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Jennifer Smith.
Milner Valeria boarded Women’ The cover of running magazine.
When it comes to marathon runners, most people first think of a well-proportioned figure, but the reality is that there are also many "plus size" runners among the marathon runners.
For example, Jennifer Smith is one of them. In July this year, she completed the first full marathon in her life, and her weight was as high as 314 kg.
According to the running media "Runner’s world", Jennifer Smith’s weight once soared to 344 pounds after being in bed for a long time due to an accident, but with the determination and perseverance to get back in shape, she just stood on the runway again.
At present, she has applied for the Guinness World Record for "completing the heaviest female contestant in Malaysia". Her story is an inspirational example for all "plus size" runners.
Father looked at me in the sky.
On July 11th this year, at a marathon in Clinton, Iowa, USA, people saw a somewhat "special" figure at the starting point.
When the contestants and spectators saw Jennifer Smith’s figure, they were surprised. After all, it is hard to see such a "plus size" contestant in the whole marathon.
According to Runner’s world, Jennifer weighed as much as 314 Jin when she participated in this competition. In most people’s minds, such a figure is not a marathon, even if it is hard enough to run.
But Jennifer has created a "miracle".
In fact, this is Jennifer’s first time to run a full marathon. Before that, she only ran 8 miles. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before the starting gun rang, and she was already in the last place.
"When I finished 32 kilometers, I began to doubt whether I could finish it. The blisters are very painful, and I don’t know if I can persist. "
But just as she was approaching the limit, Jennifer said that she thought of her father who died of a heart attack last year — — It was her father who encouraged her to keep running and promised that if she wanted to run a marathon one day, she would go to the scene to cheer for her.
"He told me that I could do anything I wanted, so I looked up at a few clouds in the sky and I knew he was watching, so I couldn’t let him down."
In the end, Jennifer made it to the finish line. According to the rules of that competition, the runner who passed the finish line had to ring the bell, but Jennifer hardly had the strength to ring the bell.
"When I finally succeeded in ringing the bell, I was ecstatic. I didn’t feel pain at all, but I felt very excited. I used to doubt myself, but now I have done it. "
If I can do it, so can you.
Taking part in the whole marathon, Jennifer is not only trying to create a personal milestone, but also challenging a new world record.
Previously, the Guinness Book of Records recorded the weight of the fattest female runner in Malaysia as 261kg. Once the materials submitted by Jennifer are approved, she will set a new record and become the heaviest female marathon finisher in history.
In fact, limited by her physical ability, Jennifer also knows that it is difficult for her to finish the marathon with a closing time of 6-7 hours, so she deliberately found such an event without closing time.
In the end, her score was 11 hours, 50 minutes and 36 seconds, which was enough time for elite runners to run several marathons, but for Jennifer, it was a great victory.
In an interview with Runner’s world, Jennifer revealed that she had been injured while participating in roller skating in 2013 and had undergone two operations. Long-term bed rest and medication made her weight soar.
At the peak, her weight reached 344 Jin, and even it was difficult to walk. It was also at this moment that she realized that she could not go on like this.
At first, she could only walk+jog for exercise, and it took an hour and a half for 5 kilometers. It was not until last year that she finally broke the "big mark" of 5 kilometers and 1 hour.
Now, after successfully completing the marathon, she even has a bigger goal: to participate in the 50-kilometer race.
"I want to be an example and a positive person who encourages people to move forward." She said in an interview.
"Someone told me that they can’t run 5 kilometers, it’s too far. But I started by walking five kilometers in an hour and a half. If I can do it, so can you."
What should "big size" runners pay attention to?
Jennifer’s example is a great inspiration to many "plus size" runners. At her side, some family and friends also started running exercise because of her drive.
There are still many "plus size" runners who bravely stand on the runway like Jennifer.
For example, Susan Tommy Tam, a 50-year-old female runner from Denver, USA, once weighed 270 kg, but after running for more than a year, her weight was reduced to 138 kg, and she personally completed the half marathon from the first 5 km and 10 km.
Spanish female runner Milna Valeria started running when she weighed 270 Jin in 2008. Now she has lost more than 50 Jin, completed 9 marathons, 12 cross-country races and 10 ultramarathon, and published her own book, becoming a celebrity in local running circles.
However, before you start running, there are some things to pay attention to for those "big size" runners.
Don’t care about the ridicule from outside.
Do a good job in psychological construction before physical action. Although most people are friendly to "big size" runners, there may be a small number of people who laugh at "fat friends". The best way to fight back against these attacks is to insist on running.
Don’t worry, start with the basics.
Because of the overweight, it is difficult for "plus size" runners to challenge long-distance jogging as soon as they start, so it is more necessary to step by step. It is a good choice to start the training with a quick walk, and don’t forget to stretch and relax before and after running.
3. Strength training should be carried out besides running.
Compared with thin people, the weight of "plus-size" runners will have a greater impact on joints, so it is best to exercise the lower limbs and core muscles outside running to have stronger muscles to protect joints.
4. Select appropriate equipment, and check in time in case of discomfort.
In order to reduce the impact on joints, it is suggested to exercise on the plastic track and choose running shoes with shock absorption function, and check them in time if they feel unwell. If possible, the knee joint can be checked regularly to prevent the knee joint from being excessively damaged inadvertently. (The Paper reporter Pu Yulei Intern Bao Jun)