BlogHer - Running Your Mouth vs. Actual Running - Comments

More Intimidation and Misinformation

mama2bna — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 21:50:43 -0600

I don't even know where to start, my poor keyboard is bearing the brunt of my fury! What a bastard, but he's not alone. How many women know about lifting weights? How many are too afraid of looking like the Incredible Hulk to walk over to the free weights at the gym and do one of the single greatest bang for your buck exercises? "Normal women" are given short shrift by suggesting that certain activities are not meant for them, or that certain musculature is unsexy. This is just so, so wrong. I hope more women begin to understand that there is a world of release, gratification and bliss that has nothing to do with men, but with our own strength. Go run, go lift, go dance. Do something and find yourself. And lest Mr. Boyle stumble upon this and think me gay, manly or saggy, let me just say I am feminine, firm, happy and madly in love with my husband who supports and encourages my every wide hipped move. Eat my dust, Boyle.

running

cooper — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 16:33:32 -0600

Only a man would write an article such as that.
I ran cross country in high school and I don't remember hearing any thing like that, of course my coach was a women; she was also a certified physical therapist.
I run now whenever I can, at least three to five miles three times a week and now what..should I be concerned about the sags? A more helpful article would have been on what type of surfaces not to run on and how to begin to train. Ye gads.

I notice he didn't suggest snowboarding as an alternative either.

Cross that journal of my list.

cooper

I am not hurt, saggy, cute OR little

Birdie Jaworski — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 11:21:12 -0600

I have competed in four triathlons and three marathons, countless 5 and 10K races over the past three years. I am not lithe, nor do I aspire to be so. I am a healthy, and healthy-sized vibrant runner. And Mr. Boyle can kiss my muscular ass. If he can catch me!

Birdie
La Pajaro
Beauty Dish

Running

GreatPicken — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 10:34:31 -0600

INNside Innkeeping in Big Sky Country
Yikes... i'm glad i didnt read this when I started running. I paced my brother the last 10 miles of the NY thon many moons ago and I was hooked. Long story short, I started running ultra thons in the mountains and have gone beyond my expectations and done a couple of 50 milers. I cant tell you the empowerment and strength you gain ... way more than the physical benefits.

Argue for your limitations... and they're yours
Happy trails
GP in Montana

Running Your Mouth vs. Actual Running

Suzanne Reisman — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 10:09:30 -0600

In 1998, my New Yearâ€™s resolution was to lose weight. I was 167 pounds, which at under 5â€™2â€, was a major problem. I couldnâ€™t fit into any clothes, and I felt like crap, psychologically and physically. Although I hated exercise, I forced myself to join a gym and began slowly, by walking on a treadmill or riding a bike. After a few months, I wanted to try jogging. I hadnâ€™t attempted to run at all (other than when I was missing a bus or otherwise late somewhere) for years. As a child, I almost died from an asthma attack after I finished in third place in the 880 (?) yard dash during gym class. When I started jogging, I loved it. I knew Iâ€™d never be a champion runner, but I loved how I felt when I ran. And I was proud of myself. So itâ€™s a good thing that I didnâ€™t see this fine piece of work, WHY (MOST) WOMEN SHOULDN'T RUN by Michael Boyle, at the time.

Mr. Boyle uses some inane analogies to discourage women from running. Not just trying to win a marathon, mind you, but running at all.

I'm not sure most women should runâ€¦ Here's a riddle for you.

Q- What do most female runners look like?

A- Male runnersâ€¦.

The problem with most women and running comes down to something they call Q angle in sportsmedicine. I won't bore you with the details, but it boils down to this. Wider hips make for narrow knees. This angle of hip to knee creates problems.

OK, I'm insulted, but still listening:

So what happens when a "normal" woman begins to run?... She becomes a physical-therapy client as she tries to shovel you-know-what against the tide. Her wider knees cause her to develop foot problems or most likely knee problems. Her greater body weight causes greater ground reaction forces. Greater ground reaction forces stress muscle tissue and breast tissue. Get my drift yet? The end result is likely to be hurt and saggy instead of the cute and little.

I must interrupt here: hurt and saggy vs. cute and little?!?!? What the fuck is this manâ€™s problem? Is there nothing in the middle? Like running moderately for health reasons, mental health reasons (nothing clears my head like a good run), or just because we want to? Not all women run so that they can be â€œcute and little.â€ OK, back to letting himself dig his own hole:

The bottom line: Running is not good for most females. If you want higher-intensity exercise, ride a stationary bike. Take a spin class, use a stairclimber, and don't run.

Angry Feminist Running Rants snarkily replies:

I am not going to accept the idea that women should take a spinning class or use the Stairmaster because they're better for us poor little women than running. If you're going to suggest alternative activities, asshole, please try biking or hiking or kayaking. You know, something in the outfuckingdoors. Where most people runâ€¦ We little women shouldn't be allowed outdoors anyway. Too much fresh air might make us more hysterical when people tell us we can't do things.

Right on, Angry Feminist Runner! There are far more appropriate ways to encourage women to exercise in a way that respects their bodies. I was not â€œcute and littleâ€ when I began running. I was still 20 pounds overweight. I never have needed phsycial therapy despite my "saggy" condition. I don't hurt. When I do, I stop. It's called "common sense." I highly recommend it.

Running did help me lose more even more weight over the next year and keep it off, while at the same time it helped me gain other things, like self-respect for doing something I feared and hated, admiration for my body that it could do things I never thought possible, and a newfound enjoyable hobby.

Sorry, Br. Boyle, but I think your recommendations tripped on their own feet at the starting point and were disqualified from the race. With that, I think I am going to take my "fat" knees and go for a nice run.

Suzanne blogs about the â€œlimitationsâ€ of women at Campaign for Unshaved Snatch (CUSS) & Other Rants and is part of a group blog on nutty gym culture at People Under the Stairmasters