Fast Running Blog

This is probably an old topic, but since I'm fairly new to the group I thought I'd pose this question.  Beyond weight loss and better health, I'd really like to know what drives some of you to participate in something that relatively few people do.  Really think about this one.

Joe's top 5 reasons for running:

1.  Exhilaration of racing
2.  Runner's high during a good run
3.  Long relaxing runs on a cool summer night under a full moon and a sky full of stars out in the fields smelling the fresh cut alfalfa and cows and getting misted by the sprinkler lines.
4.  I could potentially eat whatever the crap I want and still maintain 2% body fat.
5.  and of course for one of my station in life: " 'Cause the chicks dig it!"  lol.

Its a part of me, its how I survive. Like eating, drinking, sleeping...

The first half of the run I did today, I listened to a podcast called Phedippidations.  It is a program done by a guy (Steve) while he is running long miles.  It's a great way to warm up for the first hour.  I would recommend it to anyone running alone.  Steve touched on a lot of subjects today, but the most memorable to me was "why we run."  I agree with Steve's oberservations, that "running is the answer to a healthy life."  "Healthy" meaning much more than the physical state.  I personally, also run for pride.  I enjoy seeing improvement every season and want to see and test where my limits are.

Today's run in Zion... 'nuff said.

It's challenging, fun, and you gain great fitness.  Sometimes you have a great race to be excited about.

Dave's enjoyment of Zion and just the world in general. Getting out there, the wind against your face, heart pounding... It goes on. It is the break in the day that keeps me sane.

I was talking to a friend of mine a month ago about how many times running has saved me this year alone. Among other stories was one back in June when I was staying at a hotel in New Jersey and I had to catch a 5am train to the Newark airport. I didn't have a rental car and I was 2 miles from the station. I pack extremely light, so instead of waking up a co-worker who had a rental car, I maintained my independence and did a 2 mile fastpack run in 20 minutes over to the station. How many people can do that?

I just LOVE to run, be outside, and dido what everyone else said :)

Lot of good comments already. Here's my take.

1. The joy of racing and competition
2. The joy of dreaming and aspiring
3. The joy of working my body and training it to run like a machine
4. The joy of being outdoors, and traveling to places I would not ordinarily see
5. The joy of friendship and running with others

Not to be sappy or to open this up in another direction. But I do also run for the spiritual aspect.  I've come the second closest to a "spiritual momment" running (first being after the birth of my daughter) and have also found that running in the woods, or nature in general, is the best way to connect with what is out there. In typical fashion though, Paul I think just summarized many of the other points best.

I run because most days it is the only time I have by myself.  As a teacher, husband and father I have others around me all the time.  So when I run, it is a time for me to relax and be alone with my thoughts.  I also agree with Adam, there is definitely a spiritual aspect to running for me as well.  I started listening to an MP3 player some mornings when I run and I listen to worship music.  There is no better way then watching the sun come up while running on a cool morning worshiping God.  I know it sounds sappy but its true. 

I am very much with Adam Wende on this. The spiritual aspect is number one driver.

I remember warming up for a 3000 meter track race in Moscow at the age of about 14. I had been sick all week from overtraining. I had not grown in height for a year for the same reason (I actually have training logs in paper form from that time and will one day get around to transferring the data to the blog). My times were not improving. I had gone from being a prodigy star to merely one of the many. I was not looking forward to running the race. In school I was enrolled in a special class for athletes where I studied with other distance runners and pentathletes. Many of my classmates had already quit their sport, and were making fun of me for still trying. They questioned why I would subject myself to the pain, and I did not have an answer for them. As I waited for the race to start, I did not even have that answer for myself. But at that low moment there was something deep inside that told me, no, you must run the race, you must keep training, you must not quit. I did not believe in God at the time and knew nothing about spiritual matters. Yet I could not deny that voice. Being a naturally logical person, I was very frustrated with my inability to explain this to others or logically justify it to myself, but I could not go against it for reasons I did not understand.

I felt terrible in the race start to finish. When I was done, I was certain it was another 10:20 if not worse. Yet another mediocre performance. But God had mercy on me that day. It was 10:01, a new PR. More important, I knew that running had some purpose for me and I should keep trying. I still am.

I started running by accident. With the construction industry being in a major slowdown, home designers don't have a lot of work. I decided to walk during the day to kill some time. A neighbor was joking with me about running the marathon. This was not even a desire for me. I had just walked 15 miles and then thought, heck if I can walk 15 I can walk 26.2. I signed up that day..the last day that you could.
The next week I left town for Hawaii to work and got hurt, took a full sheet of plywood to the back of my hamstring with a 20+ mph wind. I couldn't train for weeks. I then had to go out of the country to Europe for 2 weeks. Came home for 3 weeks ans started running a little bit but had the wrong shoes and couldn't run more than a 1/4 mile at a time. I then meet Steve Hooper and he got me started the right way! 2 more weeks working construction in Hawaii with only a few runs because I was always working and worn out.
I got home and took a week before I started getting after it. Day after day things got better with the encouragment of the blog and others.
Running has saved me from a potentially very depressing time without work. I am now trying to keep running as a part of my life because of the feeling I get when working towards a goal. Running the SGM was awesome even if the conditions were not. I have signed up for 2-1/2 marathons in St. George a 5K this saturday and the Odgen Marathon. I may even run the Wasatch Back If I can find someone who wants an old man running with them.
The fresh air
stress reduction
lose of 25+ pounds
feeling healthy
being outdoors
working towards goals

I basically like being more fit than 99.3256% of the rest of the world. I also have some ADD and some obsessive compulsive behavior and running helps me use that in a constructive way. I also love pushing myself over previously thought "unreachable" limits. The friends are good too! 

Clyde, that means there are 2 million Americans faster than you and 45 million people worldwide!  Give yourself more credit than that.  Your 2007 St. George time was the 189th fastest time by a male American.  Even if we say there are 1000 runners faster than you, you would still be faster than 99.9666% of Americans!

All of us runners can be proud of that fact- there were 400,000 marathon finishes last year.  If we assume some people did more than one (cough, cough, Sasha), then the number of people who finished is lower- let's say 300,000.  That means only .1% of the population finished a marathon!  I think it is safe to say that if you ran a 5k, 10k, marathon, etc, that you are in the top 1% of the population speedwise, and probably the top .1% or higher.  Good job, everyone! 

Why do I run? That's a tough one. I used to run to race, as I think many younger runners do, but an injury last January opened my eyes and recommitted/refocused my reasons for running. I don't run any more to race. And actually I find races to be exhausting and inherently anxiety-ridden. Instead I run:

- to enjoy the sounds of nature out on the open roads
- to enjoy a healthier and fuller life
- to clear my mind
- to take a needed study break
- to seek spiritual peace
- to foster self confidence

I guess in short, I don't run for anyone else. I run for me.

Clyde, I agree running definitely helps with the OCD... Jon that is a fun thing to think about. Trying to set yourself apart from the rest of the population. As you said only about 0.1% of the US population finished a marathon, of that I'm sure some were repeats and some were internationals. But more importantly if you are finishing in the top 1% of that 0.1% and America is only ~4.5% of the world population even if you increase the total finishers 10-fold to compensate for other countries marathoners that would put you in at least the top 0.00045% of the world!

I share many of the same reasons as mentioned.
fresh air/being outdoors atleast once a day
i run the early mornings, which i find meditative and good for the soul
Helps with OCD aspects
sense of accomplishment
provides direction
adds to my personality
Obviously the health-related reasons
Racing... and I love when i win my division or place high overall and get a special award, I'm a sucker for those extra cool medals/plaques/trophies.

Good question.
Why do I run?
- For health reasons
- Running is "me" time
- Running is pushing my body forward all the time
- Running is letting steam out (work/home)
- Running is feeding my ego in a healthy way
- Running is feeling good at the end of the run

I run so that I can feel justified in posting on the blog. And I want to post on the blog so that I can enjoy Paul's avatar. Rumor has it that is an actual video of him at the end of marathon, which happens to be eerily similar to his dancing. Set to disco lights, you can't tell the difference.

The day that avatar goes away is the day I lose my passion for running.

What a great discussion.  I've actually been thinking a lot about this lately.  As I meet more and more of runners, I am noticing more and more that runners tend to be amazing people.  And I have also come to realize that many of the amazing people I look up for other reasons, run.  There is a positive correlation between running and amazingness.  Seriously!  Why?  I'm not exactly sure, but I think that it has something to do with being fully engaged in your life.  I remember the first time James ran the St. George Marathon.  I was utterly convinced that he was crazy.  But I was impressed at the expo by the sheer number of people who all want to do this, and their EYES...it was like they all had a fire in their eyes.  The thought came to me that these people are really awake, they are truly and gloriously alive inside their bodies.  A lot of people it seems, kinda go through life half asleep--just letting whatever happens happen, not really trying to make the most of it.  I think that running wakes you up.  That's what I want.  That's why I run.

Do as you are trained... AND KILL THE MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER! I invented the piano key neck tie! I invented it! What have you done, Tyler? Nothing! YOU'VE GOT NOTHING!!! N O T H I N G ! ! !

 :o

 ;D

Sorry if you're shocked and/or confused. I operate under the assumption that everyone has seen Zoolander and knows that my avatar is the character Mugatu. And Mugatu has many hilarious quotes, such as the ones above.

Haha, no I've been laughing since I read it. Zoolander is classic, although I didn't recognize Mugatu. It makes sense now.

(http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo76/choplz/ontd/mugatu.gif)

Happy! Happy! Happy!

I recognize him now.

I've been running since I was 7. But I didn't truly love it until I ran every day (except sundays), all year round. The more I run, the more I feel the need to run. Perhaps it's drug for me. I run to feel the sun on my face, I run to let my mind explore itself or give it a rest and think of nothing--to just experience the run itself. I run because I like the way it makes my body look and feel. I run because sometimes it's a good excuse to be alone. Or to see people. I run because I like pushing myself beyond what is physically possible for me. I run because not because I have the time right now but because I've learned to create the time for it. I run because I love watching sun rises.

I run because running is me.

Ah, yes. And the real reason I run...

I like my running tights. 

Paul that Will Farrel picture is pretty creepy. I'm not going to lie.