Slow runners with a bigger body face additional challenges, as our culture has long equated limber physiques with virtuous lifestyles. “People will say, ‘You’re out of shape. You just have to try harder,’” said Kendra Dolton, a Brooklyn marathoner who supports size inclusiveness in running. This can feel like a no-win situation, said she. “You’re out there and you’re trying, but people still judge that you’re too slow, or that you don’t look the way they think you should look.”
Various studies suggest that when people feel judged by their weight, they are less inclined to exercise in the first place. we know that too social stigma can cause stresswhich can trigger a cascade of stress hormones – basically the opposite of a runner’s high.
I live in a medium-sized body, but I’m still not sure if I’m a real runner. When others whiz past me, I sometimes play mental games with myself – as far as they know I am recovering from knee surgery! (I’ve never had knee surgery.) When I talk about being a committed runner, I always qualify it by saying I’m slow — just in case the person I’m talking to decides to look up my race times and call me because I am an impostor.
Other slow runners also question their legitimacy. Some told me they don’t share their times on fitness tracking apps like Strava or their friends would find out their pace. “I actually know that my achievement and the work I put into it is no less valuable than those who run faster – it’s just different,” Ms Dolton said. “But in my head I’m still like, but is it??”
The benefits of running at a ‘feel good’ pace
I usually walk about 13 and a half minute miles. In long races I often run much slower. I also run using the Galloway method:, which strategically includes walking breaks. Founded by Olympic marathon runner Jeff Galloway in the early 1970s, his run-walk-run method has been shown in some studies to reduce self-reported fatigue and muscle soreness. Running has also been a pleasure for me.
Over the years, I’ve learned that, like body acceptance, tempo acceptance can come by shifting our focus from external statistics and the perceived judgments of others to how we actually feel about ourselves. As Mr Evans of the Slow AF Run Club put it: “Pace acceptance is body acceptance and body acceptance is pace of acceptance.” When we compare ourselves to others, Dr. Justin Ross, a clinical psychologist in Denver who specializes in the mental health and performance of athletes, we put ourselves on the point of suffering. Instead, “the real psychological benefits come from enjoying what your body can do,” he said.