Friday, April 13, 2018

Fitspiration for Older Runners

My friend Allie, who blogs at Vita Train for Life, recently wrote a post titled Fitspiration vs. Reality. She compared her recent workouts to some of those motivational aka "fitspo" memes meant to push athletes through tough workouts. You know the ones I'm talking about. There's usually an attractive, sweaty runner picture with a sassy, catchy mantra. Some of the fitness ones are quite provocative. I have a whole Pinterest board full of the running ones. 

Her post got me thinking. Do fitspiration memes encourage or discourage? Certainly, there are some that seem to be more harmful than empowering. For some of us "older athletes", many of the messages don't apply. I mean, come on! At this point in my life, I'll never attain "six-pack abs". That ship has sailed. My fastest miles are behind me. But that doesn't mean I don't want to push myself to my very best!

For today's post, I found a bunch of empowering fitspirational memes for older athletes. I also made a few of my own. Some are serious and some are snarky. After all, we can never take ourselves too seriously!!










































Tell me...are you motivated or discouraged by fitspo memes? What are some of the ones that you like? Dislike?

I'm linking up with the Friday 5 aka Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness.


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56 comments :

  1. Oh
    My
    Goodness!!!
    I LOVE the over the hill one!!!
    <3
    Perfect for my marathon training walks.

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  2. I really like these! Most of the ones I see on instagram just annoy me. I like ones with some humor that are more realistic.

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  3. These are awesome! I'm a fan of humorous ones, but any that imply working through pain or that pain is good suck.

    -MCM Mama

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  4. Your "Slow is the new fast" one is a.w.e.s.o.m.e. ;-) Yeah, my 6-pack abs are not happening either, and I'm alright with that (but you'll still never see me in just a sports bra...in pics or in public).

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  5. Ha - I love this! Oddly, as I've almost stopped running. Not entirely, but I'm now just running a couple miles 1 or 2 days a week and not racing at all. Mostly because of injuries and to preserve my hips. But, I've taken up tennis in its place and doing strength training 3 days a week, so still really active!
    So, what about those people that being forced to cut back due to injury in our advancing age?!

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    1. I did include that weight lifting grandma! Actually that is my all time favorite!

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  6. I love these! I agree w you that I feel like I will never get those 6 pack abs or run faster miles anymore. I guess I used to be discouraged by that but I've come to accept it. Slow is the new fast! My faves are the ones with you in them. You really are quite the inspiration from returning from adversity!

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    1. I'm so grateful that my doctor got me on the right medication. I sure wasn't ready to quit yet! or as Carla Birnberg says, surrender.

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  7. I like the ones that have a bit of humor or snark, but not ones that are condescending. Your over the hill one is funny.

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  8. I find most fitspo memes useless and even insulting, but these are awesome! Especially love the hill one. 🤣

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  9. I love these! I would be so happy if running and I can grow old together

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  10. I love all of these! I'm always so completely inspired by older runners. I can only hope that I'm still running when I'm 80+ years old!

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  11. I love all of these! It depends on my mood whether I can deal with some of the fitspo stuff. I know almost all of it is just fake. Most of the time I can just ignore it.

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  12. I am not into the fitspo inspiration memes at all. However, I love a good snarky one. I guess I like to laugh more than I need to be inspired?

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  13. I don't look at a lot of fitspo but when I see it, it does motivate me to workout!

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  14. Hehehe the over the hill one is so good!

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  15. You know I LOVE this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  16. Oh, fitspo makes me shudder...way too much of it veers into dangerous advice territory. Your version is much better!

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    Replies
    1. I think whatever gets you motivated or makes you laugh is a good thing!

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  17. These are awesome! Especially the first one and the one about wrinkles.

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  18. Go hard or go into the home...love that one!

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  19. I like the one...Someone older than you is running right now.

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  20. I find that some memes encourage but others are just not realistic and plain annoying. Yours are funny. Love them!

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  21. Aw! I love all these! Ida Keeling is totally my hero!

    I don't find the fitspo memes encouraging or discouraging, exactly. I'm pretty good at filtering out the stuff that is unreasonable, unattainable or unrealistic. The saying are usually fairly good, even if the photos are likely shopped, filtered and otherwise adjusted to be more "provocative."

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    1. When I was younger, I was all about why don't I have a flat stomach, etc. As I've gotten older, that stuff matters less but I think some of those fitspo memes can be harmful.

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  22. LOVED these memes. I got a little misty-eyed reading some of them. I want to be like the woman in the Christopher McDougal quote one, and of course, I especially loved the Katherine Switzer one. Great post!

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    1. I so want to be that older woman who is still running! That's the goal.

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  23. I like " someone who is older than you is running right now". It makes you realize no matter what stage of life you are in, you have few excuses!

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  24. I really like these, because I'm always looking for inspiration. Love the "over the hill already" one and all the running ones actually.
    Thanks for this post!!

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  25. It is hard to make things tight when you have knee arthritis. I want to get my legs tighter but it is hard. I have been cycling using a strength building program I found online. I hope it works.

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    1. Fighting through RA has made me open to all kinds of adaptations to training. When I'm feeling good, I can do more. That's all I ask.

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  26. I like the funny memes, and many I can relate to. It's the ones that put down groups that make me groan.

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  27. It’s so important to find joy in whatever we do. If we aren’t enjoying our time, then we’re likely to find excuses to not do something.

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  28. These are all great! I loved the first one, "Put me in a home and I'll put you in the ground." I read it at first as "on the ground," which would be totally appropriate, too. I suspect that lady could knock me down and keep me there!

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  29. I believe “there is no finish line” in fitness so I LOVE all of these!

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