This post is springing from a very ignorant and kind of insulting comment someone said to me while I was working at my hotel. Where I work, a lot of my guests know me because they see me every week. They know I train for Spartan Race and other obstacle course races. They know I lift weights.
One night last week, a guest who so happens to be a man, overheard me catching up with a guest about my recent race. We talked about the course and what kinds of things I did to train for it (Miller Park). After our conversation was over and that guest left, this specific man who was listening in to our ever-intriguing conversation came over. He was interested to learn more about Spartan Race which I always welcome because, yes, I love to talk about it. All day. Every day. To anyone who will listen.
When the subject came up about how I train, he became rude. I told him about training with my trainer, lifting on my days without him and the running I’ve been picking up. Not only did he try to make me feel stupid because I’m still a slow 11 minute mile runner (I hate running so shut up!), but then he proceeded to say, “But you’re a woman. Why would you want to lift weights?”
Sigh. Seriously. That’s what this crazy person said to me. I waited for him to laugh because he was joking, right? Right? No. Not so much. He stared intently at me, waiting for me to answer his insulting question. God forbid a woman exercise where men go to get BIG! Yeah, this all coming from an overweight, older than middle aged man who has just has more than three glasses of wine and a bunch of fried food. All he lifts is his food to his MOUTH.
I’m not angry. Just kind of appalled that people still think like this. Women can’t lift weights. It’s weird. It’s unnecessary. It’s not womanly. They can’t handle it. They have no need for muscles. Hmmm …
Anyways – I wanted to say that I think all women should lift weights. Now that I have been doing it consistently for the last six months I can’t see myself at the gym without picking some up. Lifting weights helps build your muscles which helps increases the amount of calories you burn in a day. Even when you’re just resting. What woman doesn’t want that? And WHY, oh why would a woman not want to be strong? We live in a day and age where women are breaking out of the cookie cutter norms. Build some muscle, be active, lift heavy. Lifting those 5 pound weights will not do anything for you and lifting HEAVY will not make you bulky (it takes a whole LOT for that to happen). I’m tired of men AND women thinking it’s a strange sight to see a woman on a weight room floor. Get over it. We want to be fit, too! We want to be healthy. We want to be strong. Lifting weights is the way to do it.
I used to be awkward about being on the floor with the big boys but now, I feel untouchable when I go in there. I’m getting stronger and stronger every day. I’m lifting more at each fitness evaluation. I’m doing better in my OCRs. Next year, 2014, will be my year. I’ll be in the best shape of my life. I’ll complete two Spartan Race trifectas. I’ll be the strongest I’ve ever been. I’ll be up in the gym. A woman. Lifting.
The Baby Spartan 