Running Sucks (But I Love It)

Had you told me years ago that I might actually want to go for a run, I would have laughed. I probably would have snorted from laughing so hard, too.

Even a few years ago, when I started running as a way to lose weight, I did it because it was a cheap form of exercise and it worked. But I didn’t love it. I’d wearily drag myself outside for each scheduled run, knowing I’d be proud of myself once it was over, all while fighting off the small voice inside my head telling me I was too tired, and maybe I should wait until tomorrow to go out when the weather might be cooler/warmer/it might be less windy/fewer people might be outside/I might have more energy/or have more time to think up new excuses.

And I’m not a pretty runner in a matching outfit with a slight glistening of sweat on my face, smiling and chatting as I run by. No, I’m more of the dripping in sweat, violet-red-faced, huffing and puffing, can’t even string two words together, pained grimace, slowly plodding, should-we-call-911? type runner. It’s not a pretty sight.

However, for all that I look like I’m being tortured, I’m finding that I like running more and more. There’s still no doubt for me that running sucks, but I’d probably feel the same about any form of exercise. Pushing your body outside of the comfort zone is not pleasant, no matter what you do. You’re going to ache, you’re going to want to stop, and unless you’re swimming, you’re going to be sweaty and smelly afterward. There’s no escaping the suck involved in challenging your body.

So how could I possibly love to run? Let me share a few of my reasons for lacing up my running shoes.

It really does get results. After only a month of regular running again (3x/week), I was already seeing more definition in my legs. After two months, I’m noticing I don’t get winded as easily when I’m active. I’m not losing a lot of weight, but my legs and butt are definitely starting to change in shape. However, I’ll say it’s not cheap like I originally thought. Good running shoes are a must, which can be pricey and need replaced every 300-500 miles. And if you’re in a northern climate like me, you may need to invest in a treadmill or gym to have an indoor place to run when there’s snow or ice in the winter, as well as cold weather running gear. But the cost is still minimal for the results.

Running is mental sorting time. Had a bad day? Run out your feelings on the pavement. Overwhelmed by too much to do? Use your running time to sort your to-do list in your head. I didn’t believe I could do these things at first – mostly because I was super focused on breathe, breathe, just a little further, don’t pass out – but as I learned to settle in to running, I found it was easier to ignore the panic messages from my body by occupying my brain with other things to think about. This is totally ME time – with my headphones playing music, there’s no one to interrupt me as I travel and think about what I need to do later that day or that week. And on those bad days, visualizing myself running away from any negative feelings, or putting the energy from a bad mood into pounding the pavement, is surprisingly helpful in resetting my emotions.

Signing up for races is like peer pressure with a t-shirt and medal at the end. I do sign up for races, and they serve an enormous role in my motivation to run. Why? Because I know that during the run, there will be a bunch of other people running, many of whom are faster than me. I don’t care that they’re faster, but seeing them motivates me to not be last, and knowing they’ll be there motivates me to keep training ahead of the race, too. It’s totally peer pressure that I put on myself, and I tend to run harder in a race than I do when running solo.

And sometimes there’s a prize at the end. Now, I’m part of the group that doesn’t believe that every kid should get an award for participation in school events. But when I’ve run a 5K or 10K distance? I’ll gladly accept the medal bling. Crossing the finish line is still an accomplishment deserving of a medal, considering the percentage of the general population who would be able or willing to do so.

You can be creative and run in costume – and people love it. Before this year, my favorite races were those that involved being covered in colored powder by the end of the race. It was fun, aside from having blue earwax for the next week. But then I discovered the joy of running in costume, and I may be hooked. It’s like Halloween year-round, and it’s completely okay to not look exactly like the character, because you have to modify most ideas to fit them into running-appropriate costumes.

There are also Facebook groups and blogs devoted to running in costume. Going along with this idea are the runDisney races – not only are costumes encouraged at these races, but you get to run through the Disney parks!

It’s inspiring to see how many miles you’ve run. There are moments when I feel like I’m not progressing fast enough in running. Or days when I feel fat and out of shape and wonder why I even keep bothering to work out. And then I look at my stats:

I know that’s not a lot for some people. But 26.5 miles in August is HUGE for me! That’s the equivalent of running from downtown Columbus to Delaware, OH. When I see that monthly total, I’m motivated to keep going and challenge myself to go even further the next month. I love seeing my progress quantified in miles, and I am thankful for every mile behind me.

So that’s why I’m going to keep running, and continue pushing myself beyond the boundaries I had established in my head. I never thought I could run a 5K, and I did it. I’m now training to run my first 10K in February, and I intend to do it. Beyond that, I’m considering training for a half marathon – which still feels a little crazy to me, but maybe I need to try something crazy to see if I’m capable of it.

Fellow runners, why do you love running? Do you have reasons that I didn’t list above?