Strong is the New Skinny

Becca of Free Notion has put together a series to bring focus to strength as a goal vs. watching the numbers on a scale.  I had great intentions of putting together a handmade running outfit, but with the kitchen renovation we are in the midst of, my sewing time has been nearly nonexistent.

I began running after I graduated college in 1995.  My lazy friend Marty had a lot to do with getting me out the door.  You see Marty used to complain about becoming so tired from napping that he needed another nap to recover.  That’s accomplished level lazy, right?  Then Marty started running, and suddenly he wasn’t lazy any more.  In fact, Marty became a pretty energetic and fit guy.  And if lazy Marty (and Oprah Winfrey) could do it, I certainly could!

I started by running small loops around my neighborhood.  When running one loop became easier, I added another loop.  Pretty soon I was able to run about three miles.

Running quickly became a huge part of my social life.  I regularly met up with friends for group runs, or to get lost together on the trails.  I started running 5K races, then 10K, 10 mile and beyond.

I had bunion surgeries in 2000 and 2001 and to mark my recovery, I ran my first marathon, the Chicago Marathon.  The day of the race was when the US began the strikes in Operation Enduring Freedom; I learned about it from other runners talking in the final miles after they had heard it on their radio.  I was in the midst of my marathon training while I was on a short-term work assignment in Belgium during the attacks on September 11, 2001.  We were scheduled to fly back to the US just a few days after that, but we had to stay almost a week longer due to the flight restrictions.

After Chicago, I went on to run the New York City Marathon, Honolulu Marathon, Phoenix Rock & Roll Marathon, Marine Corps Marathon (Personal Record 4:00:39) and Toronto Marathon.

If marathons weren’t enough, I also started Adventure Racing.  Think Eco-Challenge but typically between 4 and 12 hours in length vs. several days.  The point of an Adventure Race is to find control points using a map and compass using several different disciplines like running, mountain biking, canoeing, etc.  I even did a winter version with snow biking and ice skating disciplines.  I learned how to dismount and unclip in one quick move after falling on the ice several times.

All these photos are many years old – you may be asking if I still run?  The short answer is not much.

I had another surgery on my foot four years ago to remove a neuroma in my right foot.  At the time of the surgery, I had another known neuroma in my left foot, and another we discovered in the adjacent joint of my right foot.  The surgery leaves dead areas of nerve damage between my toes which is not pleasant, so I don’t have plans to operate on the other neuromas.  With all this going on in my feet, running is at best a tentative endeavor, and often leaves me laid up for a couple of days with sore feet.  I can also predict the weather by the pain in my joints, so sometimes running is out even if I haven’t done myself in on a previous day.

I do hope to find some happy medium where I can get back to a reduced level of regular mileage.  I doubt if 40 mile weeks are in my future, but if I could get to ten a week and an occasional 5K I’d be pretty happy.

How does my running story fit into the Strong is the New Skinny?  If you look at these photos, I was consistently at least ten pounds above my “ideal weight” according to the tables.  But I was VERY strong and that was what I cared about.  Now 50 pounds heavier, I long for the way my body FELT, not the number that used to be on the scale.

Be sure to check out the rest of the tour participants, many of whom are sharing some sewing and pattern reviews for activewear.  Today, I’m joined by Made by Melli, Sew Happily Ever After, and Call Ajaire who are sharing their running journeys: