Badass Is Beautiful

Katherin Switzer, Mary Barra, Hilary Clinton, Grethe Rask, Jane Hodgson. A lot of these names, with the exception of Hilary Clinton, a lot of us may not know.  I’m not going to lie, I googled 2 of them.   Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, and the too famous Kim Kardashian.  The first group of women actually did something beneficial for women and continue to do so, while the others are just ridiculous.  Jane Hodgson, she was the first doctor ever convicted for performing an abortion. High five for standing up for womens right.  Miley Cyrus, humped a foam finger onstage, congratulations.  Katherin Switzer, the first woman to compete with a number in the Boston Marathon, 5 years before women were officially allowed to compete in it.  Race officials actually tried to remove her mid race.  Poor man just wasn’t up to par with her physical abilities.  Selena Gomez, Grammy winner?  More like lip synchs to computer made songs.  Mary Barra, first woman CEO of any major auto company.  Given I don’t think she’s doing the best job, but she got there.  Grethe Rask worked as a surgeon in the Congo and set up her own hospital village.  Could you imagine the monster size mosquitoes that woman had to fight off.  Kim Kardashian, she released a sex tape, and not a very good one.  My social media was full of pictures of her very fake and photoshopped ass.  I don’t see a lot of post of Diem Brown, she lost her battle with cancer at 32.  #cancersucks.  Now, if Kim Kardashian wants to strip down to her birthday suit for everyone to see, that’s her choice.  Actually, more power to her…I’ve never really been a fan of pants either.  The issue is this is what our society chooses to glorify.  Ms. Kardashian was very proud of her ability to balance a champagne glass on her back side.  Girl, put that away.  If I had a daughter, I wouldn’t want her thinking that’s something she could put on a resume or thinking that was an actual skill.  I can probably balance a beer bottle on my pudge, that’s nothing special.  Instead of putting the spotlight on women who are actual role models, we teach young girls that twerking on stage is the way to go in the life…and then wonder why they end up strippers.  We glorify stupidity, image, and fat asses (with the exception of Miley) as examples of what they should strive for.

I will tell you this, I’m grateful for women like JLO and Kim for giving thick women the confidence to be thick women.  When I was a teen, sexy was a pale and very skinny size zero.  I was of the thick Cuban genes , with tanned skin, and black hair…that wasn’t going to happen.  I was never really comfortable in my own skin until society said, hey it’s ok to be thick.  Sad, I know. But now you have to have a thick bottom, with a thigh gap, and teeny tiny top.  You know what, screw that and every shape women are supposed to fit.  My cankles aren’t going anywhere, my thighs will always be a little (or a lot) big and if they touch, they touch! But I’ll tell you this, I am fit, I am healthy, and I really do try to eat clean (sometimes dessert is just too good).  I exercise more than just daily…maybe more than the recommend.  I may not have a six pack, but I look at the body I’ve been given and I am proud of it.  It lets me do what I love day in and day out.   I shouldn’t be shaming it.  We need to stop telling women what they should look like and celebrate being healthy.  I shouldn’t look in the mirror and want to change pieces of me (which does happen a lot).

What’s led to my women empowerment rant?  Kim’s bum all over my newsfeed and I’m very excited and honored to be selected to be a Betty in 2015.  Betty Designs (www.bettydesigns.com) is a line of women’s triathlon and cycling clothing.  But it’s become a little more than that.  It’s become a brand that inspires women, of all shapes and sizes, to be fit and active.  It spreads the attitude that badass is beautiful, strong is beautiful and I get to represent this.  I’m thrilled and grateful to be a part of a group of women who have the same passions and mentality.   I’m a Betty ~ AddingMoMiles.

#TRAININGPROBLEMS

I sat in my car this morning and realized that there’s a stench of the jungle. I walked into my room and there is workout clothes, both clean and dirty hanging throughout my room. I open my dishwasher and it’s mostly water bottles and shakers. Not only training for an Ironman, but training period comes with some interesting life changing #fitpeopleproblems you just have to learn to accept. There’s no point in fighting it, it just increases frustration. It’s not only #fitpeopleproblems, it’s #triathleteproblems, #cyclistproblems, #fitgirlproblems, #runnersproblems, you name it…fit people got 99 problems and sometimes a bitch is one. (#haters)

#trainingproblems – your beach towels become towels to cover your car seat from your dripping sweat. God forbid you forget one, cause the next time you sit in the chair, it’s still wet.

#trainingproblems – 80% of your laundry pile is workout clothes. I know those that workout regularly have enough to last like 2-3 weeks but I don’t recommend waiting more than a week cause a nice little stench starts to creep out of your hamper.

#cyclingproblems – I can get up, go out, and ride for hours. But the thought of getting out of bed for the indoor trainer is just too much to bare.

#runnerproblems – No those aren’t calluses on my feet, those are blisters that got blisters on them…and yes I must smear Vaseline all over my feet.

#fitgirlsproblems – I may have calluses on my hands sometimes cause a girls gotta get her lifting in.

#cyclistproblems – Finding a clean and decent way to blow your nose on the bike. Snot rockets may work for men, but they aren’t exactly attractive for a lady. But to be honest, by hour 4, you could care less about being a lady.

#trainingproblems – I have shoes for long runs, races, short runs, cross training, leg day. Yes I need that many running shoes.

#triathleteproblems – I have 5 different colors. I have tan lines from my cycling jersey, my tri top, my racer back, cycling shorts (they all have different lengths), my gloves, my socks, and even my Road ID bracelet. I am a zebra of tan lines. They’re my racing stripes and on most days I wear them with pride.

#trainingproblems – Supplements and recovery. I may need to start selling myself on a street corner to afford recovery, glutamine, whey, powdered substances, electrolytes and my eating habits in general. I spent years avoiding salt, now I am paying for salt filled pills. Ironic.

#cyclingproblems – #dead after a 5 hour ride and your just staring at your filthy bike hoping it somehow cleans itself. Common telepathy.

#trainingproblems – Always assume I’m sore and/or tired.

#triathleteproblems – Compression socks are sexy, don’t try to change our minds.

#fitgirlproblems – I swim, bike, run, and strength train… no, I can’t change my schedule cause you want me to go to dinner at 10pm, meet for coffee during the time you know I go for a run, or talk until 1am cause my alarm is set for 5:20am.

#cyclingproblems – Putting all the gunk on your junk only to open the door and realize it’s pouring rain #fail.

#cyclingproblems – When someone in a meeting points out your chain ring tattoo from your morning ride. Yes I showered but I was running to get to this ridiculous meeting on time and didn’t notice it. It requires serious scrubbing…you wouldn’t understand non cycling mortal.

#fitpeopleproblems – No I don’t want a cupcake, no really I don’t want the cupcake, no I’m not on a diet I just don’t want the cupcake. Would you leave me the hell alone I don’t want your stupid cupcake!!!! Secretly, I want to dive face first into the delicious, icing of the cupcake.

I’m about that life. ~ Adding Mo Miles