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Plus Model Erica Schenk Featured on Women’s Running Magazine Cover: “Running is for every body anytime”

Plus Model Erica Schenk Featured on Women’s Running Magazine Cover: “Running is for every body anytime”

This week, Women’s Running Magazine unveiled its August 2015 cover and made a powerful and empowering statement with who they chose to be their cover model. Plus model Erica Jean Schenk is seen on the cover, running with a smile on her face, sending the message that larger women can be active too!

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Erica Schenk on the cover of the Women’s Running August 2015 issue (Photo credit: James Farrell for Women’s Running)

Schenk, who’s signed with Wilhelmina Models (you can view her online portfolio here) is just 18-years old but she is already making an impact with this cover making headlines. She told E! News:

“I had no idea I was going to be on the cover! I was told afterwards [after her photo shoot] that I would be on the cover. I was initially stunned. I thought it would be a big deal but it turned out to be a MUCH bigger deal than I thought it would be!”

Schenk is a runner, telling Women’s Running Magazine, that she has been a runner for 10 years, starting when she played volleyball as a kid, and that running “allows me to clear my head and think”.

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She is also featured within the magazine in an editorial spread titled “Perfect Fit” and the imagery is accompanied by positive messages and showcasing Schenk in various pieces of activewear.

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Women’s Running editor-in-chief Jessica Sebor said in a recent interview with Today that she wanted to help readers see that runners come in all shapes and sizes.

“You can go to any race finish line, from a 5k to a marathon, and see that. It was important for us to celebrate that.”

“There’s a stereotype that all runners are skinny, and that’s just not the case. Runners come in all shapes and sizes. You can go any race finish line, from a 5K to a marathon, and see that. It was important for us to celebrate that. I think that every woman goes to the magazine rack sometimes and feels like she can’t see herself in the cover images. We wanted our readers to feel like they could see themselves in our cover.”

Schenk is still taking it all in (this is her first cover) and hopes this will inspire women of all sizes to live a healthy lifestyle and get active:

“Our generation has taken leaps and bound towards less judgement and more acceptance. It makes me proud to see people responding positively to a curvy and proud woman who wants to lead a healthy lifestyle.”

“This cover proves anyone can run. Don’t be afraid to be curvy and do what you love. You are not alone.” [People Mag]

The issue hit stands on July 21. You can read more about Erica Jean Schenk and her interview with Women’s Running Magazine here.