“Running makes me feel like I’m at my most human self,” This. I’m constantly told I don’t need to run, having been slim my whole life. But what people don’t understand is it’s not about losing weight or even staying fit. I feel most human when I’m running. Sweaty and with aching body yes, but all the more human for that. Keep running lady, and I’ll keep doing the same. Sending you love all the way from Malaysia. xx

100k! I can barely finish the mile at school.

She came to my school and she was such a sweetheart and she has such a great heart she’s such in inspiration to everyone!

I respect her hard work but if she runs so much and judging from the video her diet doesn’t seem too bad how is she still overweight?? Does she have a medical condition?

Her: When i arrive at the track im breaking the mold because im black Me: Arnt all the best runners black?

I'm glad you run. I just disagree with the message of this video.

There is a huge variance in individual bone density, physiology, recovery ability, muscle fiber allocation, neurological health, skin composition and thickness etc. Most people will never be able to run an ultramarathon let alone a regular marathon. In this woman's case, her accomplishments are awesome, but she is obviously eating large amounts of high calorie, higher fat content food and that is why she hasn't lost much more weight. She has a ton of muscle, but also a great deal of fat. Just dropping another 20-30lbs would remove tons of stress from her joints which in the next decade if she doesn't change will force her to stop running.

I love that she’s doing it for herself and not to look a certain way. So inspiring!! Keep it up girl!

I really do not understand why people in general have to knock down others personal experiences.

Why are most of the running shots slow-mo? 🤔

I’m reading “Born to Run” & so glad I came across your story! You’re an inspiration & amazing, real example of the Tarahumara spirit 👌🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Running that much, I'm surprised her body didn't lose more weight. When your body adapts to running, it literally wants to lose pounds to become lighter and easier to carry. Its hard (and still is) for me to keep weight on when I train for marathons, so this just baffles me, not in a negative way, but more like an awe-inspiring way. I'm not judging her or discrediting her, but in fact, give her more credit for reaching those achievements, as well as loving her own-self in the process.

What does being black have to do with this?

Lovely video and love that she's pursuing running for the love of it and not to look a certain way.

you’re never last... what you are is an inspiration to a lot of people... i could only wish to run a 100k race #respect ... you’re a true athlete

People in the comments are salty because they haven't done 9 marathons lmbo These the type that even when a big person is exercising, they still make fun.... meanwhile they're sitting on the couch.... not having done 9 marathons.

I have run 7 marathons. I'm a little bit heavier (at least for a long distance runner) and let me tell you, I regret not losing weight before those races. It takes a toll on your body when you're carrying around all of that extra weight (I'm 6'0", 210 male). I have now lost weight (Down to 180) and feel A LOT better running. Also, there are plenty of females that run long distance, probably more than males to be honest, and last I checked, plenty of black people run long distance too. TLDR; being fat and running long distance is not good for your joints. Being black and a female doesn't mean anything.

Wait, did she open with the claim that runners don’t like black folks? I’m calling bullshit.

What an inspiration. Thank you for sharing this!

Guys, guys, guys... "Most ultramarathon winners are Black" and "Most ultramarathon runners are white" are not mutually exclusive statements. It's fine, you can be white and male and run. This lady isn't judging you. We love you.

i am a thin person and people think i dont eat at all but the fact is i eat more than all my friends..by all i mean ALL MY FRIENDS..

I love how all the comments are bagging on her weight lol, like you still missed the point, did you even listen to what she said? She's not asking you to "agree" with her weight (as many of you phrase it), she's showing people that your weight doesn't define you, you can still be strong and chunky. And as an overweight black woman myself, I've always wanted to run since I was in middle school and figured "it isn't for someone like me", and I found her story incredibly inspiring. She's not out there to beat records, she's out there for herself, and I love that.

Bravo! Thank you for living out loud and letting your lights shine!

The respect I have for this woman is real. Keep doing what you are doing Mirna Valerio!!!!

alright so I agree with what she's doing, but it's bullsht. It's not white dominated, it's not male dominated. My dad is an ultra marathon runner (up to 160km, 100 miles), and the best races are woman and people of colour mainly. Also don't make being fat a thing which you can be proud of, sure love your natural features and figure, and everything that is natural. But for fuck's sake, don't pride something that's unhealthy, it's a terrible thing to show young people

Girl I am like you . I am a big dude who loved to run , then life happened and I’m 300 lbs . I miss the feeling after the hurt on mile one , and you get in a zone and just want to run forever . I feel inspired . Thank you great video .

Thanks for sharing this story! You go Mirna!! 👍👍

Congrats to that woman for her perseverance, dedication and accomplishments! Although Being fat and running are two things that counter each other! I've been overweight for all my childhood and the first years of adolescence and now that I've lost 33kg I joined my father's sport, running! When you run each step carries multiple times your body weight,and multiply that with all these step you take...What I mean is that it is not practical to be obese and run marathons and ultras!Also an athlete has to focus on health,and since I don't want to speculate on her diet, being obese itself puts you in a clinical risk ! Let's not forget perfomance. You can't run a 2.30 marathon when you are that heavy!I am still a few kg overweight and can definitely feel it when running. When you dedicate yourself to this sport being light is a priority! Anyway hope the best for her,good luck and even greater runs!😀🤗

She has been doing this for years. That’s amazing. I just don’t understand how she hasn’t lost a lot more weight in those years?

Okay listen up. I have been obese from 7-18 years old. I used to be obese, and still working on it today, there is nothing to be proud of being fat. Be proud of your being as a whole, but don't tell children it's okay to grow up fat. It simply isn't okay. Its unhealthy and irregular. Male and White dominated sport? Disregarding all the olympic sprint/marathon runners who are black? I grew up watching the olympics seeing mostly black people and that was okay with me. Why? Because they were simply great at it. I commend this woman for getting off her feet making a change, but it's as if shes purposely staying obese to be this idol for fat people everywhere. You can be healthy and retain some amounts of fat, but you cannot be healthy and obese. She lost a lot of credibility though when she tried to claim more victim points by bringing race and gender into it. *Don't make fun of fat people trying to make a change, make fun of them when they try to push a propaganda*

I needed this video today🙌🏾🤞🏾🙏🏽

Just found this. You Rock! I’m turning 50 this year and I weigh 300 pounds. I have a lot of trouble breaking through my own self barriers that have gotten me to this place.

My track coach loves her, she is an huge inspration for her, i love running and crosscountry and my track coach ALWAYS puts me in running events, me being a thicker girl (13 years old) she pushes me to my limts to acheive my dreams😊

From a fellow ultra runner and 20+ finishes under my belt, you are AWESOME and always welcome in the ultra community. Keep on going and hope to see one day at a race!

So much respect for her

Much respect to you girl, so very proud of you..inspired, God bless you.

So how this appears to me is that she just IS large. If you run, and you eat well, and you work out all the time, how can you say that it's not a fit person?

Disregard Kenyans and Ethiopians, it's a white dominant sport.

Yes, we do need to see you. Very inspirational 👍🏾 Thank you

Thats awesome what she is doing. You'd think after watching this video and hearing some of her story people would see where she is coming from and be more understanding and supportive. It seems as though a lot of people have missed the big picture, because instead of focusing on why she running and the stereotypes she is trying to break, their asking questions like, "why are all the running shots in slow-mo?". Which is ironic because in doing so, they don't realize that comments and attitudes toward her of that manner are partly why she continues to run.

Lmao it’s not very white and male, maybe male but more than half my track team is black

She seems to have plateaued at 6-7 hour marathon times, which is basically a shuffle. Rather than making this a story of perseverance about how she has defied the odds by running while fat, I'd be more impressed watching her lose the weight and pushing for faster and faster results.

Gotta toss that race card in even though it doesn't apply at all.

You are amazing! You are an inspiration to many! Keep running

This video should be in buzzfeed channel

I like this, my dad is also overweight from drinking and he is also a Ulta runner who has ran countless marathons and 5 50miles and is currently training for a 100mile race. We relate to this👍

I'm happy that you are comfortable in your skin and have set goals for yourself. It's up to you if you want to lose weight or not. You shouldn't lose weight for others, but for yourself. Keep on doing what you do!

Maybe she should control her eating habits

I'm waiting for the comments to get disabled

Shes amazing, shes such a motivation to people who are overweight and think that they have no chance to have a healthy lifestyle

Wow! This inspires me to get out and do more...thank you!

I'm just imagining how good of a runner she'd be at 80 or sounds pounds lighter 🤔!

This left me kind of confused. Was she way more overweight before and now is on her journey to a healthier life? Or does she have an actual medical condition stopping her weight loss? It just seems impossible that someone would be able to do this much exercise and stay at her weight.

Thank you!🙌🏼 you are amazing!

Thank you for this. I am a big girl. I am trying to lose weight. I have adjusted my diet. I haven't started exercising yet because I feel like I need to lose more weight before I can exercise, so I don't get stares.

Clearly she eat more than she runs

How has she not lost weight? Doesn't running decrease stress too? And good for her. Running helped me realize that fitness is straight up a high.

For this woman’s health, I hope she drops the weight soon. Running around that much with that much extra weight WILL reck her joints. Hell, skinny people do it all the time. She mustn’t have done any really physical sports in her early life to have joints that could handle the type of punishment she is currently dealing out. I wish her luck.

Absolutely! You are beautiful! Thank you for sharing your story! 💚💚💚

I think what she’s done is amazing, but the main worry about her weight is not because of appearance but because of safety. When one runs over a marathon, you are putting a tremendous amount of force into each step. The higher the weight, the more force is being applied. If more weight is being applied over an extended period of time it puts one’s hips, knees, and other body parts under more stress than they should undergo. But I believe most runners who run at a marathon/ultra marathon level understand their bodies capabilities, so this message is directed more towards up and coming runners.

Why can't everyone be like her? Taking control of their life health. Eating a proper diet, weightlifting to build muscle, running to improve cardiovascular function, what more can you ask for than that? Ive never run more than a 5k but I'd run a marathon with that women!

So inspiring! Thank you! Would you mind if I used some of this footage to help with a nonprofit I help with?

You have inspired me. Thank you.

You're my hero! I want to run marathons and I assumed that I had to wait until I lost a lot of weight. I am so motivated!

As a thin 60 kg male who has only done two half-marathons (21.1 km) and have always suffered leg cramps and felt light headed after finishing, I give her my absolute respect for doing ultramarathons (>42.2 km). She's definitely fitter than me, however much she weighs on a scale.

I like that she just says fat, not like, overweight or horizontally challenged or whatever.

Running is not very male... Most runners are females, easy statistic to find. It may be largely white where you're from but here it's a huge mix of every culture... In fact I see more Asians then any other but that may just be my perception.

I don’t think foot races have a racial divide lol. Majority of the population isn’t black so it makes sense to not have half the runners to be black

The cool thing is that the running community is pretty doggone accepting of all runners. I'm female, mixed-race, overweight, and I run marathons in a long skirt (for religious reasons.) Some folks might take a second glance, but I've never felt I didn't belong. While I don't agree this sport is dominated by one race or sex, nonetheless, what this lovely lady has accomplished is awe-inspiriing and I have great admiration and respect for her. :-)

there is a time whenever you are running when you are one with everything around you all pain all anguish vanishes and you are all alone with your body and soul. running is not about fitness for me either, I run when I am in anguish when I have a breakup when I am tired (seems counterintuitive). I relate to what she told on so many levels. I am injured right, I will be unable to run for a year but there is something primal about running, I think humans were truly born to run.

This is so beautiful❤ I'm so happy that she's inspiring so many people!! I hope that many people see this video and even if they don't comment, I hope they take something to heart. Thank you for breaking the mold!!

i have never seen a black woman who could not participate in a marathon because of her skin color or her gender

Sorry to break it down to you guys, but her best time for 50km was 9 hours 44 minutes. An average person could walk faster than that. Break the stereotype by winnning something.

Incredible!! You are amazing, girl!!

You GO GIRL 🤗🤗

She runs ultra marathons... You couldn't if you tried... So shut up with your complaints about her size!

AMAZING!!! You are a warrior!!

This is so important to see that people that are overweight are shamed because they just want to be more fit I used to run track and cross country and my other teammates would make fun of over weight runners any meets and looking back at it it’s so fucked up and wrong

This is a good message, set your mind to something and try one step at a time!! Love this channel! 🙏🏻💃

A 9 hour marathon isn't breaking a stereotype. But its great that she remains active

Your first mile teaches you soo much and some people can't run 🏃‍♀️ a mile

"...I needed to change my lifestyle pretty drastically ... so I did."

Thank u for sharing ur story. It encouraged me to continue running despite how big I may be. 👊🏽

running is white? lol

You're inspiring. Well done.

Love this!

I am an ultra-marathon runner. While ultra runners come in all shapes and sizes, most are male, most (except for races in Africa) are white. The elite runners usually look like skin and bones, the rest of us are normal, ranging from skinny to overweight. Other than the elites, ALL ultra runners will walk from time to time, some more, some less. I challenge any of you who disparage Ms Valerio to lace up a pair of shoes and run an ultra. Something short, like 50km. The come back here and tell us how you feel about her achievements. I take my hat off to Ms Valerio. I admire her determination and perseverance, and also her sheer physical stamina. She works damn hard for her achievements, and stands as a role model to us all.

Not to be rude or anything but if she keeps running wouldn’t she no longer be fat...

Am in tears, and I mean that in a positive way way tears of happiness. PRIASE GOD. Am so proud of u please, please keep up the positive work u look so beautiful. 🙏🏾❤️

This is truly inspiring

I just read her book and it is very inspiring!! Go Mirna!!

This was inspiring, but isn't this terrible for her knees? I know running by itself regardless of weight is bad on the knees without proper cadence and other aspects of running form, so wouldn't it be even more painful for her? I'm not trying to bash her motives cause they are outstanding, I'm just thinking of a health perspective.

Thank you for uploading this wonderful and very inspiring video.How old is she?

she must eat like 20,000 calories a day to be active and stay that fat. You have to admire her dedication

I like her spunk. U do u and dont worry about haters. Running is definitely more enjoysble when u r making personal achievements. Great job!

This is dishonest propaganda. A fat ultramarathoner is straight bs. The miles and amount of training required for an ultra is crazy that this person should be slightly overweight at most.

Something I found remarkable about what she's doing, is that you often see the argument that overweight people just aren't trying to be healthy, but this lady is running marathons and 100 mile races. That's incredible! She doesn't have to look a certain way to be completing these incredible feats of human endurance, and that's pretty meaningful imo. Thats a CRAZY amount of running for anyone, and any ultra-marathoner would be worth a Great Big Story video, so why not feature an ultra-marathoner who looks different from the rest. Her story is unique and interesting and that's what this channel is about! What a great video keep it up GBS!

Really frustrates me when people say outdoor communities, from hiking to running, are not welcoming. It”s an accusation of bias. There is absolutely nothing barring anyone from the trails.

I love this!!

This comment section is so ugly.