.

For the record none of Kate’s, Gwyneth’s or Kylie’s legs have run a marathon so they’re welcome to keep them, I’m much happier with the pair I was born with. These sparrow legs might not be made for red carpets or catwalks, but they were made for running. 

Legs, I love you. And you should love yours too. They’ll help take you great places. Towards good things and away from anyone that says bad things about them.