Be modest! It is the kind of pride least likely to offend.
–Jules Renard
Last week’s word was tough: humble.
This week’s word is modest – so similar to humble yet so different. And yes, I am most definitely a modest person & a modest runner, on many levels.
I do not like attention. I think most women are raised to be modest – both physically & in actions, but some certainly seem more comfortable in the spotlight than others. I can remember my second half so clearly & that moment afterward in the elevator, with other runners from the race. They were proudly wearing their medals & wanted to know why I wasn’t wearing mine. It never even occurred to me.
Nowadays I do, but I admit: it still kind of makes me uncomfortable.
Then there ‘s being modest about my body. Run in a bra & shorts? No way! Although I did consider running the Firecracker 4 in my pink mesh running top, which is very cool & very comfortable & also very see through. Race day dawned cool; I wore a heavier top.
I’ve only ever worn it on the treadmill. Until this week! I finally wore it outside!
Not that long ago, though, after a humid run I took off my sweaty top in a parking lot & donned a dry top. Progress. A very small parking lot, of course. Baby steps.
Recently HoHo Runs tagged me to answer a few questions; one was what I would sing at karaoke. And I replied I was way too shy to sing at karaoke, despite having a good voice. (You can read the rest of the Q&A here).
Finally there is the fact that I’m a runner of very modest talent. I am slow & I don’t seem to get much faster, even though I keep trying. I’m just sure that that breakthrough is around the corner. As I like to say, I’m slow but I finish. Maybe I need to design a tshirt.
But, Orson Welles said:
Nobody who takes on anything big and tough can afford to be modest.
Food for thought.
Are you modest about your abilities? About your body?
Chocolaterunsjudy 
I am pretty modest, but I will run in a sports bra if it really hot — although I’m more uncomfortable than I used to be. I usually wear my race shirt after race day, but I also don’t usually go anywhere!
LikeLike
You’re definitely braver than me!
LikeLike
Great post! I will sometimes run in a sports bra if it’s really hot, but that’s about it!
LikeLike
Doesn’t matter how hot it is, I don’t even run in just a bra by myself inside.
LikeLike
Me, neither. Too old. ;)\
LikeLike
I’m pretty modest too. I won’t run in a bra top! I do wear a bikini on occasion tho…
LikeLike
I have worn bikinis, but I don’t think I would right now. I did the ice bucket challenge in a bikini & posted it to FB!
LikeLike
I have never worn a bikini in my life! Always the fat girl, when I lost a considerable amount of weight right after college, I did venture to wear a modest two piece bathing suit.
LikeLike
I have, actually, worn bikinis.
LikeLike
I would never run in a sports bra. I also would never wear a bikini.
LikeLike
Believe it or not, I have worn bikinis.
LikeLike
Hmmm….did I write this blog?? 😉
LikeLike
LOL, Natalie! Well, we already knew we have a lot in common.
LikeLike
I have worn just a bra for running, but only at the beach. I’m too modest to do that during a race! Although I’ve seen women my age and older do it. I do seem to be less modest about this stuff the older I get. So, that means at age 90 I’ll race naked. LOL. Scary!
LikeLike
You have such a great sense of humor! At 90, I’ll just be happy to be racing.
LikeLike
I love that quote for a T-shirt!
I can’t run in just a sports bra because I can feel stuff jiggling and it distracts me, I can’t imagine if I thought others could see all of it…I’d faint. lol
Oh hey, maybe I will streak with HoHo when I am 90, i won’t care by then lol
LikeLike
I’m with you – I need my jiggly bits restrained.
LikeLike
Hang in there, your breakthrough will come. It took me two full years to break 30 minutes for a 5K, but I just kept plugging away, bit by bit. I only did it once, but that was enough.
I love the Orson Welles quotation. I am not particularly humble, I admit it, but am very self-conscious and neither big nor tough.
LikeLike
I am definitely modest when it comes to my clothing – unless you are comparing me to the Amish. 🙂 I think I am also a modest runner waiting for that breakthrough. Maybe we need to embrace a bit of Mr. Orson Well’s insight!
LikeLike
Even my speedy friends are waiting for that breakthrough!
LikeLike
I ran in a sports bra (designed as outerwear) and shorts for years, until I decided I was too old to pull it off. Nobody wants to look at my old saggy skin!
Thanks for linking up, and have a great weekend!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A good weekend to you, too. No one wants to see my jiggly bits. Except my husband. And he only comes to the halfs, anyway.
LikeLike