Oh, and my official time for the Tiburon Mile was 1:16:33. The Tiburon Mile is one of the most competitive open water swims in the world (according to their website). So, I thumb my nose at the people who say we can’t! (I do it in the video, too, actually.)

It’s something especially poisonous in the riding community, because riders who are ‘overweight’ are gossiped about and reviled constantly, especially in showjumping and dressage. So many young girls are horse-mad, and then to have trainers telling you that you can’t possibly compete at any level if “your horse has to drag all that flab around the ring”.

Anyway, thanks for all the nice comments! Clarence, my horse, is a rescue so we don’t know exactly what he is, but his forequarters and *gorgeous* head are very suggestive of Gypsy Vanners, yes. If he had more hair, especially feathering, I’d say he was Vanner, but we can’t say for sure.

Hmph. So true. I eagerly await the coming spate of editorials decrying, say, professional rodeo stars for ruining the economy with their reckless ways. Won’t hold my breath, though.

I, myself, am fat and ride centuries quite often. People at the finish line are often shocked to hear that, no, I didn’t ride the 20 or 35 miler, no, not even the metric, I rode the whole friggin 100 miles. I’ve done it repeatedly and even people who have seen me year after YEAR are still flummoxed that it has never caused weight loss. God only knows what they think I eat.

This year, my weight IS down a bit, but it’s due to meds, not riding and sadly, I suspect that I might have to curtail my next century because I’m so out of shape (from the thing that caused the need for the meds, natch). I’m sure newbies who see me will chalk up my poor performance to my being a doughnut eating, soda swilling fattie.

As for the photo gallery… I did enjoy it, but as someone pointed out… it’s a slippery slope we’re traversing here. I don’t see any reason why the fact that not all fatties sit on the couch should make fat more or less socially acceptable. If you ever want to know who is raising your insurance rates, talk to an athlete… nearly every one of my century riding compatriots has needed PT in the last year or two for some injury or another. Being active can be detrimental to your health.

Of course, I’ll be in the U.S. for the entirety of Oktoberfest this year. Good timing, huh?

And I’m really sorry you had to take so much crap – people believe what they want to believe, and will cling to that even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. I always found your posts inspiring for my own athletic activities – it’s like the Newsweek pictures, it really helps to see other women my size out there doing it (for some value of it!) because, you know, we can.