- Leah Gilbert, 36, is a 'plus size endurance athlete' who runs half marathons
- The mother-of-one believes people need to stop subscribing to the idea athletes are trim
- The Newcastle woman is a fitness instructor and exercises up to one hour twice a day six days a week
- Ms Gilbert decided to speak out because young people needed more diversity in role models
"The only difference is, we're larger than most people's perception of an "athlete" so you probably think we're out there just trying to lose weight. And that's OK - some of us may well be training down to a race weight - just like other athletes do,' she wrote in a post called 'I'm Plus Size and I'm an Athlete'.
Despite the fact triathlons and running event having heats for 'plus size endurance athletes' where 'tens of thousands' participate, Ms Gilbert said these categories of sporting people were yet to make it into the mainstream.
'Why is it that I am in a rather unique position when I present myself as a plus size endurance athlete? Why aren't we all out there seeking sponsorship or promoting our roles as athletes?' she wrote.
'It's easy. Most of us don't even acknowledge ourselves as athletes because we know that physically we don't fit the mould of what society believes an "athlete" looks like.'