Greatness--Nike's recent ad

I know everyone is highly anticipating my #2 of my Top 5 Events for the Fall, but I'm taking a break to write about something else today. Normally I don't like getting involved in this type of thing, I prefer to keep my posts about riding local trails, racing and training. But I read something today that really bothered me. I take that back, it infuriated me.

Here is a clip of the ad so everyone know's what this is about:

When I first saw this ad, I thought it was great awesome. I started running when I was 300 pounds and can relate to this commercial. Running is hard, especially when you are carrying that much extra fat on your body. I'd like to see a Kenyan run a marathon towing a 200 pound cart and see how fast they could do it then! That would be really amazing.

There is an overwhelming amount of prejudice against obese people. And its even harder to be an obese child. Perhaps the biggest stigma is that we're lazy. When you are repeatedly told you're lazy, you start to believe it whether its true or not. There's also a sense of hopelessness, that you are unable to change your circumstances.

I think we can all recall being in school and how horrible kids are to each other. The name calling, the teasing, the bullying . . . I was overweight, an easy target. The fat kid. That drew a lot of attention. My main goal of my educational career was to make myself invisible so that I wouldn't be the target for that day's verbal assault.

Nathan (the 12 year old boy in this commercial) is far braver than I was at that age. It takes courage to put yourself out there and it takes courage to change your circumstances. I'm proud of Nathan and I'm proud of Nike's ad.

And then I read a quote in a CNN article today from Dr. David Katz, editor-in-chief of the journal Childhood Obesity who is "ambivalent about the ad" and is "uneasy with the message that Nathan is chasing greatness by running."

Here's the quote:

“He looks miserably uncomfortable, and as if he’s about to topple over. There is no hint of greatness in it — other than, perhaps, his commitment to do it. But maybe he is a great mathematician — or orator — or pianist…” he wrote in an email. 

“So, I would have preferred they showed his pursuit of greatness in a way that was not so obviously far from great, so obviously impeded by his weight and so blatantly uncomfortable!”

This is the kind of talk that is incredibly frustrating. First, Dr. Katz is suggesting that because it is uncomfortable and difficult that he should pursue something other than EXERCISE, like math or music. Here's the truth, exercise is for every BODY whether you're a mathematician, orator, pianist or an athlete. Bodies were made to move and need to be exercised to get and stay healthy.

There are so many things wrong with that statement. I can tell you from experience that losing weight is HARD WORK. It is uncomfortable. It is miserable. Why? Because you have to change life-long habits. Because you have to use your body in ways you aren't used to. Exercising in its very nature isn't comfortable.

Dr. Katz quote only ads to the hopelessness that obese children are faced with everyday. When a child begins to set forth healthy habits, the first time it becomes difficult, should they give up? Should they not exercise because Dr. Katz thinks they look uncomfortable? Is the picture of an obese child running "so obviously far from great" Dr. Katz? What is your idea of greatness? Because I happen to think that a child who is taking steps to pursue a healthy future for themselves is the definition of greatness.

Furthermore, Dr. Katz, take a look at some of these photos below. And tell me, do you think these people are pursuing greatness? Because they look BLATANTLY uncomfortable to me.

Lee Merrien, Olympic Marathon runner, looks really uncomfortable.
Like he might be gasping for air. Perhaps he should try being an orator.

Uh-oh! This Olympian actually did topple over and needed help crossing the finish line. 

2010 Ironman winner Kate Bevilaqua crawled across the finish line.
Surely that isn't an attribute of 'greatness' according to Dr. Katz. 

I could post SO many more photos like this. But I think anyone that has ever run a marathon and tried to buy the courtesy photo afterwards knows already that running is not a flattering appearance for most—no matter the body type.

I'm beginning to think that Dr. Katz's definition of greatness, like so many others unfortunately, has more to do with looking great rather than doing something great. If we want to have an impact on childhood obesity than we need to start changing our definitions of what is great and Nike's ad takes a step in doing just that.