I was a proud runner – my family’s comments stopped me in my tracks

I first began long distance running a few years ago (Picture: Dahaba Ali Hussen)

‘I ran 18 kilometres today’, I said proudly to a family member one summer’s day, when she asked how I was.

She replied, ‘Great, but stay out of the sun. You don’t want to get too dark.’

I would like to say this shocked me – but this isn’t the first time I have heard these sorts of comments from my family, especially in the summertime.

I first began long distance running a few years ago. It was the start of the pandemic and I’d pound the streets of West London during lockdown.

I loved the freedom running gave me, and the repetitive nature of the sport felt almost like meditation, like I was physically and mentally lighter.

But then came the unwanted replies about the sun and my skin.

That family member’s comments took me back to when I was growing up, in the Somali community in London, and I would routinely see members of my family – both immediate and extended – cower from the sun’s rays because they didn’t want their complexion to change. 

I wouldn’t take off my jumper even in the hottest of heatwaves because I didn’t want my arms to tan (Picture: Dahaba Ali Hussen)

Sadly, I internalised this.

When I was at school, I wouldn’t take off my jumper even in the hottest of heatwaves because I didn’t want my arms to tan. I remember a teacher once pulling me to one side and trying to convince me to discard my layers, to no avail.

As I grew older, I applied foundation that was definitely the wrong colour for my brown skin just so I could retain my ‘winter shade’.

I was never very sporty growing up, but I discovered running in my early 20s. 

I was tired of hearing from them how much better I looked in the winter when my skin was lighter (Picture: Dahaba Ali Hussen)

Initially, I would run exclusively on an indoor treadmill at the gym to avoid being outside.

I was bored out of my mind, and frankly a bit miserable – but I stuck with the treadmill, because I didn’t want to face any negative comments from friends and family. 

I was tired of hearing from them how much better I looked in the winter when my skin was lighter. That growing darker meant that I would lose my ‘glow,’ to quote one family member. 

Gradually, though, through reading other people’s experiences online I began to realise that this type of prejudice is called colourism. 

In numerous ethnic communities, mine included, lighter skin is frequently seen as more desirable (Picture: Dahaba Ali Hussen)

Colourism is a manifestation of shade bias that privileges lighter-skinned individuals, both within specific ethnic communities and in broader contexts.

In numerous ethnic communities, mine included, lighter skin is frequently seen as more desirable — a legacy of colonial influence and media-driven Western beauty ideals.  

Researching colourism helped me reject the idea that I had to ‘protect’ my skin tone from the sun. Slowly but surely, I began to learn to enjoy the summer months. 

I started taking whichever novel I was reading at the time and going to lay in the park. I’d frequent lidos and dip my feet into the water, I’d accept any and all invitations to BBQs. It was refreshing and freeing, I wished I could have bottled the feeling. 

I still experience some negative comments (Picture: Dahaba Ali Hussen)

Then, in that first lockdown, I went on a few local outdoor runs in London and got a taste of what I had been missing. All the sights, the smells, the sensations – it was a far superior experience to the gym.

I wore short sleeved vests and slowly increased my distance, and before long I forgot to fear the sun. 

I still experience some negative comments, of course. Last year, another family member asked me why I had been spending so much time outside, adding that ‘tanning’ wasn’t something that ‘we did’.

That comment would have previously worried me, but I simply laughed and told him that he should try it sometime and see what all the fuss is about.

I don’t blame these family members or people from my community for their comments (Picture: Dahaba Ali Hussen)

Recently, I went to Cornwall and spent a lot of time outdoors. When I returned I was told by another relative to ‘exfoliate’ my skin.

I don’t blame these family members or people from my community for their comments. I believe they have also simply heard them themselves.

But personally, I will continue my running journey and have even signed up for a half marathon in September. I am quietly confident about it and have been prioritising my fitness throughout the summer.

The comments that used to dictate almost half my year are now like water off a duck’s back.

For those who feel like they are still affected by colourist doctrines, then please remember that the sunny weather should fuel your good mood. 

The colour of your skin should never determine your self-worth or happiness.

This article was originally published August 3, 2025

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