Each week, one of our our coaches jots down a short thought piece giving insight into elements of coaching, training, racing or mindset. This week Coach Chris talks about body shape and how willing people are to tell you what you do or don’t look like.
Recently, on two totally separate occasions I was told that I'm “not the shape of a trail runner” and that I “don’t have the shape of a triathlete.” Given that these are two sports that I have done for the past 6 years, I thought both comments were a bit weird. Also simply because I’ve just never been told those things before! Anyway, a few days later, these comments are still bouncing around in my brain, but I’m not really sure why... so here’s a couple of thoughts on the subject. Apologies for the stream of verbal diarrhoea!
I understand the fact that most ELITE trail runners and triathletes (emphasis on the elite and note that I am nowhere near either of them!) are on the smaller, lighter side, but if you look across any full collection of triathletes or trail runners, you will find all sorts of shapes and sizes.
It’s a very different thing to look like something, and on the other hand, actually be it. Most of the time, I consider myself a runner who trains like a triathlete and particularly enjoys trails. So perhaps by definition, I am both and neither at the same time??
So many people, including those I coach are now crossing the boundaries of these various sports. Perhaps we are all now endurance athletes, rather than specifically runners or triathletes? But then what “shape” does one of those have??!
Is someone who tells you that "you are not the shape of a xxxx” giving you a compliment or are they being negative? Or are they surprised?
Does any of this actually matter??
As with most things in life, I’ll assume that I have very few totally unique thoughts or experiences, and that if I have experienced this, a lot of others will have also. There has been a lot of coverage about body image particularly in relation to female athletes and some great articles written by people like Lydia O’Donnell and Mary Cain on the subject. These women are definitely towards the elite end of the spectrum, but this is something that both men and women, young and old, fast and slow, big and small can experience.
So, is this something you’ve experienced? Did it bug you?