porchpondering.com: Thoughts on Running

June 19, 2008

Thoughts on Running

This morning I began training for the 10k on the 4^th of July. I was hardly off my own block before I began rethinking my commitment to running. I used to run regularly during my college years. Back then everyone was running largely due to the inspiration of Jim Fixx. My Nike running shorts and well-worn New Balance shoes were all I needed. Getting the right look is not the problem. For me, the problem is actually running. When does it stop hurting? How far do I have to run before I get to the “runner’s high”? Why am I doing this? I’d rather be in the water.

I sucked it up, partly because I already registered for the run and more so because I made this goal public. I turned the corner down Sienna (uphill, mind you) and continued on. One of the problems is that when I’m running, I’m always thinking about running. Move legs, swing arms, inhale, relax, exhale, don’t think about the pain, the pain, the pain.

In the water, I totally relax and just knock down the yardage. There is a rhythm to my swimming that I didn’t find on my run this morning. Some times it seems my mind goes to other places and I lose count of how many laps I’ve done. For that reason I do sets that can be managed by time. This morning I ran a manageable loop in about 20 minutes. That’s enough for me to get started.

I wonder how many years I would have to run until running would become second nature to me. My brother-in-law has an amazing streak of more than ten years of consecutive days of running. It’s an impressive accomplishment. My goal is simple: run for the next two weeks so that I don’t wipe myself out on the 4^th of July. Six miles? Maybe, I should have gone for the 5k.

[p.s. one brave soul has stepped forward to join me on the 4th and after this inspirational post, I'm sure there will be many more]

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