Breaking Stereotypes With an Ultramarathoner
Vložit
- čas přidán 20. 02. 2018
- After suffering health complications, Mirna Valerio knew she needed a change in lifestyle. She dedicated herself to fitness and has spent the past eight years running marathons and ultramarathons across the state of Georgia. With every race, she’s on a mission to challenge assumptions about what it means to be a runner.
SUBSCRIBE: goo.gl/vR6Acb
#running #ultramarathons #fitness
This story is a part of our Human Condition series. Come along and let us connect you to some of the most peculiar, stirring, extraordinary, and distinctive people in the world.
Got a story idea for us? Shoot us an email at hey [at] GreatBigStory [dot] com
Follow us behind the scenes on Instagram: goo.gl/2KABeX
Make our acquaintance on Facebook: goo.gl/Vn0XIZ
Give us a shout on Twitter: goo.gl/sY1GLY
Come hang with us on Vimeo: goo.gl/T0OzjV
Visit our world directly: www.greatbigstory.com
“Running makes me feel like I’m at my most human self,”
This. I’m constantly told I don’t need to run, having been slim my whole life. But what people don’t understand is it’s not about losing weight or even staying fit. I feel most human when I’m running. Sweaty and with aching body yes, but all the more human for that.
Keep running lady, and I’ll keep doing the same. Sending you love all the way from Malaysia. xx
You need to try LSD
You probably dont care at all but does anyone know of a trick to get back into an Instagram account..?
I was dumb lost my login password. I appreciate any tips you can give me
@@ricardo_valadez L junkie take.
I'm glad you run. I just disagree with the message of this video.
jbt me too
im just curious...wut you disagree
It must be black history month
jbt She talked about how most of the runners were white males. They're mostly white because, I guess not many women or black people join those races, its not some 'glass ceiling' thats causing this. Also how is she breaking the mold, shes just running, if people think fat people don't run and just eat that's fat peoples fault. They must be eating and not running for people to think that.
jbt me too man
100k! I can barely finish the mile at school.
Reddolphin6366 well friend u should think about getting in shape
Reddolphin6366 q
•_• i walk *short run* walk *short run* walk *short run* and somehow survive
Its because you are dolphin dude
Reddolphin6366
Same... fastest I’ve ever done is a 9 minute mile.
She came to my school and she was such a sweetheart and she has such a great heart she’s such in inspiration to everyone!
I was there too --- and there was a lasagna that one of the parents brought. That was supposed to be for like 20 people, and she ate 1/2 of it! It was very rude. If you eat like that, not matter how much you run, you will still be fat.
Her: When i arrive at the track im breaking the mold because im black
Me: Arnt all the best runners black?
Eoin O’Brien got em she is just seeking a bit of more attention...that's what average people do
Mmmmn sheeeee aaaaaa she good
In every single discipline of running blacks athletes dominate
SkeleMann ever heard of Kenyans and Ethiopians??
SkeleMann
Fucking idiot lmao
I really do not understand why people in general have to knock down others personal experiences.
I respect her drive and dedication. That's a separate issue from remaining fat since 2011 AND promoting it as healthy- That's irresponsible.
Most of them are insecure and miserable and get a minor self esteem boost by throwing others under the bus imho
She does the same thing. fatgirlrunning-fatrunner.blogspot.com/2016/05/
Out of jealousy or insecurity in themselves
Deluded experiences
I love that she’s doing it for herself and not to look a certain way.
So inspiring!! Keep it up girl!
I have run 7 marathons. I'm a little bit heavier (at least for a long distance runner) and let me tell you, I regret not losing weight before those races. It takes a toll on your body when you're carrying around all of that extra weight (I'm 6'0", 210 male). I have now lost weight (Down to 180) and feel A LOT better running. Also, there are plenty of females that run long distance, probably more than males to be honest, and last I checked, plenty of black people run long distance too.
TLDR; being fat and running long distance is not good for your joints. Being black and a female doesn't mean anything.
redman777ful what do recommend someone who weighs 300 pounds do? I’m trying to cut coke and junk food. I was thinking about walking/jogging 10,000 steps a day. Would that be a start?
@@stephfo Your focus should be on nutrition. Eat low-calorie dense unprocessed food in a significant caloric deficit. Then you think about sports, which would of course be a great step, just counting steps is a great idea. Don't do anything drastic though, the risk of injury at that weight is far too high for exhausting exercise. Lose a bit of weight first then start working out seriously. Good luck
What does being black have to do with this?
In american it is assumed most fat people are black women...duh!!
Pixel Fyxe damn you fucking stupid.
TheBubonic Plague ,yeah! Black people are very talented and competitive.I adore black people whom inspire me to go on sports inspite of my age.
It's about her. And she's black. That's what it has to do with this.
Pixel Fyxe are you kidding. Look at the top runners look at football, and every other sport. Nice try
Why are most of the running shots slow-mo? 🤔
jbt they arent in slow motion, thats her normal running.
LoganHex 😂😂
Go and run a damn ultramarathon then, even time lapse wouldn't make much of a difference
To get the jiggle in full quality
you try and run an ultra marathon with a stride like Usian Fucking Bolts
There is a huge variance in individual bone density, physiology, recovery ability, muscle fiber allocation, neurological health, skin composition and thickness etc. Most people will never be able to run an ultramarathon let alone a regular marathon. In this woman's case, her accomplishments are awesome, but she is obviously eating large amounts of high calorie, higher fat content food and that is why she hasn't lost much more weight. She has a ton of muscle, but also a great deal of fat. Just dropping another 20-30lbs would remove tons of stress from her joints which in the next decade if she doesn't change will force her to stop running.
HermannTheGreat Well said.
In general it is better for her to exercise more while eating more than to just lose weight. We all have different priorities.
Wrong, most people can run a Marathon with adequate training but choose not to. An ultra marathon is technically any distance above a Marathon so that is also possible for most people.
I'm actually curious as to what is actually going on. Whenever I needed to lose weight, I always ran. But that's when I'm healthy aka not taking any over-the-counter pills. I have found that, some pills, will make you gain weight whether you exercise or not. I don't think that's her situation though.
I agree with HermannTheGreat that she is consuming high caloric amounts. Her body is strong, and I'm sure her bone density is superb but if you run a lot, you're burning a lot of calories. She could have a thyroid issue for all we know but the fact remains, if you're running that much, you should be losing weight.
Not to mention, losing that extra weight makes you a better runner i.e. every professional world class runner that has ever broken a world record.
I think the plus sizer runner thing needs to be rethought. If you can run that much, why not lose the extra weight?
You list all those reasons some people can't run, but you assume she hasn't lost weight for one reason.
Sorry if you're a different person by now, i just had to say that.
I’m reading “Born to Run” & so glad I came across your story! You’re an inspiration & amazing, real example of the Tarahumara spirit 👌🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
you’re never last... what you are is an inspiration to a lot of people... i could only wish to run a 100k race #respect ... you’re a true athlete
Lovely video and love that she's pursuing running for the love of it and not to look a certain way.
Coz it's clearly not working right
Already of people that actually run dont do it for the body it gives(literally makes you a stick) but for the amazing sport that running is
For the love of it or to challenge assumptions like she said?
What an inspiration. Thank you for sharing this!
Bravo! Thank you for living out loud and letting your lights shine!
The respect I have for this woman is real. Keep doing what you are doing Mirna Valerio!!!!
I love how all the comments are bagging on her weight lol, like you still missed the point, did you even listen to what she said? She's not asking you to "agree" with her weight (as many of you phrase it), she's showing people that your weight doesn't define you, you can still be strong and chunky. And as an overweight black woman myself, I've always wanted to run since I was in middle school and figured "it isn't for someone like me", and I found her story incredibly inspiring. She's not out there to beat records, she's out there for herself, and I love that.
Amen. This white girl finds her inspirng as hell. 14 years ago I had all but 4 bones of my back fused together. 2 years ago I lost my thyroid to cancer, and a year and a half ago I had a hysterectomy. I am not thin anymore by any stretch of the imagination. I can count and restrict calories until the cows come home- Im never going to be skinny again. But this past year I managed to break out of the 5Ks, and do my first 10 miler, 3 hour race, and my first trail half. I do it to be healthy, and to help control my weight, and to prove to myself that I can. I don't get why people have to be hateful. Im willing to bet that the majority of the people on here who are being nasty little trolls can't do anything close to what she does.
I applaud that, however, I think the main issue most people had with this video (including myself) is that it brings up race where there is no need to bring it up. Black or white, red or blue, skin doesn't matter here. This should be a wholehearted discussion over making a healthy society, but instead they made it a race issue. You and Blair brought to the comments what wasn't in the video. A neutral approach with a positive message. That is not to say that the message of the video was entirely negative, but it was uncalled for and in many ways incorrect- many if not most of the best runners in the world are black men and women. I agree, weight doesn't define you entirely, but I believe it's your approach to your life (and the proponents included in that: diet, exercise, outlook...) that define you. Weight and moreover body type is often times seen as the culmination of those efforts and therefore a common lens through which you see a person.
Exactly, you're spot-on! And I love your story, you've been through a whirlwind and you keep on fighting sis!
Idk your race Keegan, but every minority wishes that race wasn't ever an "issue," but this is not the world we live in. Even here in my city of hippie-vegan-land, CA, I've had someone shout the N word from their car at me this month as a walked to my bus in my scrubs. And when you're the only "kind" in a sea of one specific other "kind," it's a lonely feeling, and you will be singled out, even if no one intended that, it's human nature to group up with people that look like you. Besides, I was referring to the comments saying "being fat is still bad she's telling a bad message." Anywho, I'm up for intelligent convos, cheers friend.
You're right, there's no need to be rude and she's a cool lady, but I don't think all comments regarding her weight were necessarily meant to be mean. Like someone brought up her joints, and the stress and wear a higher body mass could cause on them, which is true. Of course, some people are just pointing out her weight to make fun of, which is not cool.
I needed this video today🙌🏾🤞🏾🙏🏽
Thanks for sharing this story! You go Mirna!! 👍👍
I respect her hard work but if she runs so much and judging from the video her diet doesn’t seem too bad how is she still overweight?? Does she have a medical condition?
No, I don’t think she does she would have to eat excessive amounts of food and she may not actually run that much, but most of the stuff in this video was a lie.
People in the comments are salty because they haven't done 9 marathons lmbo
These the type that even when a big person is exercising, they still make fun.... meanwhile they're sitting on the couch.... not having done 9 marathons.
Maybe cus that's not what they want to do in life, what do you do?
RhodainChristJesus I don't run marathons- because they SHORTEN LIFE SPAN.
I also CHOOSE to not be fat- because it SHORTENS LIFE SPAN.
I can beat her, and you and all of both your families n friends, at running 5ks AND fifty other sports and activities.
I respect her work and dedication- but the promoting of REMAINING fat, which she, along with these "media" sources have done since 2011, is extremely irresponsible.
Unless she improves her health- This will not end well.
Thomas Britton "Maybe that's not what they want to do in life"
Maybe they should also consider not pointing fingers with a log in their own eye
Rusty Sanders
All I hear is "I can do this... This... And this... And even though I don't know her personally or why exactly she's still big, I'm clearly better and qualified to give my unrequested opinion". Okay that was harsh. Idk how anyone that active could not lose weight except they have a medical condition or their diet isn't right. She did say her doctor told her to make changes and she did so...We just don't know and it's not okay to judge someone face value. The point of the video is, even if you don't look like the stereotypical runner, don't be afraid to get started. You can still be big, be in the process of loosing weight, and be active. Perhaps she was even bigger before and lost to get to this point, you never know.
There's a line between promoting obesity/unhealthy choices as the end all, and being comfortable enough to walk outside with your weight, and with that self love, start making changes bit by bit. I'm rambling.
I just wonder how she has done them, im not fat and ive ran 1 marathon and the last 10km are really hard
Absolutely! You are beautiful! Thank you for sharing your story! 💚💚💚
You are amazing! You are an inspiration to many! Keep running
This video should be in buzzfeed channel
Rodrigo Citon Buzzfeed didn't make the video.
no shit! really?
I mean it is bad right?
Eoin O’Brien yeah! As a load of cancer.
Yh ik...
*Because it's so bad.*
From a fellow ultra runner and 20+ finishes under my belt, you are AWESOME and always welcome in the ultra community. Keep on going and hope to see one day at a race!
Much respect to you girl, so very proud of you..inspired, God bless you.
Thank you!🙌🏼 you are amazing!
Okay listen up. I have been obese from 7-18 years old. I used to be obese, and still working on it today, there is nothing to be proud of being fat. Be proud of your being as a whole, but don't tell children it's okay to grow up fat. It simply isn't okay. Its unhealthy and irregular.
Male and White dominated sport? Disregarding all the olympic sprint/marathon runners who are black? I grew up watching the olympics seeing mostly black people and that was okay with me. Why? Because they were simply great at it.
I commend this woman for getting off her feet making a change, but it's as if shes purposely staying obese to be this idol for fat people everywhere. You can be healthy and retain some amounts of fat, but you cannot be healthy and obese. She lost a lot of credibility though when she tried to claim more victim points by bringing race and gender into it.
*Don't make fun of fat people trying to make a change, make fun of them when they try to push a propaganda*
Who said its okay to grow up fat? Did she even say that in the video?
Yes, local long marathons can be white dominated... isn't that somewhat of a different setting than training for the olympics? lol.
RhodainChristJesus She's been doing this since 2011. She's still fat. She DOES mention her fatness constantly. She DOES pretend being fat is okay. That is an irresponsible message.
That's all a separate issue from the dedication n all that.
yikes
Calm down, Mary. Go eat some granola.
Leng Thao I see what you're saying, but evidence of her lifting weights and eating a healthy diet would suggest she is trying to lose that fat. But I understand your perspective and point.
i am a thin person and people think i dont eat at all but the fact is i eat more than all my friends..by all i mean ALL MY FRIENDS..
GAME FEVER SP you have a good metabolism. That's lucky :0
Homeboy8227 Or cancer and a tape worm.You need to be more responsible with medical advice.
GAME FEVER SP Same here i eat around 2800-3200 calories a day and thats alot of food mostly whole foods.Run,walk,bike ride 7 days a week.I eat to be more active.Starvation doesnt make/create athletes.Some days i swear i cant eat one more bite,but i know if i dont i wont have the energy to do what i do.I am 6ft woman and weigh between 136-140lbs.
GAME FEVER SP same here ikr
Count how many calories you eat everyday because I’ve know people who say that and then when they count there eating only like 1500 calories a day
Yes, we do need to see you. Very inspirational 👍🏾 Thank you
You have inspired me. Thank you.
Girl I am like you . I am a big dude who loved to run , then life happened and I’m 300 lbs . I miss the feeling after the hurt on mile one , and you get in a zone and just want to run forever . I feel inspired . Thank you great video .
My track coach loves her, she is an huge inspration for her, i love running and crosscountry and my track coach ALWAYS puts me in running events, me being a thicker girl (13 years old) she pushes me to my limts to acheive my dreams😊
I love that for you. I wish I had a coach like yours.
So much respect for her
Wow! This inspires me to get out and do more...thank you!
Disregard Kenyans and Ethiopians, it's a white dominant sport.
Gonzolives420 so just ignore the winners...lol...its a sport with lots of white participants
Gonzolives420 a lot of sports are... The other two major groups are Asians and Latinos, and both groups are shorter on average, also are mostly new immigrants so they don't worry about sports as much.
Lol i was just thinking that, white males pale in comparison to the Ethiopians and Kenyans in major competitive races
Gonzolives420 The American bubble a it’s finest
How many Kenyans do you see travel to America to run in small marathons?
She has been doing this for years. That’s amazing. I just don’t understand how she hasn’t lost a lot more weight in those years?
Too many borgors in the belly.
(She probably is one of those people who can’t lose weight easy.)
To lose weight you need to eat in a calorie deficit. If she’s maintaining her weight it means she’s eating at maintenance
Endomorph body type - for woman who are endomorphs we lose weight really really slowly. I believe it's part of the human design that there be a percentage of men and woman who put on weight fast (for times when there's plentiful food) and lose weight slowly when there is famine. In a situation where the survival of a group means that someone needs to have reserves so that they can still function, hunt, gather food and nurse babies. I am an endomorph. I experimented once by fasting on nothing but water for 40 days and lost 5kg. Within 2 weeks of normal healthy eating I put that back on and more.
@@MELODYMUNRO it doesn’t matter what your body type is if you eat in a caloric deficit you will lose weight the reason you probably gained weight back was because you didn’t track your calories and made sure you were eating under how much your body burns in a day
Just Beautiful.
GREAT inspiration.
Congrats to that woman for her perseverance, dedication and accomplishments! Although Being fat and running are two things that counter each other! I've been overweight for all my childhood and the first years of adolescence and now that I've lost 33kg I joined my father's sport, running! When you run each step carries multiple times your body weight,and multiply that with all these step you take...What I mean is that it is not practical to be obese and run marathons and ultras!Also an athlete has to focus on health,and since I don't want to speculate on her diet, being obese itself puts you in a clinical risk ! Let's not forget perfomance. You can't run a 2.30 marathon when you are that heavy!I am still a few kg overweight and can definitely feel it when running. When you dedicate yourself to this sport being light is a priority! Anyway hope the best for her,good luck and even greater runs!😀🤗
alright so I agree with what she's doing, but it's bullsht. It's not white dominated, it's not male dominated. My dad is an ultra marathon runner (up to 160km, 100 miles), and the best races are woman and people of colour mainly. Also don't make being fat a thing which you can be proud of, sure love your natural features and figure, and everything that is natural. But for fuck's sake, don't pride something that's unhealthy, it's a terrible thing to show young people
Exactly! Don't be ashamed of who you are, but at the same time, strive for something better. And slim *is* better than fat.
I don’t l know I feel like she is probably at a healthy weight right now if she’s been doing marathons, working out, and eating well for years. Slimmer doesn’t always mean healthy, it is about your lifestyle.
I agree that running isnt white or male dominated...but you people are doing exactly what she sets out to disprove. She is fat but she is NOT unhealthy. THERE ARE DIFFERENCES. Strong people look fat but they are all pure muscle...thats the point of the video. She looks fat but inside she is healthy
Muhammad Raiyan I'm assuming you or someone you know is grossly overweight. I lost 70 pounds after my father died and let me tell you fat is *not* and *cannot* be healthy.
Oscar King couldn’t agree with you more
Lmao it’s not very white and male, maybe male but more than half my track team is black
Young Metro she’s actually right. Long distance running is a typically white sport. Yes, Black people dominate track but not cross country.
Jeanette I’m distance and half my distance team is other than white
Jeanette So what if they dominant it, its not racism its just other races not doing it often.
Young Metro track and ultra marathons are two very different thibgs
Jeanette nobody stopping black people or woman from running stop being the victim blame yourself
Incredible!! You are amazing, girl!!
Love this!
This is so beautiful❤ I'm so happy that she's inspiring so many people!! I hope that many people see this video and even if they don't comment, I hope they take something to heart. Thank you for breaking the mold!!
i have never seen a black woman who could not participate in a marathon because of her skin color or her gender
Missing the point
Noelle Bazinet She made the point, tho, didn’t she?
She said there is very few. It’s like what if America was portrayed as just a white country and you never saw any other race on tv. Then u finally come to America and ur surprised to see a whole bunch of different looking people. It’s unexpected and she wants to change that
She never mentioned that she couldn’t participate......
Me too
This is truly inspiring
I'm happy that you are comfortable in your skin and have set goals for yourself.
It's up to you if you want to lose weight or not.
You shouldn't lose weight for others, but for yourself.
Keep on doing what you do!
I like this, my dad is also overweight from drinking and he is also a Ulta runner who has ran countless marathons and 5 50miles and is currently training for a 100mile race. We relate to this👍
This is a good message, set your mind to something and try one step at a time!!
Love this channel! 🙏🏻💃
Running that much, I'm surprised her body didn't lose more weight. When your body adapts to running, it literally wants to lose pounds to become lighter and easier to carry. Its hard (and still is) for me to keep weight on when I train for marathons, so this just baffles me, not in a negative way, but more like an awe-inspiring way. I'm not judging her or discrediting her, but in fact, give her more credit for reaching those achievements, as well as loving her own-self in the process.
That's so cool!!!!. Keep it up💫
You're my hero! I want to run marathons and I assumed that I had to wait until I lost a lot of weight. I am so motivated!
She seems to have plateaued at 6-7 hour marathon times, which is basically a shuffle.
Rather than making this a story of perseverance about how she has defied the odds by running while fat, I'd be more impressed watching her lose the weight and pushing for faster and faster results.
You're inspiring. Well done.
I love this!!
I'm waiting for the comments to get disabled
I think what she’s done is amazing, but the main worry about her weight is not because of appearance but because of safety. When one runs over a marathon, you are putting a tremendous amount of force into each step. The higher the weight, the more force is being applied. If more weight is being applied over an extended period of time it puts one’s hips, knees, and other body parts under more stress than they should undergo. But I believe most runners who run at a marathon/ultra marathon level understand their bodies capabilities, so this message is directed more towards up and coming runners.
AMAZING!!! You are a warrior!!
Such an inspiration!
You GO GIRL 🤗🤗
C&K YT vlogs Are you accusing her of going to McDonald's and Taco Bell too much? What are you trying to say?
she's gonna ruin her knees and die young
Go ruin your joints and lie about obesity?
So how this appears to me is that she just IS large. If you run, and you eat well, and you work out all the time, how can you say that it's not a fit person?
Right!
Maybe she eats too much that's all, we didn't get to see her diet :(
If she has a metabolism issue it would have been told. and still if you have a metabolism issue the fix is the same. EAT LESS or just eat less calorie dense foods.
Jess Kitchen She's not a fit person. She's very unfit and very unhealthy. Running at her weight will damage her body in the long-term, especially with that poor form. Why do you think she eats well? Because you see her roasting vegetables?? How do you know that she isn't eating junk half of the time? Anyway, how much you eat is more important than what you eat. One thing is a fact and her body is evident to this: she's eating way too much - that's not eating well. Eating too much causes the energy (from food) the body hasn't used to be stored as excess fat. Too much fat in the body impedes the body from functioning normally (she's jogging, not running) and puts the person at risk of multiple health problems. No "metabolic disorder" causes 50lbs of excess fat, let alone 250lbs. But guess what the solution is, bayougrande b!? Moving more and >>eating less.
people with these genetic problems are still unhealthy, it just snt their fault.
I LOVE THIS!
Wow...great job.!!.proud of you
As a thin 60 kg male who has only done two half-marathons (21.1 km) and have always suffered leg cramps and felt light headed after finishing, I give her my absolute respect for doing ultramarathons (>42.2 km). She's definitely fitter than me, however much she weighs on a scale.
If lightheadedness is the issue and not your muscles, take a better look at dieteric preparation for a run.
You could probably finish the races if you do the same paces as she does aka 15-20+min mile which is basically walking. Lightheadness could be nutrition base, you probably don't have enough cals/carbs for that type of run
+xCRiPPLESx
Ah, yes. I forgot to mention the muscle cramps which magically appear as the finishing line comes into sight =)
Honestly, I've never seriously prepared for these races. Very little training-wise. No preparations dietary-wise. I was just guzzling the 100Plus energy drinks available at drink stations while trying to not drink too much so that stomach cramps won't decide to make an appearance.
+Jay J
I did switch between very slow jogging and walking quite a few times to finish both HMs, but still, even if you told me at the finishing line that I could just walk another 21.1 km to get an FM medal, I don't think my mind is (/was) strong enough to do it ^~^'
I don’t think foot races have a racial divide lol. Majority of the population isn’t black so it makes sense to not have half the runners to be black
GuidedPrism 0w0 *Notices Buldge* yes, so she is saying that the majority of ultra marathon in runners are white, a fact in the United States at least. she isnt attacking anyone
Dawid Krysiak She was simply stating a personal observation. She, unlike most others, is actually doing something about it though.
She doesn’t run track she runs long distance
But the BEST runners are black. When you imagine a real legendary track and road superstar you instantly imagine him or her black. Fact.
Most track runners switch to Long distance running after their mid 30s... that's where the real money is.
Thats awesome what she is doing. You'd think after watching this video and hearing some of her story people would see where she is coming from and be more understanding and supportive. It seems as though a lot of people have missed the big picture, because instead of focusing on why she running and the stereotypes she is trying to break, their asking questions like, "why are all the running shots in slow-mo?". Which is ironic because in doing so, they don't realize that comments and attitudes toward her of that manner are partly why she continues to run.
Good job keep it up!
Thank u for sharing ur story. It encouraged me to continue running despite how big I may be. 👊🏽
I'm just imagining how good of a runner she'd be at 80 or sounds pounds lighter 🤔!
Just found this. You Rock!
I’m turning 50 this year and I weigh 300 pounds. I have a lot of trouble breaking through my own self barriers that have gotten me to this place.
I see you girl and you inspire me. ❤️
I am an ultra-marathon runner. While ultra runners come in all shapes and sizes, most are male, most (except for races in Africa) are white. The elite runners usually look like skin and bones, the rest of us are normal, ranging from skinny to overweight. Other than the elites, ALL ultra runners will walk from time to time, some more, some less.
I challenge any of you who disparage Ms Valerio to lace up a pair of shoes and run an ultra. Something short, like 50km. The come back here and tell us how you feel about her achievements.
I take my hat off to Ms Valerio. I admire her determination and perseverance, and also her sheer physical stamina. She works damn hard for her achievements, and stands as a role model to us all.
I just read her book and it is very inspiring!! Go Mirna!!
This is awesome!
Very inspiring!
Why can't everyone be like her? Taking control of their life health. Eating a proper diet, weightlifting to build muscle, running to improve cardiovascular function, what more can you ask for than that? Ive never run more than a 5k but I'd run a marathon with that women!
This left me kind of confused. Was she way more overweight before and now is on her journey to a healthier life? Or does she have an actual medical condition stopping her weight loss? It just seems impossible that someone would be able to do this much exercise and stay at her weight.
Courtney she's just eating massive amounts, and likely seriously underestimating exercise done. No mysteries here at all. Every fat woman in the world who whines that she has no idea how she can still be fat is making the same mistakes. There are no medical conditions that make a person morbidly obese without them eating a ton more than they need. It is always a matter of diet. No exceptions.
This article sort of touches on it from the website: rw.runnersworld.com/selects/ultra.html
It sounds like whatever her health complication may be, it appears there's just a certain point where she wasn't able to lose more weight.
It doesn't matter she's awesome
Her set point must be very very high
the amount of fat cells in your body can only increase and never decrease, so when you loose weight they just decrease in size but the same amount is still there. therefore she has a lot of fat cells in her body that are probably already the smallest they can get
You are amazing!
I LOVE THIS VIDEO!!!!
Wait, did she open with the claim that runners don’t like black folks? I’m calling bullshit.
Running is not very male... Most runners are females, easy statistic to find. It may be largely white where you're from but here it's a huge mix of every culture... In fact I see more Asians then any other but that may just be my perception.
Well, the fastest runners are usually of color (especially from places like Kenya or Ethiopia)
So great!!!
Wow, so inspiring!
She runs ultra marathons... You couldn't if you tried... So shut up with your complaints about her size!
she never said how fast she did them tho... she said sometimes she comes in last
Drew Davis And how fast is your time for running an ultra marathon?
she probably cheating and used a car 94% of the way lmao
Sher Thom Marathons and "ultra marathons" are not good for health and longevity. I leave that crap to stupid and uninformed people. Do some research.
Remaining fat is also unhealthy. You should research that, also.
you don't need to cite common sense
Go Mirna!!! You're awesome!
I loved this
Thank you!
So she runs. So what? She needs to be put on a pedestal because she just happens to have different attributes from an average runner?
Thoobster could you be more jealous?
Running with extra weight is hard. Ask a doctor.
skraddypoo Yeah, and so does being black right?
Thoobster 'So does black right?' Nice
I don't think, you need doctor for that and being fat is a choice.
this is satire, right?
Desolate I’m starting to think it is. This video is laughable.
Desolate I hope it is!
Derptrollz Why? I thought it was interesting.
Wow Mirna, you are a beautiful woman with a beautiful soul!! Thanks for sharing your wonderful story!
Thankyou for giving me courage
Get it girl!!!!
Maybe she should control her eating habits
Really inspirational
Shes amazing, shes such a motivation to people who are overweight and think that they have no chance to have a healthy lifestyle
great story and nice message, good on ya sister
I challenge everyone with negative comments to get out there and run a marathon or ultra marathon--see how your body reacts to the training and hard work. Then perhaps you might be able to comment with some sort of real understanding of just how tough she is and how freeing being strong and running long distances makes you feel regardless of your body shape.
Lynn Rough I did go out there and train and run a marathon. My body reacted by losing 60 pounds.
Great job Froggy Mama!!!
you are amazing!
good work, keep running :D xx