One of the top reasons I’m excited about becoming a ‘real’ runner again is to have nice legs. I used to have great legs; they were the kind that went on forever, very muscular but also not too stocky or too thin. In my teens and early 20’s, I wore mini-skirts without shame or a second thought. Somewhere around 26 I started feeling self conscious about the spider veins that dotted my thighs, a product of genetics and too many years of waiting tables. I stopped wearing short skirts, and my legs just kind of faded away after that. Don’t get me wrong – I’ve still got two of them, and they work just fine to get me around, but my thighs are no longer what they used to be. I’m older now. The spider veins are still there, and with them, the tell-tale cottage cheese of cellulite, egged on by a lot less muscle tone, the effect of NOT waiting tables and sitting around most of the time. Now instead of just avoiding mini skirts, I avoid skirts in general – my thighs rub together, which is much more painful than it sounds. Gross, I know, but it’s one of those things about being a woman that never gets talked about in polite conversation.

Anyway, with running will eventually come toned thighs, and today I’m thinking about how great it would be to have legs that I’m proud of. Here’s a little inspiration collection, some photos of legs (and butts) I’d love to emulate…