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Nearing first 150 miles! and in only three months but not feeling the LOVE (Read 1973 times)

LedLincoln


not bad for mile 25

    What they said, plus, when I have a hard time getting myself out the door, I remind myself that I am always glad I took a run afterward, even if it seems like not such a great thing at the moment.  Looking forward to the way I'll feel, both short term and long term, motivates me to run.

      Thanks everyone for the feed back.  I guess the moral of the story is to wait it out and find the "love" where I can.

        It definitely took me a while to get there. First 6 or 8 months I really disliked running (probably didn't help I ran on the treadmill always) and it was a constant struggle to get out and go run. Over time though it grew and I realized I really enjoyed running and the feeling of the ground just rolling away under my feet, of being out there relaxed in my own little world with just my thoughts.

         

        I consider myself lucky too since what I especially love is running fast, which helps because it makes almost every type of running enjoyable, stuff like tempos and speedwork are some of my favorite, especially tempos, since you just get to go out and run at a nice clip. It's gotten to a point for me where even intense workouts, while still "hard", are still something I find joy in since I get to push myself and run fast. 

        They say golf is like life, but don't believe them. Golf is more complicated than that. "If I am still standing at the end of the race, hit me with a Board and knock me down, because that means I didn't run hard enough" If a lot of people gripped a knife and fork the way they do a golf club, they'd starve to death. "Don't fear moving slowly forward...fear standing still."

          It's kinda funny reading some of the comments here...  I guess I never thought of "love for running" something that "grows" as the time goes by.  But rather, I still hate it sometimes.  This has been one of the questions a lot of people (non-runners) had asked me over the years; "Do you really like running?"  My answer has always been "Three out of five times!" 

           

          I remember talking to this Olympic medalist and he said that "there's no fun in plodding..."  I feel far too many people today just subject themselves to "plod" for whatever the reason.  This does NOT mean to go faster--in fact, it's the opposite.  Pushing is not always fun either.  In fact, pushing when you CAN is a lot of fun; but far too many either "plod" and stay there or "push" when they're not ready.  Consequently, running becomes "work".  They feel they have to run at certain pace; or they think they have to run certain miles...  "Oh, I'm training for a marathon so I've got to do 3 X 20-milers..."  That's work to me.  It is also work to me when you have to check with your Garmin every 5 minutes, and walking 2 minutes every mile or whatever...  I'd walk sometimes--when I felt I'd need it.

           

          I have been running close to 40 years now.  Funny though that I still remember--vividly--some of the runs.  I remember when I visited Burkley, CA, oh, about 12 years ago...  A friend of mine suggested I try this trail called "Fireman's Trail".  That was one of the most vicious hills I've ever run!!  At one point, I was literally on my hands and kn..., no, feet to climb up this hill.  But at the top, everything openned up and I could look down on the Golden Gate Bridge!!  What a view it was...!!  That was also when I figured that I've GOT to get one of those tiny digital camera!!  I did bring one of those Kodak disposable camera but didn't do justice at all!!  Then I had this run over a trail called Magnolia in Boulder, CO.  It is known to be one of the toughest courses at 8500 feet altitude with lots of hills.  I was running with this young lady I was coaching at the time.  I told her, after about 45 minutes, that we'd turn around at the top of this big hill...  As we came around to the end of this, well, turn, and we turned around to the right; the hill continued on for about another half a mile!!  She did not like that we both started to laugh...!  Then as we came around, this was in mid-September, mind you, it started to SNOW!!  We were just laughing and laughing...  Speaking of high altitude, I was in Breckenridge, CO, in 2008.  My friend, Reiko Tosa, was running Beijing Olympic marathon on Saturday and I thought, okay, I'd run 2-hours (at 9000 feet) to dedicate the run for Reiko.  Well, she had a stress fracture and dropped out.  On Sunday when I woke up, it was POURING rain.  So I thought, oh, well, I'd dedicate my run tomorrow...! ;o)  Next day was crystal clear.  I decided to go up this road called Boreas Pass that goes up over 11000 feet.  That was one of the toughest 2-hour runs I had ever done (story here: http://www.lydiardfoundation.org/blog/EntryDisplay.aspx?EntryID=65) but that was also one of the most glorious runs I had ever done.  I even went up that again before we left Breck just to experience that again.  I separately went up there (driving) with my daughter and asked her to take some pictures which I used for this blog.

           

          Naturally, it doesn't have to be a spectacular run.  A few years back, I was all by myself in the winter--my wife and daughter were gone somewhere--and, at 6PM, my choice was to go for a run or sit back and watch Seinfeld.  Well, nobody to feed (I cook) so I thought, heck, I'd go for a run...  It was 10 below outside!!  I only ran about 40 minutes of slow slog but that was one of the most calming runs I had; everything was blue, the moon was out and it was quite bright...  I could only hear my breath and footsteps (and the cars, I guess, along Route 394) but it was like one of those paintings I've seen...  My cheeks (on my face, that is) were freezing, when I got home and took off my jacket, pieces of ice fell out...  A lot of people might think things like these crazy.  But us runners, with a little bit better physical condition, can enjoy it.  And that's the physical condition ANYBODY CAN attain if we do it correctly.  Seek enjoyment in running first; don't wait for it thinking it'll one day come.  If you find it in the beginning, then you are already on your way to this superb fitness.


          The King of Beasts

            after my "run" this morning, I threw up in the toilet while I was still in the shower. and swore that I was never ever going to run again. Ever.

             

            uhg. gukp.

            "As a dreamer of dreams and a travelin' man I have chalked up many a mile. Read dozens of books about heroes and crooks, And I've learned much from both of their styles." ~ Jimmy Buffett

             

            "I don't see much sense in that," said Rabbit. "No," said Pooh humbly, "there isn't. But there was going to be when I began it. It's just that something happened to it along the way."”

            servingthealiens


              Like Phidippides said, sometimes running sucks.  Sometimes it REALLY sucks.  And I'm with him (assuming you're a dude, sorry if you're not) - that first mile really bites.  I've always thought it bites.  I probably always WILL think it bites.  No matter how much I warm up, don't warm up, start slow, start fast, it always sucks.  My body is just like oh shit this again?  I often take some walk breaks in that first little bit too.  Doesn't make me less of a runner.

               

              Some entire runs suck.  Like my run last night.  For reasons unknown, my legs were just dead, and 10:15 pace felt like I was running a full out sprint the entire 3 miles I managed to eek out.  I did it because I knew it was good for me, but I was so glad it was over.  Not to mention, it's been hot as the devil here, which never makes running fun.

               

              Some runs suck in a good way - they're hard and during the run you wonder why you ever started in the first place, but then you get done and feel a sense of pride for what you've just accomplished.

               

              Some runs are AWFUL - have you had it happen yet where you vomit or feel like you might halfway through a run?  Ever not felt quite 100% in the GI tract and figured "Meh, it's not that bad" and then got stricken with a nasty little surprise 4 miles from home?  Ever pull or twist something 3 miles out and take an hour and a half to get home?  It will happen.  Maybe not those exact things, but it will happen. 

               

              Then again, there are the awesome days - the days when you feel like you can run forever and never get tired, everything seems to click, everything is beautiful and nothing hurts.  Wink

               

              And then, one day you notice while shaving your legs in the shower that hey!  my calves were never this cut before.  Sweet. 

               

              Running isn't all one thing or all another.  It's rarely ever the same every day.  But, for me, even on the days I hate it, it DOES help me get in touch with my body, and I learn something with every run.  That's really all you can hope for, I think.


              Tiefsa

                I don't love running.  

                 

                I love being in shape.

                I love being able to keep up with my kids.

                I love the outdoors.

                I love the running community (they are just nice people)

                I love competitions like a road race.

                oh, and I love to eat.

                 

                Running kind of helps me out with all those other loves in my life.

                  I really started enjoying running when I picked a goal that I felt was beyond my reach, which in my case was a half-marathon, joined a training clinic and reached my goal. I love the feeling of running over the mats at the end of a race to the cheering crowds!

                  Suffering Benefiting from mature onset exercise addiction and low aerobic endorphin release threshold. Hoping there is no cure.

                    I know this is a running site, BUT running is not the only exercise that's good for you.  Mix in some bicycling, swimming, hiking, or anything that's not running once in a while. 

                     

                    I myself started out mostly bicycling and walking, with some running and snowshoeing.  After a year or so, I was mostly running.   That was about 8 years ago.  Been running ever since. 

                      I know this is a running site, BUT running is not the only exercise that's good for you.  Mix in some bicycling, swimming, hiking, or anything that's not running once in a while.  

                       

                      I can only answer for myself and what you say IS correct, but I HATE cross training.......  I dont really run for exercise, I run because I usually like it and I still hold onto the glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, if I keep at it, I just might get to be a good runner someday..

                       

                      If I actually did it for exercise, I probably would have quit runnig a LONG time ago..........for me the exercise part of running is a convenient byproduct of trying to become a better runner but not the reason I run..........

                       

                      but thats just me.....Big grin

                      Champions are made when no one is watching

                      runnerclay


                      Consistently Slow

                        I can only answer for myself and what you say IS correct, but I HATE cross training.......  I dont really run for exercise, I run because I usually like it and I still hold onto the glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, if I keep at it, I just might get to be a good runner someday..

                         

                        If I actually did it for exercise, I probably would have quit runnig a LONG time ago..........for me the exercise part of running is a convenient byproduct of trying to become a better runner but not the reason I run..........

                         

                        but thats just me.....Big grin

                         + 1

                        Run until the trail runs out.

                         SCHEDULE 2016--

                         The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff

                        unsolicited chatter

                        http://bkclay.blogspot.com/

                          I can only answer for myself and what you say IS correct, but I HATE cross training.......  I dont really run for exercise, I run because I usually like it and I still hold onto the glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, if I keep at it, I just might get to be a good runner someday..

                           

                          If I actually did it for exercise, I probably would have quit runnig a LONG time ago..........for me the exercise part of running is a convenient byproduct of trying to become a better runner but not the reason I run..........

                           

                          but thats just me.....Big grin

                           

                          +2

                          Suffering Benefiting from mature onset exercise addiction and low aerobic endorphin release threshold. Hoping there is no cure.

                          dennrunner


                            after my "run" this morning, I threw up in the toilet while I was still in the shower. and swore that I was never ever going to run again. Ever.

                             

                            uhg. gukp.

                             

                            Well, that "swore" sure didn't last long. You're such an Animal; and I mean that in a good way.

                              I wish I had a dollar for every time I've said that I'm never going to run again.

                               

                              I learned through repeat activity that in fact I am, and the worse I feel or the worse I do in a particular race, the more likely I am to sign up for it the following year.  I've given up saying it now. 

                                 Not giving up, but wanting the LOVE to kick in...  Smile 

                                 

                                I don't know about love, but if you keep at it, running  will become a habit- you'll find that if you haven't been out in a few days (me last week), you will become anxious to get out there and put some miles in, and after you've done that you will fell much better. But as Jim R said, it's always an effort.

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