I hate running. I absolutely hate it. It hurts my feet, my knees, my back, and even my shoulders. But for some reason I always sign up to do it. I was on the track team for two years in high school, and I quit the team twice. I ran hurdles, which, although completely ruined my lower back, I didn’t mind. However, I would do everything possible to get out of the several mile warm-up and cool-down. Whenever my hurdle coach told us we had to join the sprinters or long-distance runners for a practice, I would usually run once around the track and then run straight to the locker room.
This goes completely against my perfectionist and competitive personality. I’m haunted by that whole type-A thing because, usually, if I set my mind on something, I follow through. Perhaps that is why I joined the track team again. But then I quit, again. Last year, I set my sights really high and decided I wanted to train for a half-marathon. I bought new shoes. I went to the gym every almost every night. I would get up early in the morning to go running. I even looked up training schedules online. I quit that after two weeks.
As much as I hate running, I hate quitting even more. So that is why I have promised a couple of my friends that I would run with them in the Crazylegs race on April 28th. It is an 8K, which is a lot more achievable than a half-marathon. However, I’m still a little worried that I’m going to fall back to my old ways of taking a nap instead of going for a run. And if I don’t feel like a nap, gorging on Cheez-its and catching up on old episodes of the Real World always seems more enticing than pounding on pavement, being out of breath, and sweating.
But this time, I have support from my friends, which might just make the difference.
5 comments:
I know exactly what you mean! Finding the motivation to go running is the hardest thing for me too. I usually do it more frequently in the summer, but it's still hard to actually "want" to do it. Crazylegs is really ambitious, though, I give you credit! Good luck with the running plan, do you play any other sports?
Good luck. I ran a half-marathon last June, which I was really proud of because, a year before that, the longest I had ever run was a mile. You probably won't have to train too much--just remember that no matter how much you train in advance, the actual race will still be super hard. Readying yourself mentally for the actual race is probably the most important thing. My friend keeps telling me about his father who ran a whole marathon. His training? A six pack the night before...
Thank you! That is good advice! Although, I don't think a six-pack would be good idea for me....
i was in cross country in high school and learned the best way to have a running program and stick with it is to have someone to run with and push you to do it on the days you don't feel like running and vice-versa, so i have no doubt you will be successful here. you just need to hope that those unmotivated days to happen on the same day for everyone. Good Luck!
Yea just keep going.
I was training to do a marathon until I screwed up...so if it's any motivation, keep going because you can!
For me, the motivation was always the awesome feeling I had after I came back from the run.
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