RunningAHEAD - Topic: Psychological support needed (page 2)

urano

posted: 3/11/2008 at 12:08 PM

Hi again, After you comforting comments I went for the usual 10 miles run (in the pouring rain) with a smile on my face Big grin

The thing is that when your environment keeps saying that what you're doing is "not normal", on a bad day (family, work, whatever), you may have some second thoughts about whether you're not running "too much" I know, better said, I believe that I'm doing the right thing, that I'm fitter than ever in my life and that I have great challenges ahead (run a marathon, 2000 M/y, ....) that will make me feel even better and make me proud of my accomplishments, regardless of how good or bad my results are from an objective perspective. My main fear is that, eventually some day I'll be injured (that's always a possibility) and that day there will be a loooot of people saying "I told you that ......" But anyway if we put the Itoldyou's on one side (if I run) and on the other side (if I don't) the cultivation of a beer-belly, running out of breath when taking the stairs to a second floor, risk of diabetes, ..... I think I'll take the "Itoldyou's" Smile

Thanks for the support Rafa

Targets 1) No injuries 2) Keep having fun 3) Some kind of PR

lph53

posted: 3/11/2008 at 12:40 PM

No matter what you do, you'll never convince everyone, but there is no need to. The important one to convince is yourself and whether or not you enjoy it and feel better. I think your Dr is off his rocker (unless there are other medical issues we don't know about) and what would a pharmacist know about it, all he does is dispense medications. And your wife has a gymnastic coach. In my opinion, she is much more likely to get hurt doing that than you running. And then, you could walk out in the street tomorrow and get hit by a bus. Me, I started running at age 50 with a bad knee and a bad back. Niether of which have bothered me or kept me from running. My wife has supported and encouraged me (of course I had motivation to run a race with my 19 year old son) and fortunately for me, my Dr (A few years older than me) was a runner (he's retired so no longer my DR but still runs) so I had support and a green light from him as well. I can say that I feel better, I'm healthier than I've been in years, I've got more energy and I've discovered something I can do on my own or with people and as a result have met a lot of interesting people. Unlike you, at this time I have no desire to run a marathon. I'm currently planning a HM or two for this year. Maybe if I retire in the next couple-five years, I'll have enough time to train for a marathon. And oh yeah, it's great to cross the finish line and have grandchildren there cheering me on as well.

LPH

"Today I broke my record for most consecutive days lived!"

TanyaS

posted: 3/11/2008 at 12:48 PM

Yeah, what everyone else has said. As for me, I fell off the running wagon in my mid-thirties and gained weight, watched my blood pressure go up, and got sick more frequently. Since I started back running in my early 40s, everything has returned to normal. Running is not normal? Uh huh. Roll eyes

Ben_1415

Hey, nice marmot!

posted: 3/11/2008 at 12:49 PM

I was just going to agree with all the previous advice you've been given, but then I checked you log... You've been running kilometers?!? Don't you know that kilometers will KILL YOU DEAD (and hurt your knees)?!?! Kilometers, like kilos, like cocaine sold by the kilo?! Cocaine is what crack is made out of, and if the 80's taught us nothing else, CRACK IS WACK! I'd switch to miles if I were you. Miles are good for you and leave your breath smelling pleasantly minty.

Ben

"The world is my country, science is my religion."-- Christiaan Huygens

zoom-zoom

rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 3/11/2008 at 12:57 PM

First thing I'd do is find a new doc and have my prescriptions filled by a new pharmacy. If you were my neighbor I'd recommend my doc. He's active, middle-aged, and thinks my running is fantastic. The ONLY warning he gave me was to take care to not develop stress fractures...that IS a real risk to one who overdoes it, but is definitely avoidable if one runs smart. He thinks my marathon goal is fantastic. I'm another one who has found that running has made my knees BETTER. I have had mild arthritis in my knees since puberty. I rarely have issues with this, now.

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

FastTalkingFatty

posted: 3/12/2008 at 7:54 PM

Your doctor is just a bit old school. My father is a cardiologist and we kept an insanely heart healthy household. Seriously I had no idea what real butter tasted like until I was in my twenties ( I figured the stuff in restaurants was something else!) He told me it was a bad idea to run more than two or three miles a day. I sort of followed that advice until my early twenties and then without my realizing my daily runs got longer and longer. Remember doctors in the US usually only get to see people when they aren't doing well: their universe is skewed. Later after my father had heart bypass surgery he figured out that many of the old school things were little "old doctor's tales." His heart problem and an arthritic condition he has both have genetic, not lifestyle, causes. He is the only family member who is supportive of how much I run and how much I love it. As an anthropologist I can tell you that there are an amazing number of things the human body can do and what it can survive on. In fact, try this one: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=256348&page=1, we are made for running and movement and motion. The real thing here for me is why on earth your family is so concerned. Maybe you don't need present good arguments for but ask them what they are really worried about.

<www.runningahead.com/groups/veggies/

jeffreyvollum

posted: 3/12/2008 at 8:31 PM

Rafa, Thanks for bringing this up. You got me thinking about why I run... I ran religiously through the late 80's and the 90's, then I took a 7 year break (don't ask.) Here's what I found: NOT RUNNING Fat (40 pounds heavier) Miserable Low back pain all the time Borderline high blood pressure Lazy RUNNING 40 pounds lighter (another 10 would be ideal!) Happy, feeling good about myself No back pain Fit No blood pressure problems I get a self-esteem fix every time I go out the door and conquer my day's run You're right - injuries will come, and just like all of us, you'll find a way to cross-train, and work through the injury. No worries. Bottom line: I don't give a damn about what anyone else thinks about my running. It works, and it makes me feel good. All I do (as any reasonable person would) is to make sure that I have time for the family stuff, too. Hang in there and enjoy what you do!

"You can't have everything. Where would you put it?" - Steven Wright

Psychological support needed (Read 764 times)