How Much Should An Elite Woman Runner Weigh?

The weight she is on the day that she runs fast enough to be considered an elite runner is how much she should weigh.

Yall get so hung up on numbers. Forget about it. The only ratio yall should be concerned with is how much time you spend on letsrun versus how much time you devote to other areas of your life. If the number is greater than 1, you have problems. Despite the fact that Deena is running fast, I think that she is too thin. If you hadn't noticed, she has been getting gradually thinner over the years. Her bio says that she weighs 105 at 5-4, but that data is several years old from when she first turned pro. It wouldn't surprise me if she weighed less than 100 pounds now. Yall can blame it on marathon training or what not, but a person who is already thin to begin with (like Deena) should not lose weight if they are refueling and eating properly--even with marathon training. I don't think that Deena is a good role model for normal weight people who have elite aspirations. She didn't use to look this emaciated. She is not a part of the cure, but is a part of the disease.

Paint me a Birmingham wrote:

Despite the fact that Deena is running fast, I think that she is too thin. If you hadn't noticed, she has been getting gradually thinner over the years. Her bio says that she weighs 105 at 5-4, but that data is several years old from when she first turned pro. It wouldn't surprise me if she weighed less than 100 pounds now. Yall can blame it on marathon training or what not, but a person who is already thin to begin with (like Deena) should not lose weight if they are refueling and eating properly--even with marathon training. I don't think that Deena is a good role model for normal weight people who have elite aspirations. She didn't use to look this emaciated. She is not a part of the cure, but is a part of the disease.

Not necessary a weight loss. She's probably had a change in body composition (~decrease in % body fat) without much, if any, change in weight. Lean muscle mass takes up less space, which makes her look 'emaciated'. Look at any serious marathon runner-- they're metabolizing fat, moreso, and therefore are going to look gaunt. This is something a lot of people misunderstand.

I am a female, 5'6 and weigh about 120 pounds. I am not considered underweight or an elite runner. But I have 12.5 percent body fat. My PR for the mile is 5:10 if you need that information for reference.

I just want to say to everyone: do NOT use weight alone to guage performance. I have been pressured by numerous people that if I lose weight I will be faster, but when I tried to lose weight this year, I ended up tired all the time and got a stress fracture. I like the people who posted: when you reach elite performance level and get PRS, weigh yourself. That is your ideal weight. There is far too much emphasis on numbers and there are too many other variables that play a part: natural talent, genetics, body fat, hip-chest ratio, biomechanics, etc. Don't get caught up because it can lead to obsessive behavior that may be dangerous--especially in female runners.

Vitamins, iron and calcium supplements will not keep you healty if you are not eating enough. As a serious athelete, you need carbs and protein.

The top runners do not starve themselves, they know how much fuel they need to train that hard.

Muscle weighs more than fat and people who are thinner than me actually weigh more. Like everyone else is saying, don’t get hung up on weight. I’m 5’3 and when I overexercised before I became a serious runner, I dipped down to 95 lbs. I stopped menstruating. That is a sign that you are too thin and may also lead to bone loss and serious injuries. Now I weigh anywhere from 101 to 106 lb depending on how hydrated I am. It is normal to fluctuate a few pounds depending on water intake and other various factors. So a few pounds is now important especially in women since we go up and down frequently. If you have more muscle, you may be lean and weigh more. So if you can improve your speed and still feel healthy with no injuries than that is the goal.

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