Monday, May 16, 2011

Let's do it: Let's Talk Racing... Hefty Horse Style

Well, I feel like I'm getting a little controversial here, but I want to talk racing Clydesdale/Athena style. Now, for my peeps that don't know what that is... (I too googled it last October when I first saw it on a race entry)... You can register just straight age/sex and some races offer Clydesdale/Athena divisions. To be a gal, Athena, you have to weigh over 140 lbs. Obviously, if you're like me and do... you resemble something robust and equestrian.

The last race I entered in this division was the Muddy Monster in 2010 and being the eternal optimist, I knew there was no way I'd ever place because... hello I start at the back and I never ever place.

But, I was 4th! 4th! It never occured to me that I could be 4th- even in the huskeroo division. When I saw that on my little ticket print out I thought, "WTF!? You could have ran harder than that!"

So, this Saturday I entered the Marion Arts Festival 5k in the Athena divison and I got pretty psyched until I looked up the winning Athena (ages 1-39) time from 2010...

21:27

Mfer. Well, I'm still on for Saturday and I'll be hoping the defending champ gets some sort of food poisioning... not the fatal kind of course... I'm not that cruel.

In the beginning I thought it seemed kind of unfair, but lets say the average skinny runner gal is 110-115... well I'm carrying a 50lb backpack... of course I'm slower, but I'm still out there... doing it. I guess I'll take any kind of running success wherever I can. Plus, being a person that was so much heavier (not all that long ago)... I am actually proud to say my weight...(166.5! Maybe 167 since I had outback for dinner!) a number most people would gasp at... you know why? It isn't obese. It isn't overweight and I feel and look wayyyyy better than I ever dreamed.

Anyway, I have so many svelte award grabbing runners on this blog... do you think the clydesdale/athena class is bs? Does it take away from your award glory?

Just curious.
PS: Thanks to my followers, new and old. It is just nice to be read and hopefully make a few people laugh.

xoxo,
falon
Posted by at 8:17 PM

3 comments:

  1. I was very confused the first time I saw the athena/clydesdale categories. I was thinking, "Wait... what? You race against horses?"
    I think it is a pretty solid concept and I don't think it takes away from the other awards at all.

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  2. I think it's a great category and hey--I've seen some ladies at 140 and over who are in WAY better shape than me and can stick kick my butt in a race. If anything, I'm jealous, ha!
    It definitely doesn't take away from other awards though.
    :)

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  3. love this post!! i posted about this when I first started my blog as well. At first I was embarrassed to admit that I qualified for that category...but now I am all about the point that I am out there running, staying healthy and getting in shape...that is what matters!! it definitely does not take away from the other awards at all! I think it is great!

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