Here is post two in my Triathlon Terror series. ( it didn’t autopost for some reason argh!)
One of my fears related to participating in a sporting event surrounds my body. Or at least my body in relation to other people.
It’s hard enough being around people with a six pack, toned arms and behinds you can bounce a quarter off of at work. Now I have to be around those ripped people while they wear skin tight clothes. And I…? I am also in skin tight clothes. Without being totally ripped.
It’s intimidating and it’s scary.
Questions and insecurities are liable to go through your brain. Will I be laughed at? Will they be whispering behind my back? Will someone point to me and say how they hope they never end up like me? Or, even worse,” What in the world is she doing here?”
Now, at most of these events (5ks, etc) there are not all perfect people. Once you actually go to one, you will see all shapes of people, from totally ripped to slightly pudgy to very overweight. In prior events such as 5ks and 10ks, some of these very in shape people have been the main ones to offer support and cheers of encouragement as I finish my race, usually way after they have finished.
Also, folks are usually just too worried about themselves and setting their own personal record to be noticing every ounce of fat on your body. I’m not saying there might not be someone, somewhere who will be a major a-hole, but that’s for any situation, true? I would say that for every mean spirited person out there, there are ten more upbeat and uplifting people who can sometimes give you a little pick-me-up.
So, I slap on my spandex and get out there, trying not to worry about what’s jiggling, overlapping, or bunched up. It’s about trying to push myself and make myself better physically. I won’t get there without motivation…and a lot of time, those fit, toned ladies offer a lot of motivation because one day I hope to be fit and toned myself.
A common excuse for not working out at a gym is that people are embarrassed of being in front of others in workout clothes while overweight. Ya’ll forget them, workout for you. And, as I said earlier, most of them do not even care about you or your fat. I have also been offered a lot of encouragement at the gym by fit people.
I figure I can sit at home, safe and sound in front of the TV in my loose clothes, or I can be out there working out with my less-than-perfect body.
Which will you do?
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“Ya’ll forget them, workout for you.”
K, I love this post..you hit it on the head! Not necessarily everyone you see with ripped abs and bulging biceps was born that way .. they probably had to work pretty hard at it. One of my favorite running sayings is that “no one can do your running for you”, meaning that if you have goals you want to reach only YOU can make them happen — you have to be an active participant in your own success.