The Nurturing Well by: Jill Starbuck
Jill Starbuck
Sometimes for running events, runners dress up for inspiration, fun, and as part of a race theme. Not everyone is comfortable wearing what some may consider “lame,” “frivolous,” or “outlandish” gear during a sports event. However, for many runners, it is not uncommon to see crazy outfits skirting around a race event. Other runners may wear something not as obvious such as a necklace, bracelet, hair tie, or charm on their shoes for good luck. Whatever the reason, it’s really an individual decision.
This past week Self Magazine made a huge faux pas when it took a photo of a runner wearing a tutu and mocked her. In this specific case, the runner wore a tutu and a Wonder Woman shirt for inspiration. At the time the photo was taken, this runner was going through chemotherapy for brain cancer. She used the outfit to give her inspiration to complete the race. For many cancer sufferers/survivors, doing something as strenuous as a marathon in the middle of therapy is simply inconceivable. For many healthy people, running a marathon is inconceivable!
The backlash, embarrassment, and negative hype places Self Magazine in an extremely difficult position. The big question is why a popular magazine would ever mock a person to begin with. Especially one that promotes fitness. Who cares what a person is wearing? Only 1-2% of the U.S. population has run a marathon! It may take the magazine a long time to redeem itself and earn back the trust of its readership. Within hours, many subscribers have vowed to stop their subscriptions and numerous news article highlighting the faux pas have flooded the Internet. While the editor of Self Magazine has publicly apologized and has contributed money to the mocked runner’s charity, which empowers young girls, the damage has been done.
The moral of the story: Don’t judge. It’s that simple.
Jill Starbuck has 20 years of experience as a business writer, editor, and market research analyst. She is a certified health coach through the Integrative Institute of Nutrition and a certified running coach through the Road Runners Club of America. She is also the co-owner of a running business. She can be reached at jillstarbuck@hotmail.com.
