This should probably be a comment to E's post, but I had too much to say and I hope you guys will weigh in.

OK, I read both of his articles and I have had a bit to time to think on it.
I think I mostly agree with him. I think he goes off course because he does not consider why women run or their goals. Most women do not run to win a race, nor do they train for real distance. He specifically targets elite runners and endurance training. He doesn't mention the average female that wants to run recreationally. I could write my own article on all the health benefits of running as a weight bearing, blood pressure reducing, fat burning, endorphin inducing exercise that none of those other cardio exercises can hold a candle to. Then there is the confidence that running builds.

And...how do you know you aren't a runner type? I spent years saying that could not run. I was never an athlete and I spent at least a year when I started to run learning how to avoid injury, build endurance and oh yeah, breath! We don't need someone giving women another excuse not to even give it a good try. We need to teach women how to run smart and have realistic goals.

Now, all that said, I realize that some people are built differently and that can contribute to certain "success" as a runner. But, success is really defined by the person, right? That is what this whole group is about, celebrating each other's successes and supporting our different goals.

Bobbi and I have had many conversations about this. She will most likely never run as fast as I do, but what a shame it would be to suggest that she can't be a runner in her own right just because she does not have a runner's body. If you look at the majority of marathon runners in the middle to pack of the pack, which is the overwhelming majority of the total runners, you will see more that look like Bobbi than me. By the way, they have fewer injuries and much more fun.

While we're at it, is the opposite of his argument true, that all men are built to be great runners? Ironically, women are beginning to outnumber men in certain races and many believe that a woman will soon run faster than a man at the marathon distance. We have known for years that women are much better at endurance than men (there is that whole having babies thing). So it would be interesting to see a comparison of the rate of injuries between men and women during training for a marathon and completion of the race. Women tend to have more patience and therefore, will train slower and safer (those of you who know how I train will know that I do not have this particular thinking pattern). One of the key elements this guys didn't take into consideration was the male ego. How many men injure themselves because they can't stand to have a girl beat them? I have seen many men pick up their pace to keep up with me only to fall out when they can't. Ha!

OK, I'll stop now. Anyone else?