I’m almost ashamed to admit this, but I have really gotten into running. It’s gotten so bad that I lament the fact that I haven’t had enough time lately to run as long or as far as I want. It’s a great coup getting 4 miles in on a treadmill most days and nothing has made me happier recently than waking up early on Sunday mornings to hit the road for 5 or 6 miles before the heat and humidity takes over.
I have no desire to run more than 10K at any given time, but when I finish my long Sunday runs I feel so good that I wonder why I don’t try to run further. It’s been the weirdest thing I’ve gone through in years, especially since I always hated running and swore it off for good when I left my life as an active duty member of America’s esteemed fighting forces.
Even worse is that I’ve been reading a book called Chi Running that offers a blueprint to run effortlessly by focusing your mind, sensing your body and teaching yourself methods of relaxation during runs that allows gravity to pull you rather than using your muscles your push you. It’s all very new agey (being based on the 2,500 year old art of Tai Chi and all), peaceful and kind of out-there sounding, but it works. One of the supposed benefits of the ChiRunning technique is that it begins to permeate all aspects of your life, making you more focused, relaxed and better able to handle life with a whatever-will-be-will-be attitude.
Could this mean there is a kinder, gentler heart in me being buffed out from under who knows how many layers of blackness? No. Fuck no. I’m just as hateful as ever and no book and no number of miles running is going to change that. But at least I’m coming to be even more at peace with my hate. That’s got to be worth something.
I know what you’re talking about! No dumbass, not because I like to run, that shit is for losers. I know because my boss and the programmer are both losery dorks who run and they sit there and talk about it ALL the time. Bot of them sound just like you too. They’re all like, “Man, running is so cool and I really feel at one with my body when I run, wanna go running later? LET’S RUN!!!11 SQUEEE”
Seriously. Just yesterday the programmer was bragging about how he got up at 3am and ran 15 miles before work. Then he went around all day complaining of how sore he was.
Anyway, it’s cool I guess if you’re into making your body stronger and expanding your mind…Craig.
Actually, using the ChiRunning technique, running 15 miles should leave you feeling energized and ready to run 15 more; not complaining about soreness. Therefore, your programmer (at least) is not at one with his body at all. If he were he’d know that his soreness was his body telling him his mechanics are wrong.
BTW, there’s no way in hell I’d get up at 3am to run. There’s also no way in hell I’m going to run 15 miles.
I was just remembering how I wanted to get back into running form again, and the book sounds like something to pick up. I am certainly not into the New Age thing, but I do want to try something to get away from the usual “complaints” one has while running.
Nice to see that you found something else that won’t necessarily kill you while exercising–it’s a bit harder to do a faceplant while running.
That said, nice to see you are your usual, snarky, smart-assed self.
SC - you’re doomed. It started the same way with me. Run a little here and there, next thing is the long runs on the weekend, then longer runs, then your first 5k, then your first 10k, then a half-marathon. You are doomed champ, fucking doomed. Well until winter when the trails get covered over and you get out of shape.
Baconator: I actually got my first 5K out of the way last month. It was hotter than hell so I decided to not do any more during the summer. So I’m registered to run two in September. I’m looking for a 10K but they’re hard to find around here. I never see me doing a half marathon or more though.
As for getting out of shape over the winter… that’s what treadmills are for, right?
Yeah I think you’re right about Programmer guy. I think he did all that just to brag. So does all this running mean that swimming is out and does it mean you have bought stock in anti-nipple chap cream? Or do you have callouses yet?
My shoulder does not allow me to swim anymore. I tried last week and only made it five laps before I had to give up. Very sad development, indeed.
Treadmills frighten me, its like an elephant on a tricycle.