She was once a runner

The eating disorders are only one part of the story. I think one of the main points of the blog is how the atmosphere in the college running environment can suck all the enjoyment out of the sport.

You won't find 1 out of 10 coaches who actually encourage it because everyone with a basic knowledge of running knows that it only hurts you.[/quote]

I won't find 1 out of 10 - does that mean I'll find 9 out of 10?

Here's 1: She was recently fired from a private northeast institution for doing this very thing.

Telling girls that they NEED to lose weight, praising the girls who obviously have disorders for their performances, and telling an athlete that you are aware that one of your top athletes HAS a problem - but that you dont care and wont confront her - is basically encouragement to an 18yr old freshmen who is dealing with the stress of scholarships and contributing to her DI team

goggles wrote:

The eating disorders are only one part of the story. I think one of the main points of the blog is how the atmosphere in the college running environment can suck all the enjoyment out of the sport.

it probably can if you're an obsessive compulsive who needs the first 75 seconds of her run to go a certain way

Yeah she portrays the rest of her team with all the even-handed subtlety of socialist strawmen in an Ayn Rand novel. Obviously we're only seeing one distorted side of a very emotionally charged story.

That said, it's a story that needs to be told, and the writing itself is actually pretty good. I plan to keep reading.

I would also like to add: how many coaches out there would force a woman to miss an important meet because he knew she had an eating disorder? Most people know this is not going to be good long term for the runner. But if she is fit now, not injured, is he really going to stop her? Maybe he's not encouraging it, but he is letting it go on. She runs well, gets praise, and her teammates see it and try to emulate it.

speaking of the strawman argument, what about the portrayal of the men's team? She makes them sound like a bunch of drunken sexist pigs...

I'd just like to point out that it is stories like this (which are common) that just goes to prove women should not be running (or competing in competitive sports for that matter). They simply can not handle the pressure.

JustSayin wrote:

I'd just like to point out that it is stories like this (which are common) that just goes to prove women should not be running (or competing in competitive sports for that matter). They simply can not handle the pressure.

um yuhhhyuh nah buddy..good try u dumb f sexiest piece of sh*t.

Looks like a blog written by a weak girl who became a fat bitch or somethin. Not reflective of real cross country at the college level at all.

It definitely screams fatty.

JustSayin wrote:

I'd just like to point out that it is stories like this (which are common) that just goes to prove women should not be running (or competing in competitive sports for that matter). They simply can not handle the pressure.

too bad the people who make the rules dont agree with you - me and all of the other women will continue to take your scholarships as your sports get the axe, BOO HOO. go cry to your mommy

Thankfully I find that I can only relate little pieces of this to my current collegiate running experience.

Thank God.

Well, we are DEFINITELY getting only one side of the story, and I personally believe it's fictionalized. However, I know for a fact that these scenes are played out regularly.

1. People who reach coach in college often get there not because they are the best, but because there are fewer people willing to make the sacrifices, such as low pay and transient, job-chasing lifestyle, to climb the ladder in college. There are many brilliant coaches in college, and there are many others who are assholes/incompetent/insecure who are just looking out for themselves, are a product of their environment, and realistically should never be allowed near insecure, naive, and immature yet talented girls.

2. The girl's trouble, real or not, starts at home. Her parents have sheltered her, her dad and mom clearly live vicariously through her, and her high school coach probably made his reputation by winning the talent lottery. All of these people helped create an environment where she was encouraged to get into unhealthy patterns of thought very early, and rewarded for it.

3. The subject herself clearly STILL doesn't realize that her value as a person is not the same as her value as an athlete. Unfortunately, neither does anyone else around her. This is why great athletes SHOULD have outside friends, interests, etc., so that there is a healthy outlet when things go to hell. What did this girl have? Despite enormous potential, the running world handed her a shit sandwich. My question is this: when she's 50 years old, is she still going to let her life be ruined by this? Because life is about the living, now and in the future, and she will need to get on with it. Here's to hoping the blog is a step towards that.

I've a lot more to say on this subject...I've seen high school girls in a high pressure program turn on themselves and their teammates, and sometimes their coaches. I've had to talk several of them in from the metaphorical ledge. Running isn't life, but you have to approximate devoting your life to it to reach the top, and that line is pretty unclear until you've crossed it.

If you read the about section of the blog, it pretty much foreshadows that this entire story is not going to end well. Regardless of whether or not this story is fictional, I am quite intrigued by this blog, and I am predicting an absolute trainwreck. I've seen it happen in real life before under very similar circumstances, regrettably.

What you said about the non-running outlet however is so incredibly important, but it is tough to reconcile not letting running define you as a person and not letting it devour your entire life, and making the sacrifices necessary to make it to the next level, or to be great, as opposed to just good or okay. I think that is partially what the narrarator is struggling with.

Any way of changing the settings so I can read the oldest posts first?

This story is written very well. And jeez, a story is not a political position or a demonstration of proper character for the protagonist. She's describing the experience through a particular social lens, whether admirable or not.

It's odd that female athletes care so much about how they're performances are perceived by coaches, spectators, etc. Everybody is there for the main event (Men's race) and they just cheer for the corresponding jersey color in the women's race.

Sorry. I heard this from multiple spectators.

Also pertaining to the blog, the chick has obviously gotten fat. You don't run through bags of peanut butter pretzels and stay thin. Also, she should stop worrying about other's problems and worry about how to stop running like sh|t.

Beta Male wrote:

It's odd that female athletes care so much about how they're performances are perceived by coaches, spectators, etc. Everybody is there for the main event (Men's race) and they just cheer for the corresponding jersey color in the women's race.

Sorry. I heard this from multiple spectators.

Funny, because the womens team is on scholarship at this girls school and the men aren't so that would make me think that people care MORE about the women.

And by your line of thinking she should just not even try because no one cares about her performance anyway? Please don't ever have children you dumb sh!t.

If you think about it from the writer's viewpoint, disgust would be a natural reaction. Food has been the enemy of the girl. Binging on food engages in the very thing that she is afraid of. In her mind food control/weight equates to performance which equates to perfection. It shakes up her schema of things when she realizes that someone who is at the extreme opposite end of food control can have good performances.

halfwit wrote:

Funny, because the womens team is on scholarship at this girls school and the men aren't so that would make me think that people care MORE about the women.

And by your line of thinking she should just not even try because no one cares about her performance anyway? Please don't ever have children you dumb sh!t.

hey retard, thats because of title 9. without title 9, the men and women would have equal scholarships. its not because ppl care about womens xc and not mens xc. there is federal legislation that requires this. and the federal legislation is not because ppl care, but because in the 60s women werent allowed to play collegiate sports; the legislation is outdated. stop being stupid now.