The few…the proud…the crazy….
They are runners.
And when I say that they are runners I mean that’s what they live for that’s what they love in life! Probably more than anything else.
What is it about running? Why do these people love it so much!? –well I think that many of us hacve heard of a “Runner High” I decided to look it up and found this ‘definition’ somewhere on the world wide web:
“runner's high is a state of euphoria caused by the environmental stimuli around the runner and the biological aspects of stress associated with running.”
Haha…say what?!
So….being overly excited about stress that you are causing yourself?! Haha…that’s what I got out of that definition
Okay for real though…this is a quote that I have heard before and I find interesting….
“When a person is asked about runner's high they typically will say that it a pleasant state that a runner might experience after a certain distance.”
So…I don’t think that I have ever reached that “certain distance” in my many years of running experiences.
…okay maybe I have…once?! (yes that is a question)…but really honestly…going running…and just running- I don’t think that I have reached a state of “euphoria”.
First off let me say this- I LOVE sports. And I even LOVE sports that involve a LOT of running! I played soccer for years- and I played lacrosse as well- lots and lots of running. And I was on BYU’s racquetball team. Now racquetball the game itself doesn’t have as much running in it…but conditioning practice. YUCK! We ran so much there were days I wanted to throw up! Literally! I felt sick!
I also LOVE working out- I go to the gym every day, Step Aerobics, Strength training, Yoga, Zumba, etc. GREAT classes that I love! And my body is really getting whipped into shape!...and by whipped into shape I mean it HURTS!....EVERY DAY!
So- these friends of mine- they average between 8-12 miles a day…running…straight running…I am just not one to go out and run for an hour. 20-30 minutes seems good enough for me. And if I have the option of going to an aerobics class or playing a sport to burn the same amount of calories but in a more entertaining form- done and done! No questions asked! I am dancing it up at the gym instead of running.
These friends (whom I must say that I love dearly) also mock other people who are…let say different from them. (and by different I mean they don’t run 10 miles plus a day) This includes me!
They talk about people who are part of the “2-3 mile club” but in a degrading sort of way. And then tell me that I “just don’t get it” and I “cant understand” when they talk to me about how good it felt that they just ran 15 miles that day.
Well…I guess its true…maybe I don’t get it cause if I ran 15 miles any time soon I wouldn’t feel good at all! HA!
But the interesting thing is it intrigues me. I wonder sometimes what it would be like. And I think that maybe I will start running…(but other forms of working out are so much more fun to me!)
Another interesting thing about these friends is that they REALLY want me to go running with them!
FLASHBACK!!!:
Hummmm….I am remembering… back in the day – I had friends that were really good at video games, and they played them a LOT and they were really good. And they always wanted me to play video games with them.
Now – they didn’t want me to play video games with them cause it was a challenge, or someone fun to play with…but it was because I was (still am) AWFUL at video games! My ‘friends’ liked to invite me to play video games so that they could MOCK and LAUGH at me! Because it was funny for them to watch me try my darndest at something that I quite frankly suck at! Haha
Well the thing is I couldn’t care less about video games…so whatev...make fun - it wont affect me...yet here is the other thing...I wonder if this is in any way a “foreshadowing” of what my future experience would be if I were to go running with my friends?
Hummmm….reasons that point to yes-
1-they make fun of the 2-3 mile club….which I am in!
2-I watched them watch a runner the other day and they sat and critiqued his form, his stride, his style of running….oh boy!
3-they are boys…that’s what they do
Sooooo…….
Reasons I wouldn’t / havn’t /shouldn’t go running with my friends:
1- they came running out of the womb….I had to learn to crawl first
2- they have MUCH longer legs than I do
3- they have been running (and have loved running) for years – I on the other hand have recently…how do I put this…gained a better appreciation for running. I used to HATE it! I mean H-A-T-E it!...to say that I “enjoy” it now may still be a lie…depends on the day.
4- I know that they are faster than I am!...
Really I am more of a jogger I think than a runner…that will be my next search- the difference between Runners and Joggers…
I am sure that the definition would show the following:
Runners = (Kristy’s friends names follow ___________ )
Joggers = Kristy Kadish
But that’s okay right? Steady and slow wins the race!...right?
But where is the point that you reach the difference? Because I can say that I am going out for a “run” and my friends would probably scoff at me saying – common stop doing your warm up jog and lets actually run!...but really that IS my run!
Do you think its a time thing? Like if you got through a mile between such and such a time then you were running…if it was slower then you only qualify as a jogger? I wonder how fast (or slow) my mile is now? It has been a REALLY long time sense I have been timed!
Despite all of this…for reason – unknown to me I still have a desire to go running with my friends
Possible reasons why I would want to go running with my friends:
a)I have a desire to get my trashed kicked (in a few different ways- physically and emotionally)?
b)I want to go running alone – I mean I will start out with them I am sure…but I have the feeling that I would be left behind in the dust!
c)I love challenges!...I am a very competitive person…so it’s hard to turn something like this down…no no I am not stupid – I won’t by any means be racing them!
d)I enjoy spending time with them and I like sharing with people what I love and what they love…and if they love to do something then I would like to appreciate that with them.
e)I have, after spending much time with these friends, in running conversations (these are conversation about running, not during running haha) a new found desire to be able to #1- just be able to do it (it= run that long and far) #2- be able to better understand my friends and what they love, and why they love it.
f)All of the above?
Etc etc etc
ps- I hate multiple guess tests!
I came to the conclusion that for now maybe my best solution is to have my friends go and run for 45 minutes and then I can pick up the last 20-30 minutes with them.
I also wonder if they will go running with me once and then never invite me again – because they will finally realize…(you fill in the blank)
So I guess the point of this post is… well a few things:
#1- I am a POUD MEMBER of the 2-3 mile club!
#2- I believe that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the 2-3 mile club!
#3- I think that even though I don’t run (as much) as certain people I can still understand where they are coming from when they talk about a ‘runners high’ or how good they feel when they talk about just having run 10-15 miles. Cause I love working out too! I do it every day! I have more energy and feel better about myself when I do go to the gym. So don’t tell me that I don’t/cant understand cause I do I can AND I will! Cause I take a challenge when it is given me…and if someone tells me that I cant do something- I make it a goal to prove them wrong. =)
#4- there is plenty more I could say on this I am sure…but lets face it…this post is forever long…I am sure no one has read this far…and I am done for now and should go to bed so I can make it to my work out classes tomorrow that I want to go to – and if I am the only one who has read this far why write more! Lol
Oh…jk- one last thing… if you are a runner you will love this! (actually if you are a runner I am sure you already know about this) but I recently discovered http://www.geodistance.com/
it is this amazing website that you can use to track distance! It’s a resource for runners, joggers, walkers, hikers, bicyclist, or anyone that is interested in finding out the distance of a route, trail, or other place. I think its way cool! Check it out!
No comments:
Post a Comment