Loving the Run

Over the last few years, I have met a lot of runners. I enjoy chatting with them. So many runners talk about the runners high, and their love for running. I admit that I have struggled with this. The run, for me has several distinct phases.

  • Pre-run: Uggh. Run Day. Maybe lightning will hit me and I can take the day off.
  • The first 8 minutes: Uggh. It’s hot, my legs hurt, my lungs hate me, running sucks.
  • The next 8 minutes: Oh fine, I’m out here, let’s get this shit done.
  • Somewhere around 15-20 minutes in: Lalalalalala, I’m thinking and thinking and singing along to the tunes, oh hi other runner. How far am I going today? Aw screw it, I’ll go till I’m tired.
  • Somewhere around the time I’m supposed to turn around: I still feel alright, but the plan says only do x.
  • About halfway back from the turn around: Hmm, still feeling good, maybe I can push the pace a little.
  • About 8 minutes later: Holy crap, that hurt, WTH was I thinking.
  • The last .25 mile: finish strong you big dufus.
  • Post Run: That wasn’t so bad, I guess. I want ice cream. Cookies and Cream Ice Cream. It’ll spoil my appetite, but dammit I want ice cream.

Notice, nowhere in that is the famed runners high. For me, the run is something I have always had to motivate myself to do. Here we are, 4 years into this whole, getting fit and living a healthy lifestyle, and I keep telling myself how much I don’t like the run.

Then I take a few days off for some reason or another and I discover something.

I don’t hate the run anymore. Far from it in fact. Turns out, I really miss the running when I don’t do them. I feel guilty when I skip runs. I struggle to get motivated to DO the runs, but once done, I am satisfied.
Does this mean that I’ve found the love? Perhaps it does. At least it means that I value the work over the guilt of not doing the work. Perhaps, just perhaps, that is the real secret to learning to love the run.

Valuing the results over the actions. The fitness of getting that run done, and being better prepared for the next run with each one. Maybe that will get me over the hump to a point where I am excited about run days like I am for bike days.