Comments on: Gosh, I’m sorry you don’t feel special anymore

By: Mnemosyne

Mnemosyne — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:18:34 +0000

But for a “vanity project”, I’d sooner pick on little miss white girl with her sugar daddy than self-made Oprah.

You would, but I don’t think you’re as interested in fat-shaming, with all of the cultural and racial baggage that entails, as this guy is. If his complaint is that fat people are coming in and ruining the races, skinny white girl Katie Holmes is welcome. Fatty-fatty-fat-fat Oprah is not.

By: tina

tina — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 15:06:14 +0000

Yes, I was thinking about the racist angle here, too. To “blame and shame” Oprah for having participated. At least he throws her a bone for “luring overweight novices…” - but I could do without that snarky tone.

Why didn’t he pick on Mrs. Scientologist, who ran in NYC this year?I guesss as a non-runner, I respect her having completed the course. But for a “vanity project”, I’d sooner pick on little miss white girl with her sugar daddy than self-made Oprah.

By: Zuzu

Zuzu — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 05:55:56 +0000

Oh, there certainly could be. Of course, the idea that a woman of any race could be pulling down the men’s marathon times is absurd. Plus, white women are still very much competitive in international marathoning (which could just be due to a lack of depth in the African women’s field at this point in time, plus the fact that a lot of black women who are involved in track are involved in sprinting).

It’s an angle I should have covered, but it wasn’t the most obvious one, which was basically: dude, what the fuck are you on about, since your math is totally wrong?

Also, given that a blond white American man had a better time on a harder course (more hills) in the US Olympic men’s marathon trials than the Kenyan winner of the NYC marathon a day later may have been a bit late for this guy’s deadline, but sort of blows a hole in his argument.

By: Ahistoricality

Ahistoricality — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 05:36:38 +0000

Hmmm. I was waiting for the other shoe, but you never dropped it. The strongest competitors in marathons in the last quarter-century, who’ve pushed out Americans as winners? Africans. Who’s he complaining about? The participation of an African-American woman. There couldn’t be a touch of racism in this complaint, could there?

By: Mnemosyne

Mnemosyne — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 01:38:34 +0000

They were “heirs both to the warrior mentality of their World War II fathers and the new consciousness of the 60s and 70s,” Tom Derderian] told author John Brant for the book “Duel in the Sun,” an account of the 1982 Boston Marathon, considered the last great American distance race.

Wow. That Tom Derderian guy sounds like a self-important douche. Or at least another victim of the Baby Boomer conviction that everything he did was The Most Important Activity Of All Time.

It’s running, dude. I’m sure it was fun, but it’s time to get over it.

(Not trying to bring the Baby Boomer Wars over here, but seriously.)

By: Jen

Jen — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:03:51 +0000

Y’know, you see that kind of shit at GYMS also. Certain chains–Crunch gym especially–are for the “beautiful people” and they make it pretty clear that if you actually NEED or WANT to go to a gym to loose weight, that you shouldn’t do it by fatting up their fashion show with exercise facilities. That’s one thing I LIKE about NYSC–you see all body types there trying ALL kinds of stuff.

Fuck elitism, especially in sports that are supposed to ENGAGE the public!

Oh yeah, from the Salon article:

“I just didn’t get it. After my knee injury, I’d returned to the 5K. I pushed myself into the pain zone, puked after races, and fought my way back down to 20 minutes — a far more satisfying feat than a four-hour marathon. I was doing all I could do, with what I still had. Yet here was a man whose legs would carry him 26 miles, and he was content to stop for walking breaks.”

Yes, because nothing is better for one’s health than deliberatley inducing joint injuries, and over-clocking your body until you puke from stress/dehydration/pain. Methinks Mr. Thing here has some overcompensating issues. You know, when I first started to go to the gym, the first thing my doctor said was “make sure that you feel a sharp pain in any joint that you work, start by deadlifting at least your body weight, and drink as little water as possible.” NOT.

By: Nomie

Nomie — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 20:34:04 +0000

See also: the assholes who decided that Fat Girl On A Bike wasn’t a real athlete despite the fact that she’s done triathalons and, last I heard, was gearing up for her first Ironman.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 00:07:42 +0000

P.S. Oprah is not responsible for your mile time.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 00:05:07 +0000

Dear elitist (fast) jerks who give running a bad name:

I am one of those slow runners. And my speed doesn’t impact yours.

I start races behind you.
I don’t cut anyone off whether fast or slow.
I don’t even draft off the faster runner in front of me (a person whom you probably think is destroying the sport).
I wouldn’t dream of blocking off the entire trail.
I will not be showing up at Boston or the Olympic trials anytime soon. Except maybe to hand out water and gawk.

Marathon record times continue to drop. More people are enjoying an activity that you and I enjoy. So, what’s your problem?

Love,
Jess

By: Feministe » Gosh, I’m sorry you don’t feel special anymore

Feministe » Gosh, I’m sorry you don’t feel special anymore — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 23:12:30 +0000

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