I Run Like A Girl

The competitive runners handbook has a performance weight chart but only goes as low as 5'1". It says at that height, women should have a target weight of 105 and a good weight range is 95-116. It adds 2-3 lbs for each inch, so subtracting 3 lbs for you, so you should be between 92-114 for competitive running. It says my target sb 117 and my range is 105-129 (so I am in the range but not at the target, and it sounds about right for me).

Everyone has different body types though so don't be too strict on that. It is good to see you admit how tall you are truthfully - My wife is 5'3" and always trying to pull of another inch or more!

Yeah, the range is better than one number for sure.

A competitive runners handbook? Wow! What will they think of next! What would the ideal weight be for a 28 year old male runner? I am 6 feet tall and weight right around 170 pounds, is that considered obese according to the competitive runners bible?

Marcie, great job today! I really think you are ready to have a very good year in 08! Like I said earlier, you will have a hard time finding any weight to loose, maybe you could shave your head! (HaHa)! I also need to eat better, Sasha would really go off on me, if he looked at my diet. I should probley ask him to create one for me!

Seafood Diet is what works. I see food and i eat it! Good run this morning! Keep it up! Drink lots of water and Eat your basics. your weight will take care of itself. your running enough miles. Dieting and marathon training is not a good thing. your body needs the energy,and nutrition.

weight smeight I think if you feel good, look good, and run good you cares what you weigh.

Michelle- glad you have that handy book. I'm 5'1" and had the same question as Marcie. I know I need to lose weight this year, but its good to have a target (I'm currently...choke...126)

Can't believe I just admitted that on the blog..

Holy cow!

Christi - I put my weight down on the blog not because I am proud of it but because its my log of what's going on in my running, and weight is a component. When I was in the 140's it wasn't fun to admit. I was outside the range of my suggested weight by about 4 lbs when I ran St. George in 3:00:41, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. I would agree that weight takes care of itself if you eat like an athlete and train like one (you don't have to be perfect, but generally dedicated).

James-I'll let you know when I get home.

Sweet! I want to see how fat I am according to the running bible.

If you ladies go by BMI you are in the lower part of the healthy range, and that stat is based on you having 25-35% body fat. I'm pretty sure none of you ladies have over 35% body fat, so you are fine. Skinny!

Weight is very individual. E.g Steve Ashbaker is over 6 feet tall and weighs around 135-137 when he is in his best shape. I am only 5-10 and I weigh 145! My weight does not come down when I increase the mileage because there is no counterproductive mass to drop. I HAVE to weigh 145 until I fix my hip imbalance. I need to have large quads to run the way I do. If I were to stay I need to lose 10 pounds to have a more "ideal" weight, I would run slower and have poor health in general.

This is not to say that many runners do not have counterproductive weight. To find out if you do, at the very least you can start eating the good conscience diet - if your understanding of science or personal experience tells you a certain food in certain amount is detrimental to your body, do not proceed to eat it when given the opportunity. If you learn to view your eating experience through the lens of a wider focus that does a good job of including the consequences into the view, you will eat what is best for your body naturally. Consistent training helps develop that view. I learned to eat right by experiencing numerous very painful side aches in races and training runs, feeling dehydrated, feeling hampered blood flow as I tried to push the pace, hitting the wall in the marathon, and other negative experience when I did not eat right, vs. feeling like I had wings when I did. Those memories and experiences over the years have altered the sense of taste to where the food has to be of certain quality to taste good to me.

James, I have a copy of the Competitive Runners Handbook, if you want to borrow it sometime.

James - it says 144-173, or 158 for a one point target. So you are within the range (but a bad weekend might push you over so watch out!).

Sasha - it says your range sb 140-168 so you aren't fat either ;)

Hey, that is my kind of Bible. That means I have about 7 lbs. to spare, so I can still throw down some Brugers this weekend and be within range. I dropped down around 150 in September after having pneumonia, and hadn't been that thin since I was 16 years old. That is way too light for me, I felt weak. If I am between 160-170 that seems to be a good running weight for me.

I do not agree with the book. There are very many 6 foot guys that weigh in the 130s in their ideal shape, we even have two of those on the blog. On the other hand, I've never heard of an elite 5k and up runner that would be 5'10 and weigh over 160. This is not to say that a guy that tall that weigh that much should necessarily drop his weight to become a better runner. He might just have big bones, or naturally big upper body which is essential for his health, and distance running may not be his best sport.

Weight, how about the hottness factor. I remember someone mentioning wear short, shorts for guys, got the legs, show them off. With all the different charts, etc. maybe just a look in the mirror is the best indication.

as much as you run i wouldn't worry much about your weight. your body will get rid of the excess anyways. i am 6ft tall and i run about 175 when i am in full training and if i stopped running for 4 months i would still not weigh more than 180.

The hottness factor actually gets worse for women as they slim down, I think. I have lost all the curves I wanted to keep :(

Curves are the 1st thing to go--no fair!

Sasha,

I agree. Although I feel super skinny I look bigger compared to other runners like my Dad. Most really good distance guys are thinner. What I like is although I am not extremely good at distance running, and it may not be my best sport, I can play any sport. I am one of those guys that is decent at every sport I try, but not elite in any of them. This makes life fun, because no matter what my friends or family are doing I can participate and still be competitive. I call it well rounded. The day I lose so much muscle from distance running that I can't still bench 180lbs. might be the day I retire from competition.

Hey everyone thanks for all the great comments and advice! I guess I wont worry about my weight to much and base it more on how I feel! I am a pretty healthy eater but I do like my treats:) I will just try to be better on that.

and Brent, my legs are so short that even if I wore the shortest shorts possible they would still look long on me, sorry no hotness there!

I hear you about the short legs, Marcie! I'm 1/2 an inch taller than you, and capris are more like cropped pants on me, and bermuda shorts are capris! :)

I love seeing other shortys on here. I hoped I would make 5'1" someday, yet to happen. 5 nothin is where I live.

Laura-I never could find running pants that fit so I started my cropped ones and they are the perfect length.

Bethany-5 nothin is great! I love that I am not alone!

sorry laura just notice that comment made no sense,it was supposed to say " I started buying cropped pants."

I hate running with all my tall friends because they can wear the short shorts if I wear the short shorts my inner thighs rub together. That is one area for me that I was cursed with from family genetics. My husband always tells me I can keep running as long as I don't lose the junk in the trunk.