The continual emphasis on pounds for runners..this should stop

I think we are finally getting to the root of your issue. You obviously came into this thread looking to be the "philosopher." and enlighten us.

Could you enlighten me, what solid physiological proof do you have that weight does not have an impact on performance? Please share

I think you should join the rest of your friends in the crossfit world, 95% of them have the same mantra as you.

Your vision is clouded, you actually should come to terms accepting yourself as a jogger, only a runner would understand that losing weight has a pretty clear correlation with faster times for the same individual. Get a clue.

2/10

Stoppit Smith wrote:

19:35 5K street (2015)

33:52 8K cross-country (2016)

43:04 10K street (2016)

1:41:10 half marathon (2016)

That 5k is way too fast for your other times. How much did you weigh for it as opposed to the other races?

Either:

A) It was a short course

B) You were in much better shape

C) You were much lighter

I'm thinking (A), based on the rest of your post. The only other reasonable explanation is in fact (C), because there's no way you lost that much fitness in a year unless you completely stopped all training.

OP, Anyone who hates you for your weight is just as insecure as you are.

I think you have proven the opposite of what you wanted to prove. This is on a few points actually.

1) you are not comfortable with yourself.

2) you resent and criticize skinny, not quite up to Kenyan standards runners,as much as you make it up in your own head that they have these stances against you. Pot meet Kettle.

I remember taking a fitness class in summer school, I was pretty ripped . We were doing crunches on the gym floor. The average girl next to me said out of the blue. It's very clear you are just trying to make me feel bad! You are that girl?

Stoppit Smith wrote:

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.

I applaud you for making a Public Service Announcement. I think a lot of young people focus too much on body issues, to their detriment.

I don't think we can conclude anything about your personal PRs at either weight zone without being given detailed training info. However, I can say that you need to check the online running calculators and look at your training; you appear to be grossly under-trained for distances over 5k. Your 5k time equates to a 1:30:XXHM on McMillan and or Runworks running clac. Start running more/longer and get that HM time down. I'm a few years older than you, just a little faster than you in the 5k and I'd be home and showered by the time you strolled over the finish line for a half. Put it the work, you'll see the results.

Good post, OP. Some people are jack asses. I think we have to differentiate between those who care about weight because one is a competitive runner who is on scholarship, getting a paycheck or simply too obsessed with the sport and those who are not. Weight does matter in running, and I'm pretty sure that all of your times would have been faster had you weighed less. However, that doesn't mean you should have tried to lose weight. You're at a healthy weight, and running isn't your job. There are lots of things that you could do to be faster, but they simply aren't worth the tradeoff. I don't see why weight should be viewed any differently.

A> the Carlsbad 5000 is a USATF and internationally verified perfect 5K courseB> my fitness level is better than or at what it was at that timeC> I was heavier than some of the other timesSo many theories, so much about weight....how about D> this course was FLATTER. See? Weight again...we automatically discount hills and pitch.

hmmmm...... wrote:

Stoppit Smith wrote:

19:35 5K street (2015)

33:52 8K cross-country (2016)

43:04 10K street (2016)

1:41:10 half marathon (2016)

That 5k is way too fast for your other times. How much did you weigh for it as opposed to the other races?

Either:

A) It was a short course

B) You were in much better shape

C) You were much lighter

I'm thinking (A), based on the rest of your post. The only other reasonable explanation is in fact (C), because there's no way you lost that much fitness in a year unless you completely stopped all training.

The fitter I get the lighter I get. Of course that would only work until a certain weight when I would start hurting myself.

Your post really proves nothing. If you do all those things needed to get faster; more miles, tempos, hills, speed repeats etc... AND eat right, you are gonna lose weight. Unless you started out emaciated.

You seem to me more worried about weight than anyone else on here.

Smoove always has a educated option, very well said.

But I have to agree with the OP also.

I aintzzz ever winning no Olympics.

Man this place is great some days.

Is this "Mike in San Diego" or whatever name you used to post under? I've been missing your SJW posts. Glad to see you are back.

plog wrote:

Although I must admit that many people on this board are more shallow than I'd have even given them credit for. Wow.

Stoppit, I'm with you 100%. In situations like this we just have to turn to our spiritual leader and realize the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate and to combat that we're just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake

we'll shake it off, we'll shake it off.

LOL. Good one!!

This is, in fact, Mike in San Diego. And thank you. I have been back on other names. However, people thought I was trying to represent someone else. But, I wasn't. Yes. it is me. I appreciate the support and I will keep fighting the good fight for those who run, love it, and maintain ourselves the way we want, our way.Thanks again,Mike

Emaciated Hobby Jogger wrote:

Is this "Mike in San Diego" or whatever name you used to post under? I've been missing your SJW posts. Glad to see you are back.

FYI, I am very comfortable with myself. I am, in fact, comfortable enough with myself to know that weight does not define me. However, it clearly is -still- a factor in your post.Second, I do not resent anyone skinnier, nor do have contempt for anyone less fit. I have been DFL in a high school x-c race with an "exciting: time of 25:27.I have had times in the 24 range for 5K and also a sub 20I have also had a marathon (my first one) where I walked the whole thing.I have been in different corrals with different builds and have done many races with many people.I tend to like those who are good but don't have to look down on those who aren't quite there.You make this post, and that is fine. But I met Bernard Lagat at the 2015 Carlsbad 5000. He is 6 minutes faster than my best. Nicest athlete I've met.He is not going to care what someone weighs.Just saying.Mike

Swifter than Taylor. wrote:

OP, Anyone who hates you for your weight is just as insecure as you are.

I think you have proven the opposite of what you wanted to prove. This is on a few points actually.

1) you are not comfortable with yourself.

2) you resent and criticize skinny, not quite up to Kenyan standards runners,as much as you make it up in your own head that they have these stances against you. Pot meet Kettle.

I remember taking a fitness class in summer school, I was pretty ripped . We were doing crunches on the gym floor. The average girl next to me said out of the blue. It's very clear you are just trying to make me feel bad! You are that girl?

This is simple. You race to find out what your best race pace is at that time based on chip time and a real timer on a real course with people who drive you to be faster.You can be assured that when I enter a race, I am not looking at what your times is, I am looking at a PR.My PR has nothing to do with you.My race has nothing to do with you.W and L are just letters.I am just not that myopic, I suppose.

2 page thread and 14 of the responses are from YOU!

5/10

Get off the pity pot. If you don't want to race thin, don't. The vast majority of people who do are o.k. The ones that have real body issues and eating disorders picked up the roots of those things well before they ever ran a competitive step. Don't blame other runners unless you know they are actually pushing someone to do things beyond what is good for running and racing. I don't think very many people do that. Again, a healthy secure person will ignore these small slights you are talking about( that you mostly imagine)

Also, the flip side is, it takes courage to be thin as a man( and also self control for many). Even when I am 15% BF , because I am tall, I know people wonder why I would want to look like I do, skinny. Imagine real race shape. Just lIke you, I can't say I am an elite runner. I forgive them.

Give these dudes some slack if they are a little uptight. I think they just wonder why dedicated runners don't show up to races leaner. Like I said , you are hostile too.

You are wrong sorry if I put on 20 pounds I'd be slower and if I lost 20 I'd be faster.

41 years old:

143 pounds

1 mile 4:43

5k-16flat

1/2 marathon 1:12

Marathon 2:33

If I was 20 pounds lighter like high school I wouldn't be slower no way.

At 125 pounds

1 mile 4:20

5k 15flat

1/2 never ran

Your response suggested that if you were beating the Kenyans, then focusing on weight might be justified; or, at a minimum, if you weren't beating the Kenyans then weight watching us not justified. So you introduced relativism into the discussion and I wanted to carry that out to its logical end.

Not sure why there was a need to imply I am being myopic. Not very SJW of you to throw out ad hominem attacks.

Let's follow your next bit of reasoning out to its logical conclusion. If the point of running is not to win, but to do your best (I will ignore the "for that day" concept - it is disingenuous and inherently inconsistent with Our sport), why wouldn't you watch your weight (in a healthy way) if it will improve performance and help you each true personal running enlightenment?

I'm not suggesting that there is a shared magical number for everyone, or even that each person's number stays consistent over time. I ran my PRs at 140, but now race at 145. Were I to race at 150-155, I'd be slower and dissatisfied. Why wouldn't I eat a healthy balanced diet, with an eye toward calorie consumption to increase my satisfaction?

Maybe your number is 170, but the "Weight watching is inherently wrong" mantra is wrong headed because it simply imposed your values on others.

To each their own, homey.

That's Great! Keep us updated!