Coach Adolfo Salgueiro, Author at foultips.run

The Journey of “The Fat Runner”

by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Mar 30, 2021 | Article, Guest Perspective, Opinion, Reflection

By Coach Marci Braithwaite

I am Marci Braithwaite. I am a runner. I am a marathoner who has also completed many halves as well as nearly a hundred races of many distances, both virtually and in-person, over the last twelve years. I am an elementary school teacher, and I am a mother of two teenagers. I am a chapter leader of my local, 900-member She Runs This Town running group. I am the leader of a virtual community of new runners, and a USATF certified coach.

I am also fat.

I use that word to describe myself because it is simply that – a descriptor (Photo by Patrick Krohn Photography.)

I use that word to describe myself because it is simply that – a descriptor. The word itself often causes an immediate reaction. When I use it, the occasional person will smile and say I’m brave. More often, people cringe and ask why I use that term: it’s an insult used by many to demean and diminish. To them I ask, “Why is fat demeaning? Does the fat on my body make me lesser than you? Does it diminish my accomplishments in any way? What about my fat makes you better than me?”

Twelve years ago I started my running journey the way so many of us do, to lose weight. I thought my weight was the cause of my back pain at the time. It wasn’t (two pregnancies producing ten-pound babies tend to mess up your lower back). I did lose weight back then, but in the time since, and even through marathon training, running more than 40 miles per week, I gained it back. I’m at the same weight I was 12 years ago. I no longer have that back pain, which I attribute to strengthening my core and cross training. After more than a decade of consistent running and literally thousands of miles on my feet, I’m still fat.

Through all that time, I started to notice something. People seemed to think that what I was doing was revolutionary. Running while fat? That’s not allowed. Fat people are sent that message every time someone yells, “Go faster, fatty!” when they’re on a run or walk, or made to feel uncomfortable, or that they don’t belong at the gym. The prevailing message is that fat people shouldn’t show themselves in the fitness arena, because you should only be visible if you’re thin and have an “acceptable” body type.

“I want people who look like me to realize that they do belong. That the shape of our bodies does not define us or our abilities (Photo: Marci Braithwaite)

Then I discovered Mirna Valerio. She is an ultrarunner and public speaker, a blogger, and the head of her own FatGirlRunning online community. One day I discovered a video she had made for REI, about an email she read while she was running a multi-hour endurance event. The email accused her of lying, that she wasn’t really running, that she didn’t actually finish the ultramarathons that she claimed to have finished. As I watched this video, which, again, was filmed while she was completing an endurance event, I realized that what she was doing, simply existing and doing incredibly badass things in her fat body, was exactly what I wanted to do, too.

We don’t see fat runners on the roads and trails very often, do we? Why do you think that is? It’s definitely not because they don’t want to be there. Nor is it because fat people are inherently lazy. It’s a matter of access. When people like Mirna, a fat black woman, receive criticism and accusations of dishonesty for simply participating in an event that many thin people joined without a second thought, it should give you pause about the inclusivity of the running and outdoor community.

I want to change that. I want people who look like me to realize that they do belong, both in the outdoors and in the running community. That the shape of our bodies does not define us or our abilities. That there is no definition of the word “runner” beyond “someone who completes a movement that involves both feet in the air at once during a stride.” There is no weight requirement, no speed requirement, or any definition that anyone must fit into for someone to be able to enjoy the outdoors and the running community.

I’m Marci. I’m a fat runner and a fat running coach. I want you to join me on my running journey.

For more information:
Facebook: Request an add to the group Fat Athletes
Instagram: @The_Fat_Athlete
Website: http://www.thefatathlete.biz
Email: coach.thefatathlete@gmail.com

EDITOR’S NOTE: The day before this entry was scheduled to post, Mirna Valerio, plus-size ultrarunner, author, and spokeswoman (mentioned earlier in this post), announced her partnership with Lululemon clothing, using the slogan, \”Running is for everyone who has a body and wants to run.\” Click here to see the announcement.

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Foultips Head Coach Was Profiled in Runner’s World

by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Mar 23, 2021 | Announcement, Personal

Adolfo Salgueiro, head coach at Foultips.run, was featured last week in the “My Running Life” section of Runner’s World . The article ran last Sunday, March 21, 2021, and did so online.

In the piece Salgueiro talks about his dad as his running role model, the hardest race of his life and recommends a couple of recent Runner’s World articles that he liked.

Click on the image to go to the Runner’s World Profile

“This is quite an honor,” said Salgueiro. “Even if you don’t read it, every runner know what Runner’s World is. I started reading the magazine back in the early 1980s, usually passed down from my dad or my Uncle Raul, who was also a runner. The fact that they chose me to be featured in this section is one of the highlights of my running career.”

Runner\’s World is a globally circulated bi-monthly magazine for runners of all skills sets, published by Hearst, in the United States. It is widely considered one of the main and most respected news sources on the sport. It has been published since 1966. In the 1990s expanded by launching editions in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and Turkey, either as joint ventures or through licensing arrangements with publishers in those countries.

Adolfo Salgueiro, 55, started running in his childhood, accompanying his dad in the late 1970s. He caught the running bug in his early teens and ran his first marathon at age 17, completing the distance four times by the age of 20, with a PR of 3:32:08. After a long hiatus, he returned to the asphalt in 2012. Overall he has participated in over 100 races, including 10 marathons and 40+ halves. He has competed as a runner, racewalker and in the run/walk modality. He is a Level II Certified Running Coach accredited by the Road Runners Clubs of America (RRCA).

To Check out the posting in RunnersWorld.com, you can click here.

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Runner’s World+ Newsletter

by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Mar 21, 2021 | In the news

Coach Adolfo was featured in the Runners World+ newsletter on Sunday, march 21, 2021.

The profile featured information on his beginnings as a runner, two recent Runner’s World articles that have influenced him and his dad as his running role model. The rest of the interview was set up as a profile in the main Runner’s World website.

To check out the newsletter, you can either click here or in the image below.

10 Guidelines on Runners Etiquette

by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Mar 16, 2021 | Article, List, Opinion, Reflection

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

After years of running, 100+ races and thousands of miles under my soles, I have all developed my very personal running habits. Just as you have developed yours. Some good, some bad, some questionable. At the same time, we have all established our running pet peeves.

Even though there is nothing written, there are some basic guidelines that every runner must keep to be part of an ever-improving running community. One where friends and strangers can be proud of being a part of. Some are to keep us safe, some to make the running experience more fulfilling and some to have more enjoyable races.

These are my 10 basic guidelines on running etiquette:

Slow runners are no less of an athlete than fast runner. Each group needs to be aware and respectful of the other (Photo Pexels)

Be mindful of other runners around you: It doesn’t matter if you are fast, slow, walker or if you are so tired you are crawling. Most of the time you are not the only person on the road, so you need to be aware of other runners. The last thing you want is to get injured, so make sure you are not the one responsible for someone else getting injured.
Respect slower runners: Both in training and in races, you will cross paths with slower runners. The fact they can’t run as fast as you, doesn’t make them less of an athlete. No need to be rude or discourteous. Be aware and respectful of the fact they are also putting their best effort forward.
Respect faster runners: Just as you expect to be respected as a slow runner, if you are in this category you must respect the presence of runners faster than you. Don’t crowd the corners, don’t take the inside lane on the track, don’t clog the path by running side-by-side with too many people and be aware of your surroundings when stopping to walk.
Acknowledge other Runners: Nobody expects you to stop what you are doing or change your pace to say hi to a stranger. But as runners, I think we all agree that acknowledging each other’s presence is the most basic form of good running etiquette. Tip your hat, make eye contact, nod, grunt, lift your arm or say an audible “hey”.
Don’t interfere while taking selfies: They have become ubiquitous in running. If there is no selfie, it didn’t happen. We get it! You can take all the running selfies you want as long as it doesn’t interfere with other runners, especially during a race. Go to the side of the road, get out of the way and then knock yourself out with as many selfies your phone can handle. But always remember that your selfie is not another moving runner’s priority.
Just because you isolate with your headphones doesn’t mean I am not there: it is your prerogative to run with headphones. If it provides you with a better experience, go for it. But it is your responsibility to be aware of your surroundings, not mine. I don’t know if you are wearing them or not so don’t expect anyone to be on the lookout for you while isolated.
Do not stop abruptly at water stations: I am not sure where this walk-break at water stops trend began. This is a place where lots of moving people congregate simultaneously, many eyeing the same cup of liquid, and it is usually very slippery. If you need to stop, take your water, move out of the way, check your surroundings, and then stop. It is basic, common sense.
Carry your own trash: Even when running we usually produce trash. At races, your entry fee includes trash pick up at water stop, but when training, it is not the case. Just as you carried your gel or your water bottle with you, make sure you carry their byproduct trash until you find the proper way to dispose of it. During a race, this is the water stop.
Act like an adult when it comes to bodily functions: They are inevitable when you are running. Burping, snot rockets, spitting and farting are commonplace and a normal part of a healthy functioning body, especially when running. Don’t make anyone feel bad. Be mature and just let it go. Because it is a matter of time before it is your turn.
Respect your membership in WhatsApp and Facebook groups: Most runners are in more than one social media group, and most groups have way too many people to keep track of multiple conversations. Limit your interactions to group related postings so your group can become relevant. I bet you are member of plenty of other groups where you share your non-running memes, jokes and political commentary.

Anything I missed? What is your running pet peeve?

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The Inspirational Story of Marie Bartoletti

by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Mar 9, 2021 | Guest Perspective, Reflection

By Marie Bartoletti

My name is Marie Bartoletti. I am a proud daughter, mother, girlfriend, and athlete. I have done many things in my life, including the completion of 500 marathons.

Marie finished the 2021 A1A Marathon on February 14th, 2021, in 4:38:26, her 500th.

I was born on August 2nd, 1957 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, into a large family with four brothers and two sisters. I grew up playing sports and having fun with my siblings. I’ve always had a passion for running and athletics. In my lifetime, I have extended this passion to many areas. I have been a physical education teacher and coach of all types. I have hiked, biked, and ran all over the world, even been on a Wheaties box!

I have also faced a great deal of struggles. On November of 2015, I had a massive stroke. This has disrupted my life in so many ways but has only pushed me to be stronger. It has been a long recovery process and I take so much pride in my ability to continue overcoming these struggles every day.

The side effect of the stroke I was most concerned with, was the loss in my ability to speak. It appeared I could understand everything but not respond with my words. This hit me extremely hard as I am a very social, outgoing person. I began to do rigorous therapy and continue to work on my speech to this day.

The doctors were shocked to find out that I required no physical therapy after my stroke. I was able to complete all the challenges they tasked me with in the hospital. I was so thankful to find this out. After having already lost so much of my speech ability, I feared losing my physical talents as well. I continued to persevere through these struggles and remain passionate about everything I do.

I have run in 181 marathons since my stroke. This is something that gives me great pride because I enjoy competing in marathons very much!

My first marathon was Pittsburgh, on May 7th of 1995. This race taught me my first real lessons about how to run marathons. I finished in 4:01:48. My biggest mistake was that I neglected to drink water in preparation for the race. Even throughout the race I turned down fluids. I was in terrible pain and completely worn down after this experience. I committed to never running another marathon again. Clearly that did not stick.

Marie’s inspirational story is written in this book. Directions on how to acquire it are at the bottom of this post.

My next marathon was in South Bend, Indiana. This was the town in which my mother was born, and my brother Tom, lived. I started the trend of traveling for marathons early, this was number two. Throughout the next few years, I continued to run marathons while also competing nationally in tennis, another passion of mine. Fast forward to 2005, I had traveled to Hawaii to achieve my goal of running a marathon in each state. This marathon also was my 50th. In the running world this is called my titanium marathon. I was able to check off both boxes with one race.

I have gone through many injuries including operations on my bunions, broken ankles, and several concussions. Through each of these injuries I have learned perseverance. Remarkable instances in my life were my 300th and 500th marathons. They both took place at the A1A Marathon in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, on 2/15/2015 and 2/14/2021. 200 races and almost exactly six years apart.

The 500th marathon, earlier this year, was a major accomplishment for me. I have gone through so much and I was so excited to achieve such a remarkable feat. In 2019 I published a book that tells my life story. I explain how I have persevered through so much and continue to be strong every day. This book is titled “Perseverance: How a Determined Athlete Tenaciously Overcame a Stroke”. I have sold numerous copies due to how inspirational people have found my journey.

I would have not been able to do any of this without the support of my amazing family and friends. I have two lovely sons who have given me beautiful grandchildren. I am so thrilled to watch them grow up as well. My boyfriend, John, was present when my stroke occurred and has been essential to my recovery throughout the years. I am a devout Catholic and I pray to God and thank him every day for these blessings in my life.

My 500th marathon was a very prideful moment, but I am most proud of the beautiful life that I am fortunate enough to live every day.

Editor’s Note: This blogpost is just a quick snapshot of Marie’s inspirational story. To find more about it, you can purchase her book by sending $23.75 to:
Marie Bartoletti
5495 Library Rd Apt 20
Bethel Park, PA 15102

2022 UPDATE: During the Miami Half Marathon, I caught up with Marie at about Mile 6. She was pacing the marathon. I have never met her in person. I approached her and as soon as I said hi, she knew who I was. It was a heartwarming experience do exchange a few words during an actual race.

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