So why do I run? There are many reasons. Here are some from the perspective of an old geezer who didn’t begin running until his early 50′s. (I am now 55 years old).
1. It’s really cool to be able to be 5, 10, or more km away from where you are now on your own power!
2. If I run out of gas 4 km from town, I now think nothing of saying “no problem, I’ll just jog into town for some.” I’ve actually thought that, not done it.
3. It gives me strength and power. I feel great especially when I am in that glide zone where your pace is such that you are just floating down the road.
4. I have more energy, flexibility, and strength in my daily activies, even if it’s just to climb a flight of stairs or put on my shoes.
5. Mentally, I am better prepared for life’s stresses.
6. Running gives me a chance to think and meditate. It is MY time.
7. There is a little pride in knowing that, for my age group, I am above average in fitness than the general population.
8. I am healthier, and will live longer with a better quality of life.
Some of the answers to Dawn’s “So what’s your excuse?” question are interesting. I’ll bet that many of these answers are knee-jerk quick responses to the question and not really well thought out. It would be interesting to watch a group of people take at least 5 minutes to answer the question, to write it down with a minimum of 30 or 100 words just to force people to think about their answers. I’ll bet the answers would be very different. Taking the answers from Dawn’s blog, here are my…
Excuse killers:
1. Too chicken = even chickens run. You can’t be more chicken than an actual chicken.
2. Discouraged = Join the club. Stop whining. If you are discouraged, it’s because you have set unrealistic goals which you can’t possibly meet. Set mini goals.
3. Unknown = You are not being honest with yourself.
4. Too hard = See #2 above. There are always ways if you don’t set unrealistic goals. If you can’t spare 30 minutes then spare 5 minutes, which is better than no minutes.
6. I can’t = You mean to say you won’t. Only dead people can’t. Even people with no legs can still “run” with their wheelchairs. Many have. Again, be honest.
7. I don’t look like a runner = Sure, everyone wants to look good. But if your main concern is how you look, you have serious issues of self-esteem. You will find that your self esteem will improve as your continue running.
Running is something you do for yourself. It is both a selfish and a non-selfish act. It is non-selfish in that you become healthier so that your loved ones can have the benefit of a more energetic and healthy you. It is something that you will do for the rest of your life, and your goals should reflect that by not setting them too high.
