I bumped into someone I've not seen for a while today.  Another instructor.  Who has (in her words...) 'chubbed up' lately.  She asked if she could talk to me about something a bit sensitive and a bit awkward.  She asked what it was like being known as the 'big instructor'.  She's recently been approached by the studio coordinator for a 'chat' about her weight and it had been quite strongly suggested that she needs to slim down or lose her class.  Had I experienced this before?  

Here's the thing:
I am old.  And I am fat.
Ok, I'm not.
But relatively speaking, and when compared to a load of the other instructors, I stand out.
I don't wear tight crop tops, I don't have skinny thighs.  Bits of me wobble.  Some of them, a lot.
And I know that.  And I don't particularly care.

I get a few sidelong glances from new participants.  When teaching in new places, I confuse the staff by not 'looking right'.  And yes, I have had studio coordinators not use me because I'm not 'right' for the venue.  
And that's fine with me.

But they're missing a trick.

I know my stuff. I'm good at what I do.  
I'm fit. I'm strong.
I am well capable of delivering any class I'm qualified to teach, and giving it some welly.
I can (and do) teach damn hard classes if that's what people want.

And, look at your class participants.  Some of them are 'young' and 'skinny'.  
But, some of them are 'old' and 'fat'.
People like me because I'm 'safe'.  People will come to a class to try a new format because it's me, because they trust me.  I'm like them.  Except I do the 'mad as a box of frogs' thing up the front and bounce around motivatingly (or something).

I'm happy in my own skin, and I don't feel the need to aspire to be something I'm not.  I'm just doing my thing.

So, should my friend care about being the 'big instructor'?    As long as she's still 'walking the walk' and capably delivering effective sessions, I'd say she's doing her job.  If people care more about what she looks like than what she's able to teach people to do, and what she can inspire them to be, then that is their problem, not hers. 

First impressions count.  
But sadly some people don't look any deeper than that.
I very much hope she tells that studio coordinator where he can stick his class.

I've had one of those weeks.  One of those weeks when things just go right.  My new running groups are tremendous, popular and just, well, fab.  New people popping up at classes all over the place.  And I got a new job too (not a fitness one, so I won't bore you with details here...).  And, to cap it all off, I have been told by five different people this week that I am an inspiration to them.


So I thought I'd share with you, my loyal readers (both of you <grin>), some people that inspire me.  In case anyone was wondering.  

The boyfriend and I used to refer to C from our spin class as 'the amazing shrinking woman'.  I have no idea how much weight she lost, but it was *very significant*.  This is not why she inspires me (but hey, you knew that right?).  She inspires me because she always came along to classes full of enthusiasm and determination.  Why's this in past tense though....?  C got ill.  Which messed stuff up.  But (and here's the thing) she keeps going.  She's still trying to get running again, she's still out there doing stuff.  She refers to her running technique as the 'three legged dog'.  But she's still going.  She's still trying.  She's damn resilient.

B came to one of our beginners 0-5k groups.  She didn't find it easy.  But she carried on with quiet determination, never moaning, never complaining.  She came to every single session - rain, snow, ice.  She got there.  She did her 5k with us and was delighted.  Now I spot her every so often on a Sunday morning running round the village with her daughter.  She's still out there.  She's still doing it.  And she's doing it on her own.

And finally, L.  L got diagnosed with breast cancer 20 years ago and beat it.  She has the most positive attitude of anyone I think I have ever met.  Nothing is impossible, it's just about finding out how to make it happen.  She overcame something astonishing.  I wish I could have a fraction of her positivity and determination.

These aren't their real initials. Because these aren't the sort of people that make a big deal of this sort of thing.  But if you're reading this, C,B or L, you should recognise yourself.  I hope that makes you smile.  

And yes, there's a recurring theme here.  Overcoming adversity?  Resilience?  Perhaps.  We're all just normal people, getting on with our stuff, dealing with our crap we have to deal with.  When people say that they're inspired by great athletes, or great politicians, or great activists, I get it.  But perhaps real inspiration lies closer to home. Showing us what we can all achieve if we try.  
Real people.  Real lives.  Real challenges.  Really inspirational.