Why Skinny Doesn’t Equal Fast
Fuel for Strength, Not Size
In over two decades of running, I’ve heard it all — and one of the most damaging myths out there is that you need to be skinny to run fast.
With high-profile athletes now openly using “skinny jabs,” it’s easy to see how runners get swept up in the belief that lighter automatically means faster. But here’s the truth: running well comes from fuelling your body properly, training consistently, and building strength — not from shrinking yourself.
Skinny ≠ Fast
Yes, losing some weight might mean a temporary pace boost, but it’s rarely sustainable. I’ve seen it over and over:
Eat less → run faster.
Eat even less → run even faster.
Keep cutting back → boom, injury, burnout, or worse.
Your body is clever. It will do everything it can to keep you alive, even if that means pulling resources from bone, muscle, hormones, and recovery. You don’t “break” overnight — it might take months or years — but eventually the cracks show.
Fuel First, Always
The right food matters because running is best performed in a fuelled state. That means carbs. Yes, carbs!
Carbs have been demonised for years, thanks to diet culture, low-fat fads, and “sugar-free” marketing. But your brain and muscles prefer carbs as fuel. If you want to run long distances, you need them.
As Dr. Stacy Sims puts it: “People are eating rice cakes instead of avocados, and jelly instead of nut butter on toast. The population gained more weight and metabolic health suffered.”
The Vicious Cycle of Under-Fuelling
Here’s how it often goes:
Not eating enough → body goes into energy-saving mode.
You hold onto fat, feel sluggish, and training feels harder.
Numbers on the watch stall → you train harder.
You cut food back even more → energy tanks, recovery stalls, injuries creep in.
Sound familiar? That spiral is the pathway to RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) — and I’ve seen too many runners burn out chasing the illusion that smaller equals stronger.
The Words That Hurt
Over the years I’ve had people comment on my weight too. Luckily, I’m confident enough to let it roll off. But I know those words can cut deep.
The truth is: you can’t tell anything about someone’s ability as a runner just by looking at their body. You can’t see their heart rate, their ligaments, their resilience, their determination. I’ve watched strong, healthy runners slide into fragile, injured shells because they felt they had to “look like a runner.”
Do What Works For You
Fuel your body. Eat the rainbow. Put nut butter on your toast. Ditch the rice cakes (even the chocolate-covered ones).
Running strong, safe, and steady isn’t about being skinny. It’s about being fuelled, healthy, and resilient enough to keep showing up.