Thunder Thighs

I have them.

I recently posted this unflattering picture on my Charles 12 Race Report.

10 years ago, I would have rather died than let anyone see a picture like that. My self worth was unfortunately based on my size. Not my abilities. Not my sense of humor. Not my intelligence.

But now, I find humor in sharing terrible photos. Because we are human. We’re not made to look the same, and that’s the beauty of this species.

I saw something on Pinterest that made me laugh recently – it said something like There’s no such thing as a bad picture. Sometimes you just look like that. Isn’t that the truth?

So I’ll never have size 0 thighs. I also have broad shoulders. And weirdly big hands for my size. A long neck. A big forehead.

What I love about running, is it gives me confidence. Those thunder thighs got me a BQ last fall. They’ve carried me thousands of miles over the past 12 years, and I’m so thankful for that. Running helps me forget my other insecurities, because really, there’s nothing you can do to change broad shoulders. Or big hands. Or anything else you’re born with. I care more about what my body is capable of than what it looks like, and I feel sad for people that don’t yet think that way and appreciate the marvel and intricacies of the human body.

What has running given you?