Fat Flapping Flippantly in The Fierce Wind

I remember when I first attempted running. I don’t consider it a serious attempt because it was long before I found C25K, but it was an attempt nonetheless. There I was, in 90 degree heat in the middle of the summer, trying my best to run. I had gotten near the local park and I saw this Geo Metro approaching with what appeared to be 4 considerably obese women inside of it. As they passed they yelled out, “Look at fat boy trying to run!” Wow! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black, but I digress. It affected me to the point that I gave up running and it would be another year before I tried any form of exercise again.

As I have browsed the forums, I have seen many people whose situations were similar to mine. They get negativity from home or while they are out and it destroys what little confidence they had mustered up to get out there in the first place. When I first started the C25K program, I always ran with music and a pair of dark sunglasses. I didn’t wear glasses and listen to the music because it was sunny outside and I enjoyed keeping pace, I did it so that I wouldn’t be able to hear any hurtful, baseless comments coming my way. I wore the glasses so that I wouldn’t have to look into the eyes of people I passed, for fear they would laugh at my protruding gut and my heavy breathing as I stumbled past them. However, as I continued to run, I noticed a few things along my journey.

Running is a challenging task in and of itself when you don’t have the proper tools to usher you into such a beautiful and relaxing exercise. Worrying about how you look while doing it certainly exacerbates any related issues you may have with it. However, as I continued to run I noticed that people were noticing me less. Some would blow their horns and I would look their way and they began to yell out encouragement or simply give thumbs up! Interestingly, as I continued to run, I cared less and less about what people thought. I always think to myself, sure, go ahead and laugh now, but when the summer comes and I’m running this path shirtless, I wonder who will be laughing then! It not only sculpts your body into a force to be reckoned with, but it also begins to shape your mind. You begin to find your own self worth and you also begin to find a renewed confidence unlike any other.

You see, with running you have to push yourself. Your greatest enemy is your own mind. My good MFP friend StreetNameJim said it best when he started running, “I can’t believe how much of a head game this is.” Everything is in your mind. Your ability, your endurance, your perception is all there. As you continue to run, you eventually get to a point where all of these things become a harmonious “ONE.” Once that is achieved, you find that suddenly it’s not about the time, the pace, who is watching, and what they are thinking. You suddenly realize that it’s all about you. It’s all about your challenge and your personal goal. That, I argue, is the point when you find your true ability. I don’t call it limitation because I don’t believe there are any when running. Certainly, there are physical considerations, but the mind is an endless sea of personal possibility, challenge, and accomplishment. Coaches will tell you to get your head in the game when playing soccer, football, tennis, swimming, or any other sport out there. This approach has its benefits, but for the purposes of running, I dare say get your head out of the game. Own your space and own your time. You will then transcend from a mere runner, to one bad mother (hush yo mouth!).

No matter what sport or exercise you do, never worry about who sees you. Think about the last time you saw someone exercising and you said, “Wow! I would love to be in that person’s shoes. I would love to be able to do what they do while making it seem so easy doing it.” That, my friends, is what people are thinking when they are watching you. People complained that they feel like a freak show. There is no freak show, but if you  must put on a show, make sure it’s the best damned show they will ever see. Good luck in whatever you do to achieve your fitness goals and remember to do it like a BAWSS!!!