J. Lo - joins the club

[ehirsch83]

It's not too different from Lance Armstrong running a marathon. Although I personally love to make fun of JLO (I'm not a big fan), my reaction is the same -- all sorts of people got really mad at Lance because it was somehow considered arrogant or entitled or dilletante-ish for him to think he could run in this "serious" event. And of course, we know that he didn't knock himself out training (longest distance was something like 15 miles) and he didn't achieve a knockout time. But how many people do we know who run in marathons and either a) don't have a Spartan training ethic or b) don't finish in the top 20? Probably many if not most of the folks we know who have run a marathon -- and yet we consider it an accomplishment for them, not an arrogant flight of whimsy. Lance should be entitled to the same -- as should JLO, I think.

I'm not a huge fan of Lance, but I have to say that before he was a cyclist he did Tri's. So he used to have a pretty good running background, so I wouldn't exactly compare it to lance completing a marathon. Also remember, he has amazing endurance capabilities from all of his cycling(5+ hour days regularly) so his major issue was muscle use conversion, not aerobic capacity.

So for all those people out there who get mad at him, they need to realize his background.

[SadieKate]

Somehow, I think dancing professionally is a bit more demanding than lying on the couch eating bon-bons. That body may have a lot of curves, but I suspect it hides some muscle and her career shows that she has determination.

And, whoever applied the word "skinny" to her?

As a celebrity whatever she does will be criticized. Let her be.

[redrhodie]

I think it's cool. She's so beloved by a lot of young girls in the Bronx. I hope it inspires some of them to try the sport.

[VeloVT]

I'm not a huge fan of Lance, but I have to say that before he was a cyclist he did Tri's. So he used to have a pretty good running background, so I wouldn't exactly compare it to lance completing a marathon. Also remember, he has amazing endurance capabilities from all of his cycling(5+ hour days regularly) so his major issue was muscle use conversion, not aerobic capacity.

So for all those people out there who get mad at him, they need to realize his background.

Fair enough, but that wasn't really what I was getting at. People who are very serious about their sport sometimes tend to develop an elitist attitude about who should be permitted to compete. Added to this, celebrities tend to have their motives scrutinized more than you or I, which magnifies the elitism. If your fat neighbor decided to run a marathon, you probably wouldn't call him arrogant. If your non-famous, but elite athlete former Olympian cross country skier neighbor decided to run a marathon, you probably wouldn't call him arrogant or what have you either.

As far as Lance is concerned, I guess my point is that I don't think his cycling background (or his triathlon background) is relevant one way or another in whether it's "OK" or "annoying" for him to run in a marathon. Nor is JLO's um, famous booty.

And this has nothing to do with my point, but I seriously doubt his tri background many years ago had much of an impact on his performance -- more likely what gave him a leg up was just conditioning and training adaptations from years of cycling. 3 hours is a good time, but a time that's perfectly achievable for ordinary, non-elite people (my dad, who didn't play any sports in college, ran a 3 hour marathon when I was little). Albeit, most of these would have to train a little harder than Lance allegedly did for the same time. But he also suffered excruciating shin splints and required a cast of pacers from the running hall of fame in order to do it... (and apparently ate Gu something like every two miles ).

[Grog]

Actually, the more I think about this, the cooler I think it is.

There are so few female celebrities that try sports. There are a few well-known female athletes, but female artists who show that it's okay to get sweaty? None that I know of. (But I don't watch TV or read tabloids so don't expect me to know about those things.)

We're not talking about Paris Hilton here. (Although I would cheer for Paris just like I cheer for everyone else.) Artists who sing and dance have to be very fit 'cause it's a lot of hard work.

[SadieKate]

There are so few female celebrities that try sports. There are a few well-known female athletes, but female artists who show that it's okay to get sweaty? None that I know of. (But I don't watch TV or read tabloids so don't expect me to know about those things.)

Cheryl Crow?

Geena Davis qualified for the Olympic Trials in Archery.

One of the actresses from Dallas (a TV show from a couple decades back) ran marathons frequently.

Oprah?

I just pick this stuff up from the regular newspapers.

[Grog]

Cheryl Crow?

Geena Davis qualified for the Olympic Trials in Archery.

One of the actresses from Dallas (a TV show from a couple decades back) ran marathons frequently.

Oprah?

I just pick this stuff up from the regular newspapers.

I was also thinking of Oprah but wasn't sure she fit in the "artist" category. Crow and David are great picks. J. Lo is probably more popular over all though.

Thanks for coming to the rescue!!

[SadieKate]

I figured by "artist" you were really encompassing celebrity role models -- not that many of them should be role models. I guess I should say "celebrities who are treated as role models whether they are worthy of it or not."

[Possegal]

My brother ran in the Marine Corps that Oprah ran in, it did not make him happy. He spent a good 15-18 miles hearing people yell at him "Oprah's in front of you". Of course she started earlier than the gun, I think, but she also had this huge entourage with her that was very difficult to get around. I met up with him several times and at around mile 20 his words were "I finally passed that B's arse". Now please don't yell, he's a lovely man, he was just frustrated and worn out. And honestly, it was quite funny when he said it.

[Grog]

"celebrities who are treated as role models whether they are worthy of it or not."

That's really what I had in mind too... The "artist" distinction was not very profound.