Are You Faster Than a Cow?

Okay, so did that get your attention? And so are you?


Nahh, I actually just wanted to post up a design a made for a local training group who took part in the Urban Cow road race.

But it got me thinking about runners coming in all shapes and sizes. At this point, can I make it VERY clear that in no way am I calling ANYONE a cow!! How about to even things out I’ll even go out on a limb and call myself a monkey because I have a huge mouth and when I smile, I generally look like this…

Now that we’ve gotten that aside, back on topic. Yes it’s true, that if you were to look at the Kenyans, Ethiopians, and other top long distance athletes many of them are lean. I will also say that when you’re running that many miles, the calories tend to get torched and any fat is burned right off.

BUT, that is not to say that if you’re a runner you have to be skinny. The reverse it true, just because you’re slender that doesn’t mean you’ll be an awesome runner. And I’d like to get away from the term skinny, models are skinny…what I call skinny-fat. They are soft, they don’t have muscle tone and sometimes when they walk they got the jiggle going on.

Models tend to be soft...courtesy of not eating or exercising...lol.

Runners can be lean; you’ll see the muscles flexing as they propel themselves forward, the tendons may show but you see them in action.

I’ve been wasted by runners who are still lean, yes, but they are larger than what one would typically coin ‘runner tiny.’ They may get power out of any extra junk in the trunk, their quads are not the same circumference as their calves and they are able to tear up mountains and blast a strong finishing kick.

I’ve seen runners who prefer to wear two sports bras because they are blessed with a chest and still able to throw down as many miles as the flatsy-patsie posse. Conversely, I’m not ashamed of my negative A status.

I know female runners who are able to bench-press more than the super lean runner guys…I also know runners who may have ‘chicken wings’ yelled at them but who are deceptively strong and could belt out push-ups like none other.

I have friends who have nicknames like ‘The Tendon’ or ‘Bone’ but I also have ones that love taking part in the Clydesdale Mile challenges.

We are the tiny masses, we are the larger clans, we are the lean, we are the muscular, we are the non-jiggly thighs, we are the ‘I can run more miles than you…na, na, na, na, na!’ armies, we are runners and we are proud.

We can all be faster than cows (of the bovine variety, remember I’m not calling anyone names here!)…because all we have to do is tip them over and sprint away. So remember, that no matter in what way, shape or form your awesome legs come in, just keep them moving and you are a runner…be proud of that status. 🙂

1) If you were an animal, what would you be?

2) What is one running related feat you are proud of?

3) What is one non-running accomplishment are you proud of?

4) How would you outrace a cow?