I have been going back and forth deciding if I should even post about this here but I’ve figured it was worth talking about at least once, I’ll be back to my normal blog topics tomorrow!
I mentioned on the blog that I had a freak accident that resulted in a very serious neck injury – I lost the use of my right arm for over two months and am still not back to where I was with strength and flexibility. The neck is better but while it was healing I had almost three months of seriously restricted movement and I felt like I needed a goal – and preferably something at which I have no natural talent.
Then one day I got bored and restless which lead to me Googling terms like 300 pound marathon. What I found were a bunch of blogs where people had done marathons to lose weight and were devastated to have accomplished neither, and then a blog from a doctor who said that you should never attempt a marathon unless you are within 20% of your “ideal weight” Thirty minutes later I was committed to the Seattle Marathon, 31 minutes later my best friend, Kel, responded to me e-mail with “I’m in” and we were off to the races.
The question that people ask most is “You seriously want to do a marathon?!” My answer is that no, I really in no way want to do a marathon, but I want to be someone who has done a marathon and I’m not willing to buy a medal in a thrift store and lie my ass off, so let’s get to training for this bad boy. I’ve given up most of my plyometrics, HIIT, and normal workout routine for a program designed to allow me to walk a marathon in 20 weeks. I decided to walk it because my first commitment is to More Cabaret and so it is more important to do everything I can to avoid injury than to run a marathon – so I decided to walk. I’ve posted some things on Facebook and I’m already getting some questions and some crap so I thought I would use this opportunity to clear some things up:
What I am doing:
Attempting to walk 26.2 miles, cross a finish line, receive a medal and a shirt that doesn’t fit, and be able to say that I completed a marathon. This is really pretty simple.
What I’m not doing:
Trying to prove something to my haters – there is no point to this, these people are aggressively poor at reading comprehension, and have shown repeatedly that no matter what I write they’ll just make up whatever they want. I would not cross the street for my haters, I definitely wouldn’t walk 26.2 miles for them.
Trying to show that if I can do it, anybody can! This is never true. First of all, we don’t yet have proof that I can do it, and when I cross the finish line we will have proof that I can do it once under specific circumstances. I’m not trying to inspire anyone to do a marathon, or suggesting that I should be an example of anything – I bitch constantly about the training to anyone who will listen, and I once postponed a 6 mile training walk for two days because my ipod stopped working and I was completely unwilling to go that far without music. (So what I’m saying here is that you may want to pick a different role model.)
Trying to challenge stereotypes. I am not responsible for people’s stereotypes, bigotry or if they choose to question them in the face of evidence to the contrary. This is about crossing the finish line, getting the medal and ill-fitting t-shirt and that’s all, if someone chooses to dismantle some of their bigotry along the way it’s a bonus.
Trying to be a good fatty. The good fatty/bad fatty dichotomy is bullshit, we must stop perpetuating it. I like doing athletic stuff so that’s what I do – I get to do it and I get to talk about it, but it certainly doesn’t make me better or worse than anyone else. If I liked to crochet or write fiction (instead of being abhorrently bad at them, as I am in reality) I’d do that and write about it and it would be no more or less deserving of praise than finishing a marathon.
Telling everyone so that they can hold me accountable. I keep seeing this as a recommendation “tell everyone you know that you are running a marathon, tell them to ask you if you are making your training goals.” Maybe it works great for some people but it sounds like a great way to make me want to punch my friends in the face. I’m fine, I’m not looking for anyone to “hold me accountable.”
A final note – a number of people have suggested that choosing 20 weeks of hell followed by a single day of consolidated hell just to get a medal and too-small shirt is not in keeping with my message that those who are interested in movement should consider doing things that they love. I want to be super extra crystal transparently clear that NOBODY is ever obligated to do any exercise, and certainly not exercise that they hate, and certainly not this much exercise. This goes way beyond what I need to do to be healthy – it’s about accomplishing something that I used to think was impossible for me: finish line, medal, shirt, bragging rights, the end. Wish me luck!
Spoiler alert – I finished it! Read the full race day story here:
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Dances With Fat 
Very cool project. I know one of your goals isn’t to inspire people to do marathons, but every time I read of someone getting up to do something, I think – hey, maybe I could too. If you feel like blogging about it, it would be interesting to hear more about your preparation. (To me, obviously. I can’t speak for anyone else.)
I do wish you good luck. And, I do love hearing what you have to say. I agree with bodycrimes, hearing about your training is cool.
Good luck. I’m inspired.
You know I keep reading about this because since we moved here I’ve been considering one of these fun looking bridge run/walks. A lot of my friends get together and do these. The problems I run into are 1. I hate exercise & 2. I am not an “outside” person. I know that you share some of these traits so I will keep reading and see how it works out for you. Then maybe I’ll consider picking up a similar-ish training schedule. Maybe
Hrm…if you want to do a marathon, you do a marathon. If you want to eat nothing but tree nuts and fallen fruit, then that’s what you do. Seems to me that doing this is EXACTLY in keeping with what your blog (and life) are all about it.
Good luck!
As to too-small t-shirts – you are one wickedly creative lady – I bet you can find something fantastic and witty to do with it!
I walked a marathon at 5’6″ and somewhere between 225 and 245 pounds. It was a lot of fun and my favorite life accomplishment so far.
It drove me NUTS while I was training that people constantly asked me if I was doing it to lose weight and how much weight I was losing. I was an experienced dieter at that time and their questions confused the hell out of me — didn’t they know you don’t lose weight from exercising? I wasn’t concentrating on losing weight, so I was simply continuing to eat normally. And what the fuck is wrong with people deciding that a fat person trains to race 26 fucking MILES with the goal not being to race 26 fucking MILES but to drop a few pounds? I still haven’t quite pinpointed why that is so irking, but it is.
Anyway. I think our training schedule was about 20 weeks too! Best wishes, and my unsolicited advice is to train in professionally-fitted running shoes. 😀
I think the most irksome thing about it is the fact that nobody cares what your goal actually is, and they don’t believe you’ve accomplished anything at all if you haven’t lost enough weight for their preferences.
‘You walked 26.2 miles? Yes, but what have you DONE?’
It’s fucking condescending and completely dismissive.
Besides, how many of the people who say that sort of crap have walked a marathon? You’re doing what they haven’t attempted and they’re still looking down on you because you haven’t met their arbitrary goal you weren’t aiming for.
I’d be irked, too.
You know, I have to echo Twistie here (Twistie is awesome as can be!)… it is insanely irksome that nobody cares what your goal actually is!
I have run the distance of a marathon, I’ve just not done it in an organized marathon event. The people who were in my run team knew, and that was enough. But, ya know, there were people who questioned me because I didn’t have a t-shirt or a medal. Jerks.
I probably will never do an organized marathon event due to some medical issues. But that’s ok, I know what I did!
Good for you for your accomplishment!
I trained for a century ride (100 miles on a bicycle in one day) last summer. Due to some unavoidable disruptions in my training schedule and a just plain bad day on the bike, I only made it a little over 60 miles, but that’s nothing to hang my head in shame over. My sweet and supportive husband and live-in bike mechanic kept telling me that I could NOT realistically both calorie-restrict and train, so needless to say, I did not lose an ounce. I was blessed that no one personally gave me the “are you doing it to lose weight?” thing, but this is why comments on news article such as “just get off the couch and take a walk and you’ll lose weight” make me crazy. Apparently, if I’d been taking short walks instead of riding 70-80+ miles weekly, I would have been magically thinner, right?
And for the record, I WILL do the century one of these years. It’s on the bucket list.
All I shall say is good luck! I used to vaguelly think about doing a 10 or 20K walk just because I could (I walked four miles for fun and it didn’t kill me)… but I didn’t do it when I could, and now my health won’t let me walk more than a mile at a time, so those days are gone. If you want to train to walk a marathon, go for it – you never know what’s around the corner…
I have never wanted to run a marathon. I hate running- kills my knees and has ever since high school cross-country. But walking and hiking- yes! I am going to look for a half-marathon and then a marathon to walk. Thanks for the great idea!
RE: the ill fitting tshirt- you could frame it in a shadowbox type frame as the background for your medal….(there are also a ton of internet ideas of things to make from them if you sew at all. i have tried a bunch because even when my kids were in grade school the event tshirts never fit them.0
Long time lurker, Fat, 40 and fairly fit. I have new done a marathon (2012) and like you are planning, I walked all 26.2 miles. It was intense, it started at midnight (http://www.edinburghspotlight.com/2012/02/news-edinburgh-moonwalk-2011-entries-now-open/). I found the training hard but I found the comments about not losing weight while I trained harder, I found the “are you sure you can do that” hard to handle, I found the “oh you are walking not running” harder to take… I did complete it though. I ached and walked like a granny for two days afterwards. What I would say is “get good shoes”! Best of luck Ragen!!
I know you can do it. Best of luck!
Good luck! Back in the 1980s I did the ‘Walk for Mankind’ for several years, 20 miles in the city (Wichita, KS) and you got donations for each mile you walked. Did the whole 20 each year. Although, the first year I’ll admit I wasn’t in great shape and hurt for DAYS. You’re smarter than I was! Train well and have fun.
You just hit on a great idea, Ragen could raise money for something for every mile she walks, for some fatty event, that’d be cool.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I hope to hear more about this along the way, and maybe see a pic of the ill-fitting t shirt and medal when you finish.
This is really what FA is all about… not walking marathons, per se, but simply doing what you would like to do/feel is best for you on some level without regard to your weight. It doesn’t matter whether the goal is a marathon, getting an advanced degree, enjoying a meal in public, creating a fun outfit, finding a cure for a dread disease, or simply standing up to your fatphobic relatives. It’s about living your life as you see fit, and not waiting until you reach some weight goal you’ll likely never reach, probably can’t sustain if you do, and would need to devote your full waking energy to maintaining leaving you unable to do what you really want to do, anyway.
About a month ago, I walked roughly half a marathon (in fits and spurts) over the course of 24 hours for charity. My feet were dead tired afterward, but it felt great to me, too. I got the t shirt (which actually fits properly because the American Cancer Society has a cool side, that way), feel good that I helped fight cancer, and spent the next two days groaning every time I had to cross the room.
But you know what? If I decided to train, I bet I could walk a marathon. I probably won’t, but it’s interesting (and a little startling) to suddenly realize that as I narrow in on my fifty-first birthday. It’s a possibility I simply hadn’t considered before.
Possibilities are good.
Personal sharing part: I only trained for and ran my first marathon in 2003 because my husband, a marathon runner, said “I dunno. They’re really hard.” while looking at me with a YOU WILL NEVER DO THIS expression on his face. In that instance I had something to prove, but in doing so I found something I loved to do.
Cheering section part: Rock on, Regan. I am going to pray to the patron saint of t-shirts that you get one that fits beautifully. Also I agree with Harper: get the best most comfy shoes you can! /end unsolicited advice; begin cheering
Also I am lamely replying to my own comment but there is an awesome children’s book called “The Uncrossable Canyon.” Spoilers: In it, a gnome is building a machine, surrounded my haters and naysayers. All they can talk about is how the gnome will NEVER cross the canyon with his machine and that he’s an idiot for believing it possible and no one has EVER achieved it before so why does he think he’s special? and on and on and on. It’s an entire book of negative voices. Then, at the end, the gnome uses his machine to reach the moon. It’s a kids’ book but I get a lot out of it every time I read it to my children.
That’s how I got running too– I finally decided I was sick of “you can’t” so I did 🙂
Ragen, good luck with your training and the marathon! Looking forward to hearing how it goes. Isn’t this what it’s all about? Find goal, work towards goal, achieve goal… Have fun!
Yay! So glad you are going to follow this challenge. Would love to hear more about it.
Good luck! I walked/ran a marathon back in 2004, just because it sounded like fun. I trained with a running group who never gave two craps about my physical appearance and encouraged me as a runner. I’ll give you some unsolicited suggestions! I second the professionally fit sneakers, a good running store will ask you what you are doing and have you try on multiple pairs. You generally end up with shoes at least a size up (your feet spread a lot during distance). Good socks are a must! Glide, this is an amazing product, it comes in a stick like deodorant and prevents chafing. I have a lot of parts that rub and I did not get a single case of chafe. During the race, if you put your name on your shirt, the cheering section will use your name for encouragement. Finally, I suggest reading up on fuel during a marathon, especially salt and water balance. I didn’t have enough salt during my marathon and it made me sick during the event. Fortunately someone had packets and I was able to feel well enough to finish!
I like the Nuun tablets for electrolytes. You mix them in your water bottle and good to go. They taste a little like medicine but they seem to work. They also seem to be marketed toward women, though I don’t know if they promise special womany benefits. Also, I love the Asics anti-chafing cream. And Gold Bond came out with an anti-chafe stick that I have no complaints about.
Yay! Go go go!! I ran the NYC marathon back in 2001 at a weight considered morbidly obese. It was a wonderful experience (minus some a-hole catcalls of course). I am so proud to have done it and have bragging rights…. And I will never do it again! I am excited for you!
FYI, mainly would never do it again because of the time commitment; it’s a doozey!
*high five!* I’m eyeballing my first marathon next spring. Welcome to the crazy club!
I am cheering you on from BC! We all have stuff we never imagine we can do. I believe if we refuse the limitations set by those around us we can accomplish anything we put our minds to.
A year ago I was doing yoga on a hospital stretcher because it was the only way I could do it laying down. ( I have severe osteoarthritis in both knees and have only 10 minutes on them before I need a chair). For the last 6 months I have been going to the yoga studio and can get down on the floor and back up again after a 90 minute class. I never dreamed I could do yoga until one day someone encouraged me to try and I decided I wanted that for me.
As for the t-shirt – it could make an awesome pillow! Or, if you catch the marathon bug you can gather a few shirts and make a quilt.
I have walked 3 marathons at 260+ lbs. It is more than possible and I was really impressed with the number of walkers out there! While the excitement of the actual race was fun, I always loved the casual “yeah, I walked 18 miles this morning” during training! I also love breaking stereotypes, for example, when my Dr said “it is time you start exercising for 30 minutes at a time”. 30 minutes….or 7 hours and 40 minutes. 🙂 Good luck!
Thanks for sharing. I began training one week ago to run a half marathon in October. I’m worried and nervous, but hearing about others making similar commitments makes me feel like it’s not so crazy after all.
This is awesome, and I love it. Indeed, welcome to the crazy club.
More than anything, I wanted to chime in and say good luck. I also second what everyone else said about the shoes and the body glide (both are lifesavers for me.) Also, to add one more unsolicited suggestion that you probably already know, but no one ever told me, so I like to pass it along: Get some great wicking socks that are cushioned and have toe and heel support. I’ve learned the hard way that great socks make a huge difference when it comes to blisters.
“I felt like I needed a goal – and preferably something at which I have no natural talent.” I love this. Kudos for not being afraid to step out of your comfort zone. I’m middle-aged and overweight and have recently started to compete in kettlebell sport. For me, exercise has never been about weight loss, it’s about testing limits, gaining strength and feeling good. Best of luck.
Enjoy and have fun! If you keep us posted here, I’ll try to be at that finish line cheering you on!
Thanks Bonnie, that would be totally awesome! We’re also talking about doing a Seattle danceswithfat meetup – if you’re interested just let me know and I’ll put you on the mailing list!
~Ragen
Ragen, thanks for talking about it. I am totally with you on deciding to do things just because I thought I couldn’t and wanted to prove to myself otherwise. This is the reason I am now able to jog up 4 flights of stairs and stand at a stand-up desk at work for an 8 hour shift. It’s also why I was able to do a 5-K and have been thinking about a marathon as well!
And whether you intended it or not, I am inspired. I love to hear more about the details of the training program you’re doing.
I walked a marathon last summer and it remains one of the “impossible” goals that I’m super proud of. It may or may not mean anything to anyone else, but it means so much to me to have done it.
Knowing that I was able to do that, made me think, “maybe I can do a triathlon” so, that’s my next goal 🙂 Training for it now 🙂
I hope you find a way to make training fun!!
Good Luck! (also, is it possible to request a t-shirt in your size in advance?)
I wish you all the luck and and that you be injury free for the whole experience!
Good luck!
What a fabulous idea!! I can’t wait to here about your training journey. And I am very proud of you. This is one of my goals too, even though I would have to walk it, not run.
If your goal is to receive a medal, you should confirm you can actually do that.
From the website:
>Please note that the Marathon Walk and Half Marathon Walk will be timed but are not intended to be race walking competitions as set forth by the USATF. No awards will be presented for these events.
I dont know if they mean a walk-race specific award, or an award in general.
Even if you DONT get a medal, do it anyway, its a good goal.
Thanks for your help, but I definitely confirmed that before I registered – I really want a medal 🙂 When they talk about “Awards” they mean for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd please etc., not the finisher’s award.
“Finish line staff and essential services will remain until every athlete has completed the event. Finishers receive a finisher’s medal” They also took my t-shirt size for the race shirt.
Thanks again for your help.
~Ragen
So you are saying this is all about you and what you want? Inconceivable? 😉
A good friend of mine (also overweight, but with crappy knees) is into triathlons, and occasionally she’s asked her friends to volunteer at them. One summer I did, and I felt silly standing by the side of the road to cheer during the biking leg, but several people said it was really helpful to push through to the end.
So, since I am in Seattle, I will come and cheer you on, if you want.
Personal sharing: one year, in my 20s, I walked Bloomsday (almost 7 and a half miles) with zero training and crappy shoes. I was almost completely last and ended up going to the doctor later because my feet kept hurting for so long afterwards. I got some shit from a couple family members for being last, but I hadn’t intended to go at all, my sister-in-law was going to do it but came down sick and I allowed myself to be talked into it pretty much the day before.
Results – I have even less desire to do any organized distance related activities. I also discovered Birkenstocks were the best shoes for me and wear them constantly. I don’t know whether I count it as an accomplishment, since it is tied up with family bullshit and not something I chose for myself. It is a thing I did, however.
Hi Linda,
How incredibly sweet of you to offer to come cheer me on. You totally can if you want but let me also say that several of my Facebook friends have suggested a Seattle danceswithfat meet-up while I’m there so let me know if you want to be added to the mailing list!
I think that was definitely an accomplishment, though I’m sorry it was a crappy experience. I am really glad that you developed a love of shoes that really work for you 🙂
~Ragen
I’d love a danceswithfat meetup! Do please add me to the mailing list.
You are on the list!
~Ragen
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I so wish I were that motivated to exercise! Good for you Ragen!
My sister and I did the half in Seattle. They special ordered her a 3XL shirt at her request, just FYI. Also it’s a great race, very walker friendly, well supported, lots of hills.
I have no interest in marathons, running/walking/or otherwise. I don’t even understand the compulsion to want to do one.
I jumped out of a perfectly good plane once because I thought it would be awesome (and it was). There are lots of people who don’t understand that compulsion either.
Why do people’s desire to do something have to be about anything other than doing and experiencing that thing? I didn’t jump out of a plane to get over any fears. And marathoners aren’t always doing that to prove or validate anything. They just like the action of running or the accomplishment of doing it at all. I know people who just love running. I don’t get it. Haha
You can do anything you want to do. It’s not wrong what I say but it’s true. You can do anything you want to do. Do what you want. (Thin Lizzy)
Good luck! I’m glad you decided to post about this here. Do your thang! Stock up on some Gatorade while the haters sip on their Haterade. I’m inspired.
Ah, I completely understand the need to smack the naysayers in the face. I am one of you. Of course, my husband’s naysaying mostly revolves around parking spots (i.e., “you won’t find a closer one” and “you’ll never fit”) and it always spurs me on to do exactly what he says I can’t. I hope he never says I can’t run a marathon because I’ll have to kick his in-shape butt! lol
Good luck!
Lurked this blog for a while, but this one has me delurking. My dad was into marathons and triathlons, and I have disliked running ever since puberty resulted in ample boobs. But I used to train the swimming with him. On the ride home he said he would love to run a marathon with me. Now I loved my dad and would do almost anything, but not a marathon! So I made him the deal that if he would do ballroom dancing classes with me, I would train to run one. Haha, neither of us ever did either. I miss him still after 12 years and that memory always makes me smile.
Best of luck in your training and event! You can do it!
Aaah! Good luck! Marathon is such a cool achievement!
Best of luck!
I am in my second year of running year long (six years of playing around). I have done some 1/2 marathons and next year is my first full marathon. There is NOTHING so awesome as getting that medal. NOTHING. I do it for the accomplishment and the medal. Every time it is a big deal for me. My BMI and my doctor say I’m obese. and I’m a sexy, fast, marathoner too (ok I run 14 min miles…to me, that’s fast). You can do it. Enjoy that medal and know yourself as a marathoner.
Enjoy fulfilling the goal that you set for yourself. I look forward to congratulating the woman who has done a marathon, ill-fitting tee shirt and all. The heck with the haters.
Regan, you teach me so much with the way you go about living. Thank you for sharing the notes with us.
Best wishes!
I’m sending you great best wishes as you work toward this marathon! I really admire you, especially since, like me, you don’t really enjoy exercise! I applaud your reason for doing it and absolutely agree with why you AREN’T doing it! Happy walking and enjoy the medal. You can always frame the t-shirt! YES?
Hey Carole,
Thanks! To be fair, I do really enjoy a lot of types of exercise, I just don’t enjoy walking long distances to not get anywhere! 🙂 Thanks for the encouragement and the idea, I may indeed frame the t-shirt!
~Ragen
Hi Ragen, Have a blast! Speaking from experience, being at the back of the marathon was great, most everyone there was there for very different and personal reasons. No one was stressed out about time and PR’s.and were able to joke around even at hour 5 and later.Made the day enjoyable and rememerable
I think you’re nuts, but I’m still sitting here grinning like an idiot, and marveling at you being my anti-role model role model and ever so damn crusty inspirational (I can’t stand society’s never ending obsessive wankfest with either role models or inspiration). I cannot wait to see you upstyle the too small t-shirt, wave that bling in every damn face and listen to you brag on and on and on. Do it because you can. It need make sense to no one but yourself. I wish you luck but mostly I wish you an extra dose of stubbornness and Xena Warrior Princess RAAA!!
A joke:
Q: How can you tell if someone’s run a marathon?
A: Don’t worry, they’ll tell you.
Finishing a marathon is on my list of Top 5 Best Things I Have Ever Done. My brother and I trained for it together, and crossed the finish line within one second of each other. There was a lot of suckage in there, but it was well worth it for me, and I hope you’ll find the same for you.
I’d also like to point out that that was one of several races I completed in a period of about a year, that included several triathlons, a half marathon, and several others. In every race there were tons of people well over 200 lbs crossing the finish line. So “ideal weight” can go fuck itself.
Hi Ragen! Long time lurker, de-lurking to say best wishes in your training and the marathon! I think racing events are so much fun, and putting in all of the training to cross that finish line is such a rewarding experience. And as much as it is physical endurance, it is also mental endurance and mental endurance training, which for me, at least, makes the accomplishment so much more amazing. Remember to bring an extra pair of socks, wear moleskin on your feet to prevent blisters, and try different fuel methods on your long walks in order to test which method works best for you.
That is awesome. I really like your statement, I do not want to do a marathon but I want to be someone who has done a marathon. #inspiring
Good luck!
I am fat. I am a five time marathoner. I aspire to run an ultramarathon.
My unsolicited advice? Treat this like an ultra: read up on what the guys who run for 50 miles plus do. I’m out there for 6 – 7 hours when I marathon. I have sports drinks, electrolyte sweeties, savoury snacks, gels. I have a sports belt I load this lot into. I practiced eating while I trained. Best 50 bucks I ever spent, was to buy one of every gel I could, and determined which one I could eat, and how. (I treat them like a salt lick. Trust me, if I put too much gel in my mouth, I spat it out. Forcibly.)
When I finsished my first marathon, I was screaming, grinning and weeping. It is my greatest achievement. I cannot wait to do it again.
It’s a long way. It will hurt a lot. But I really look forward to welcoming you to the club,
Rock on! It’s all about the self-challenge and I think it’s awesome! Keep us up to day, and at least some of us Seattlites will come cheer you on!
I salute you! While I hate the idea of marathons for myself, I love walking. If you ever need a walking partner during training let me know, I’m working in your area now. I’m trying to get back to my former walking stamina that I’ve lost since leaving SF.
Woo hoo, good luck to you! Keeping my fingers crossed for you.
Wow earlier today I was somewhat separately considering walking the Seattle marathon since I’m not ready to run it… (Not sure though, it is $$$ given you could just… walk all day!)
Later I looked up fat athlete and here I am. I would love to join you and get to know someone cool like you if it’s not too dorky of me to ask. I may actually have a lot to offer. Besides just thinking you are awesome. If you have time, please email me to find out.
I too hate when others connect my fitness goals to assumed weight loss. Especially a certain family member. But it just means they’re not interested in athletics and/or don’t know better. I might try out “I’m not trying to lose weight! 😄” *smile*
Yeah! You rock girl! Finishing a marathon is AMAZING. You are such an inspiration!
Badass.
😀
You’ve probably read the book “Fat Slow Triathlete” already. If not, I *highly* recommend it. I’m not a triathlete nor even fat (I am a rower, and I am slow) but in addition to lots of sport-specific tips, it’s got a wonderful attitude about doing things just, well, pour l’amour ou pour le sport, whether or not you have the “proper” physique, and even if you’re never going to make it to the Olympics.
Thanks, it is a fabulous book and I’ve actually had a chance to hang out with Jayne, the author, who is exactly as super awesome as you would think she is from reading the book!
~Ragen
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