PLUS-SIZE WOMAN RUNS MARATHONS

Ragen Chastain weighs 288 pounds. She decided to “try a challenge and jump out of my comfort zone”, and ended up focusing on distance running. So she signed up for a marathon. Chastain also wanted to bring visibility to runners of different sizes. She saw a lot of people who started the marathon but didn’t finish it, and she was inspired by the idea of being plus-size and finishing the marathon. After completing a 20-week training program, Chastain successfully finished the Seattle Marathon. Now, she’s training to run an Ironman triathlon – a 2.4-mile swim and a 112-mile bike ride ending with a full marathon. She’s signed up for Ironman Arizona in November, and wants to continue pushing the boundaries of what is considered acceptable for women of her size.
* Now how are we supposed to make jokes about that?
* I’m always in favor of livin’ large.
* The marathons are okay, but it does take her body three days to stop jiggling.
* What if she loses a lot of weight in training? Does that defeat her purpose, or inspire it?
* As long as we’re breaking barriers, shouldn’t that be the IronPERSON triathalon?
* As Martin Mull used to say, I tried running, but the ice keeps falling out of my drink.