I run. I jog. I hop and skip along roads and trails, and sometimes—albeit reluctantly—the track. Sometimes I trip over real roots and hurdle over imaginary ones. I find complete joy in the act of moving my body through nature, and even against the weak, ineffective breeze from my treadmill fan. I sign up for big races, wonder where my sanity has momentarily gone, and then do the big races and discover profound things about myself. I chafe under my bra on long training runs. My hands swell in the middle of 50Ks and I finish those same events with salt caked around my face. I am a runner.
I am a big girl, a big runner. A fat runner. After all, the name of my blog is Fat Girl Running. In it I hope to spread the word that being a larger person and running aren’t two mutually exclusive things or ideas and I hope that you will indulge me for a minute in exploring the idea of being a larger person and being fit.
Perfect article.
ReplyDeleteThis one is for me.
"..I will probably always be heavier than the norm, but as long as I continue running and engaging in the amount of physical activity that makes a significant difference in my metabolic profile, and as long as I maintain a pretty healthful lifestyle, I will likely be alright. And I’m okay with that."
So glad that resonated for you!
DeleteJust started to run and signed up for my first Half M! Have been dealing with weight and slow metabolism and find that running is more of a mental challenge than a physical one.
DeleteYour blog is an inspiration!
Love this. BS on BMI for REAL! Mine has never been "normal" - even at my thinnest in HS it was on the high end of "overweight." Now, while running 3-4 days a week plus two of cross training, it is in the "Obese" category. I am what I consider a HEALTHY size 14, XL. Total BS!!
ReplyDeletesince I was in 2nd grade, I've been considered large for my age. We were active, always outside and we at well when we could. Yeah, pass on the BS to gullible folks!
DeleteCan you please share your Long run Fueling experience ?
ReplyDeleteIt is very different for slow-runners. Usual articles talk about fueling after 30 min & every 15-20 minutes. This is an overkill for slow long runners.
I do every 4-5 miles for a flatter course, every 3-4 miles for a hillier course. So typically I base my fueling on mileage and not time. Works for me!
DeleteSaw you first in TV with Tough Mudder Show. You are fantastic! I just turned 50 and have been inspired to exercise and attempt my first Obstacle Course Run... You Rock!
ReplyDeleteGET IT GARY! Which obstacle course will you be doing? I hope it's a Tough Mudder! Would love to meet you one day!
DeleteA bit off topic, but I love your outfit in the pics for this article-could you tell me more about what you are wearing?
ReplyDeleteSure! the capri skirt is from Skirt Sport (called the Jette Capri in Tantrum print), the top is the Soto Half Zip from Merrell, the shoes are Merrell Agility Flex, Socks are by Swiftwick.
DeleteI'm looking for info/inspiration. Training for my first full marathon, started in January, my 23 mile training run Sunday (5/28/17)was a disaster; Plantar Fasciatis in right foot flared at 7.5 mi, by 13 miles my left knee was tweaking, at 17.5 I was noticeably limping and quit. (damn I hate typing that word). I'm solidly 220# and 5'7" and 57 years old. the nagging doubt in my brain is "should I do this at my weight?". Appointment with my PT today, my marathon rehearsal is June 18 and the actual race July 9. any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated.
ReplyDeleteHi there! I know that we are past the point of your marathon date by now, and I hope that you were able to make it through! I have so much admiration and respect for older runners; especially ones who have just gotten into the sport at their age. It takes so much strength and courage, and I think it's absolutely beautiful to see!
DeleteI do want to respond to the issues you were having, in case it might help in your future life as a runner:
It sounds to me like you were doing too much mileage for what your goal was. The vast majority of marathon training plans take you no further than 20mi distance - a couple weeks prior to the marathon - and for a good reason. There is really no need to do a full marathon while training for a marathon. Furthermore, pushing yourself to do those longer runs during training leaves you open to injury - which makes it *less* rather than more likely that you'll succeed at your race when it comes.
What's more important to focus on is time on your feet. Meaning that if you ran every day but only ran for 1-2mi (even at a slow pace!), that time on your feet adds up and it REALLY counts toward your baseline fitness and overall endurance. This approach is much gentler on your body, which amounts to it being more sustainable in the long run. Then, when it comes time to do the longer runs (approaching your marathon date - not over a month before it) you can even run/walk them to prevent injury...because remember! Total time on your feet is what counts, not how fast you clocked each mile.
Even though it may seem like it at the time, it's not a failure to "quit" when you're hurting that badly. We have to have compassion for our own bodies, and the signs you were receiving could have been pushed through...but you run the risk of serious injury. "Try again another day or be out for several weeks with injury?" Phrasing it that way to myself makes it an easy choice to be respectful of my limits.
Last, but not least, you absolutely should be doing this "at your weight"!!
At my current status of 5'0" and 135lbs, I'm overweight according to BMI. I have struggled with weight my entire life; having grown up morbidly obese...I have come a long way since then, but I will never be conventionally thin. I've come to realize that the number on the scale doesn't matter, and can even be damaging. My advice to you is to focus on how you feel. Get to where you feel healthy and let your activity be an on-going celebration of your health!
This quote helped me (and to this day is on my kitchen calendar):
"To become a marathoner, you just have to become a runner. The race is merely the celebration of how healthy you've gotten as a result." - Justin Nyberg
That's an oversimplification, I know - but there is a lot of truth to it. Health is the goal, not weight.
I hope this helps! You inspire me!!
Thanks for your message. I'm not sure what issues/post you are responding to, but I do ultramarathons which do require time on your feet and mileage. I don't typically go over 20 miles in my training runs unless I'm using races for training--but then again, if I do a 100K or a 6 day stage race, I need to actually have enough miles and time on my feet. I've done 9 marathons and 9 ultramarathons so far. I still have to tweak my training every time, since every event is vastly different than the next, but I have a pretty good handle on training. Thanks though!
DeleteMirna - I meant that as a reply to Jules - who commented back in May "looking for info/inspiration" while training for her first marathon! I definitely see that you, personally, have got that under control. I perhaps should have been more specific :)
DeleteI've always admired others and craved the proverbial freedom from running, but my self doubt and fear of being made fun of caused me to hesitate for a long time. I recently made the decision to buy myself a sports bra, still reluctant about getting started on my "running journey", but I did. Last week I did my very 1st mile (only jogging tho), it took me all of 45mins (which I wanted to cop out after the first 5mins) to complete. Feeling. Stoked I actually did a whole mile but was also saddened because the one person I was excited to tell what I did, was unavailable. I haven't ran since and been struggling with depression, so getting out of bed at times is a task. Self-motivation is a distant friend, with whom I hope to become more acquainted. Thank you FGR for modeling what others only dream of and that which I approach timidly.
ReplyDelete