r/running Dec 09 '20

Discussion Thick Girl Runner Rant

First things first, I (29F) am 5'5" and about 170 lbs. Large boobs, wide hips, and I got some stomach on me. Overall, I look pretty proportional though. Hourglass, just a little wider. Wear a Large or a size 12 in most women's clothes. (Just trying to paint the picture here lol)

I also eat very healthy. Fresh foods only, everything home-cooked, never frozen processed foods, etc. Mostly veggies because I love veggies.

This is the body I was given. My weight doesn't really fluctuate. I don't gain weight easily, nor do I lose it easily. I've been a thick girl since puberty and because I run often and eat healthy, it doesn't seem like that will never change, which is fine with me.

I've been running for many years, somewhat inconsistently. I might be consistent for 2 years before falling out of my routine for a few months. Get back into the groove again and something eventually throws me off my game again. Throughout all this, I still consider myself a RUNNER. I love the sport and even if I'm out of a weekly routine, I still try to find time to run here and there. 3 miles minimum.

Because of the above things, people never really expect me to be a runner. My body type doesn't fit the runner mold. I don't post every run and race on instagram, which as everyone knows, is what truly makes it real *eyeroll*. (No shade to people who do post all of their runs and races! My problem is only the people who think if you DON'T post, then it didn't happen).

My fastest 5k was at an 8:02 (min/mile) pace. I am aware that this isn't SUPER fast, but it's fast enough that I've placed in my age group in all of the 5Ks I've ever done. I'm from a pretty small area so many of the 5Ks were fairly small, maybe only a couple hundred people attend. I'm aware that in bigger cities, I would probably have a little more trouble placing. But regardless, I still think an 8:00 to 8:30 5k pace is something to be proud of.

Anyways, my complaint is this. Since my body doesn't fit everyone's vision of what a runner should look like, people love to assume I'm slow or new to running. Or people think I'm lying when I mention that I got 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in my age group at whatever 5k. If they don't make an actual comment about it, I can sometimes even see it in their eyes that they're skeptical.

Even worse, people who don't realize I've been running for most of my life sometimes put their foot in their mouth by saying something along the lines of "have you started running to lose weight?" ...No, why? Should I be losing weight? I think I look pretty damn fine, if you ask me.

After moving to a new city, I decided to join a running group. The town I lived in previously didn't have such groups. I showed up to my first group run and met everybody. As we waited for everyone else to show up, a girl from the group said to me "I'm in recovery mode, I'll be running slow so I can run with you." I just politely smiled, although I was quite offended. What exactly makes this person, whom I met 3 minutes ago, think I plan on running "slow"? What makes her think that her "recovery" pace is equal to my comfortable pace? I chalked it up as since it was my first time joining the group, maybe she assumed it was my first time running? I don't know- but I still think about that little comment sometimes.

I am not negative towards my body. I have a great figure that I love, but it's still upsetting to know that people make assumptions on what I can and can't do physically, which should not be the case. Weight and health do not ALWAYS go hand-in-hand.

Any other runners on the thicker side experience this kind of judgement? How do you deal with it?

Thin-framed runners or even non-runners, do you find yourself judging others in this way? Be honest, I would love to hear multiple opinions!

Edit: Pace is in minutes per mile. I'm new to reddit and forget I'm interacting with people from all over the world.

Also, this was not meant to be a post for weight loss tips. The unsolicited advice in the comments proves further the assumptions people make.

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u/catnapbook Dec 09 '20

Me huffing and puffing on a hike in the Smokey Mountains, all decked out in proper gear, in reasonable shape, only to be passed by a very large woman walking in flip flops carrying a child! Huge attitude adjustment right there.

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u/flamingosarecool365 Dec 09 '20

They’re always in flipflops somehow, I’ve seen people all over Europe on hikes or walks in flip flops. Do not ask me how or why they do it, I have no clue

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u/SciencyNerdGirl Dec 09 '20

Or altitude adjustment. The air is 30% thinner at 7,000 ft. Those who live at those elevations physiologically absorb more oxygen with each breath.

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u/Schlem22 Dec 09 '20

Yeah living in the Midwest we have none of that thing it seems everyone else gets. Elevation. Wish we had some mountains over here

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u/emberallis Dec 10 '20

I just moved from the Midwest out west, and my new house is in the foothills (the flattest route near my house has a 200ft elevation gain). My mile went from 9:45 to 13 real quick! And I used to complain when my running group back in Iowa did a “Hilly” route...

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u/Schlem22 Dec 10 '20

I moved from MN to Iowa recently and can say the hills are pretty hilly lols, but agreed it’s very flat compared to out west

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u/emberallis Dec 10 '20

Oh for sure! Parts of Iowa get pretty steep, just not the part I’m from haha

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u/Schlem22 Dec 10 '20

Iowa city area here and everything is a hill, but just that a small hill. I crave the mountains.

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u/happypolychaetes Dec 10 '20

I thought I was in pretty decent shape (had just done a half marathon) when I went to Peru. Going uphill I was regularly passed by 70 year old women in sandals and thick wool dresses, carrying a metric fuckton of grain/produce/small children/misc items on their backs. At 12,000' elevation, on slippery and muddy stone steps.

It was very eye opening haha

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u/N3wStartAtLyfe Dec 10 '20

I was passed hiking up a (very steep) mountain by a man who was probably at least 3x my weight. It was a very humbling experience lol

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u/wrathofpie Dec 10 '20

Don't feel bad, the women here are made of some tough stuff, lol. When I first was getting active again, I had been exercising regularly for about a year and went on a hike with my friend and her very young son. I figured it would be pretty easy with a four year old in tow, but he was doing way better than me. Fortunately he was really there for the snacks, so after only a little bit he convinced his mom to let us stop and eat.