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Running the marathon is the easy part, it's the training that'll get you. The vast majority of runs when I'm training for a marathon are not tranquil, peaceful,

by thesash 14y ago

Running the marathon is the easy part, it's the training that'll get you. The vast majority of runs when I'm training for a marathon are not tranquil, peaceful, or enjoyable. In fact, the runs that matter, the ones that make the difference between a PR and a disappointing race, are the ones that suck the most. Forcing yourself to run when you're tired, burned out, have other things you want to be doing, that is what it means to be a runner. I love to run, but it would still be a hell of a lot easier to go home tonight and veg out in the couch instead of getting out and putting rubber to pavement, and that's a temptation tat hasn't gone away, even after 10 years of running. Perhaps the lesson isn't "Find what you love", but rather, "Decide what's worth loving and force yourself to grind your teeth and power through no matter what". Summoning the grit to power through and do what you love even when it sucks is what separates the marathoner from the runner that never steps up to the start line.

erikpukinskis 14y ago
Forcing yourself to run when you're tired, burned out, have other things you want to be doing, that is what it means to be a runner. I really respect your approach to running. You sound like someone who likes to get your times down, ya? I bet you're fast. Good on you. But I just want to throw out there that there are lots of kinds of runners. I, for one, do NOT run when I'm burnt out, or have other things I want to be doing. I run when my body says "mmm... let's go for a run!" I run to get closer in tune with my body, and to get better at listening to myself. And when I'm out on the road or the trail, I don't push myself, I just listen. I get into a groove, and I see how far my body can take me. I'm never going to be fast, and that's OK with me. That's what being a runner means to me. I think we all have different reasons for why we get out and do stuff.

by thesash 14y ago

erikpukinskis 14y ago

Forcing yourself to run when you're tired, burned out, have other things you want to be doing, that is what it means to be a runner. I really respect your approach to running. You sound like someone who likes to get your times down, ya? I bet you're fast. Good on you. But I just want to throw out there that there are lots of kinds of runners. I, for one, do NOT run when I'm burnt out, or have other things I want to be doing. I run when my body says "mmm... let's go for a run!" I run to get closer in tune with my body, and to get better at listening to myself. And when I'm out on the road or the trail, I don't push myself, I just listen. I get into a groove, and I see how far my body can take me. I'm never going to be fast, and that's OK with me. That's what being a runner means to me. I think we all have different reasons for why we get out and do stuff.