Fundies and fitness: article on Anabaptist runners

[MissSeptember]

Article by Bart Yasso about Amish and Mennonite runners:

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-297--14236-1-1X2X3X4X5X6-7,00.html

(not breaking link because they don't care)

Basically, the Amish are almost pre-disposed to being excellent runners because of their "clean" lifestyle and the fact that they are physically and mentally used to hard work. They run in suspenders, button down shirts, and running sneakers, and the article mentioned women running in long skirts and kapps. I was surprised they let women run, and not only that but they ran with the men! Other than the Maxwell's, I don't remember hearing about any fundie females who exercise (if they blanket train they don't even have to chase the kids around the house!).

I found the part about softball/baseball interesting as well. Every Amish schoolhouse has a baseball field in their playground. They all get really good at it growing up and they had community softball teams, etc. Over the past 100 years several individuals got offers to play semi-pro or even professionally, but they all used different names and otherwise disguised themselves so their Amish leaders wouldn't know. Recently, a few got sloppy and their leaders found out and banned adults from playing altogether. Now only kids can play softball/baseball. Being good at it and playing pro was too prideful and modern.

[MamaJunebug]

Interesting article, but as far as the ladies (lady) running in long skirts? *chuckle* Video or it didn't happen (to paraphrase Anonymous) ;)

[Elle]

If the Amish weren't super religious, I'd love to live their lifestyle. As a kid, I grew up on farms and hunted and wore long dresses to my parents' chagrin. (I loved Little House on the Prairie, so demanded my clothes be line that, but long.) I did everything, even ride bikes, in long dresses, but, well, more than once my dress got caught in the chain, and I was finally banned from riding my bike if I was in a dress for safety reasons. I desperately want land to garden and have fields and raise our own meat. Except we actually want our daughter to learn more than just what's needed to tend a farm. I could go without electricity as well. When I was younger, we did that for FUN. Candles and fires. More time in the open clean air. And a lot of physical work is a hell of a lot healthier than working indoors all the time going to doctors for pills to take care of ailments that exercise would help with (such as heart problems stemming from fatty diets and not much exercise).

Since I was about 9 years old this has been a strong desire of mine, and when I was still a strong Christians, I wished I knew how to run off and join the Amish.