Running and the body... We are all different!

Everyone has insecurities. We all are our own worst critics. Personally, I'm definitely my own worst judge. Running can prove to you what the body is capable of in extreme conditions. During a marathon you realize what you are able to endure physically. With running your body changes and transforms into a machine capable of making a 26.2 mile journey many people can't even fathom. So at the end of the day why can't we all just see the beauty in that versus what we look like in the mirror?
Don't get me wrong, I'm the worst at this! Up until my 20 mile run this past weekend, I was feeling down about my body. I felt like I had a pooch and was looking terrible. I was comparing myself to others and their perfect abs, toned legs and arms and perfect behinds. Running has turned my body into a shape it's never been. My legs are very muscular and my arms are as well. I went and got my flu shot at work and the nurse asked my to stop flexing my arm muscle. I was thinking "I don't have any arm muscles, I don't lift!" My sweater puppies are completely gone. I'm not quite sure where they went but my guess is they left to find someone who bounces up and down less. Let's not even start on the back end! Because I lost so much weight rapidly I also have hanging skin on my stomach. I always joke that I have a four pack because the rest is covered by the sagging left over from Domino's. At this point, I will never look like Kim Kardashian or probably ever look good in skinny jeans without a baggy sweater to go over it.
The question I always ask myself when I'm feeling down is "Why do I care?" My goal at a certain point was to get down to a single digit size. Once I got there the whole crazy running journey started to take off. Many people at that point commented that I must be done losing weight. If I had not started running distances that I could only cover by running multiple towns then I would have probably stopped there. I caught the running disease though and dropped a significant amount of weight. I became the most degrading size ever, 0. I don't even get a number, yet I still felt large. Let's put some perspective on this though, I'm only 5'3". Yes I'm short. I'm perfectly within my BMI and really just have a tiny frame. for some reason though I look in the mirror and instead of seeing a bad ass runner, I see all the imperfections.
Like my girl Beyonce says "Pretty Hurts." For me, when I get down I go on a long run and remember what this imperfect body is capable of. Running that 20 mile run on Sunday showed me that maybe I have hanging skin, but I also have 2 marathon medals on my wall. One being the notorious Boston Marathon. Knowing that in a few short weeks I will take on the 5 boroughs and rack another medal, another jacket and another accomplishment in less than a year can soothe even the worst feeling of imperfection. Nobody is perfect and we should all just embrace who we are. I know way easier said than done but it's a beautiful thought like world peace or Jimmy Choo gold sandals. I know someday I will learn to love this body, or I will get so old I won't give a shit. Until then, I will run on and remember how cool it is to stop after 20 miles and think "Wholly f#%king shit!" Then get a coffee and smile to myself:). Less than 25 days until NYC!