Okay, letsrunners:
After reading threads here for years, it occurs to me that there is so much of an emphasis on weight for runners. If someone did not have a complex about being over or underweight, they can certainly learn how to have one here.
Let us start by saying that I can and will never look like Eliud Kipchoge, Dejen Gebremeskel, Meb Keflezighi or Dathan, Galen, Ryan or Alan. These are runners that I will always respect for their abilities.
However, I know that there are a lot of runners like me who likely drift several pounds upward or back down in a year. Within both men and women, there are people who are not going to be built what people consider perfect for running, yet we are out there giving it our all. People say weight makes a difference, but how much difference does it really make. Let's look...
in 1991-92 in high school--I ran one year of cross-country and one year of track in my senior year after playing football other years. Cross-country season I was about 155 pounds and track season about 145. My best times were
5k 22:02
5k street 19:56
2 mile 12:09
1 mile 5:33
in college I found it hard to fit there and negotiating a busy schedule and all, by the middle of my freshman year I was close to 184. In my sophomore year, I went up to my highest weight of 194. But I learned how to play basketball and worked my weight down again. By senior year I was back around the 148-150 range..and ran a 20:04 on a recreational 5K cross country race.
Flash forward to now. For the last 16-17 years, my weight is within a typical range of 168-183, with a median of about 172. At 43 years old, this should make me slower, right?
Not exactly.
For the last several years, I have been running and training and racing and I now have personal bests of
19:35 5K street (2015)
33:52 8K cross-country (2016)
43:04 10K street (2016)
1:41:10 half marathon (2016)
and I do this with a waist of about 34-35 inches and 39-40 inch hips, which would be considered big by many for a runner. I have never had a knee, ankle or any other injury and I can successfully mid-foot strike in shoes that weigh 8.3 ounces without crushing them.
My point?
Do not sweat your weight because your weight does not define you. I feel that I fit in as a runner no matter what anyone says.
After yesterday's 2.5 mile run on a local track after work in 18 minutes, I feel that I am still faster and can get there even if I am not what one would paint as a typical runner.
I think it's time we made a contract with ourselves..
Dear Self,
I am a runner. I am a good runner. I like the way it feels when I run and I like the way I feel after I have completed a good run. If I do not feel too fat or too skinny during my run, then I will not let anyone put that thought in my head before or after the run. I do this for me. I am the perfect weight, height, build, for me at this time. I do this world, this workout and my goals for me. I have earned it. Sincerely _____________
This needed to be said.
Mike