I am not a hipster: I don't run

When I read other blogs, it sometimes feels like everyone is a runner.  Lilith, Sofinesse, Lien, Annelyse, ...

Some of them were reluctant converts, some of them run marathons , ...but all of them seem to have become very passionate about running. It is my impression too that a lot of them have running injuries (wha, that'll teach them -  joking!) which  frustrates them greatly.

I'm not a runner.
Running reminds me of a painful spleen.
Running reminds me of being painfully out of breath.
Running reminds me of the Léger test in high school


Beep.............................[trying to find motivation]................................Beep
.............................[hating it already]....................................Beep
......................[sigh         sigh    ]...............................Beep
.................[breathing heavily].......................Beep
.............[breathing more heavily]........Beep
   ..........[dying slowly]...........Beep
       .....[AUCH].........Beep
.....[Fx it I give up, I'm dead] [catching up breath for the next hour]


I have tried to start running though several years ago. I'm quite aware that I am in an eternal sad shape and that I should change that. Running is a sport with a low threshold: you can do it anywhere, anytime and you don't need much besides a good pair of shoes to start of with.

Many years ago I started "Start to run" like so many other Belgians with the podcasts from Evy Gruyaert. I didn't do it during the tv-show was on, but one or 2 years later.  I enjoyed the first lessons because it was easy and short...I hated the next lessons as it started to become harder but I felt motivated because I noticed progress.  Unfortunately my progress stopped due to surgery.  Same story with 2nd attempt the year after.

To make a long story short, I believe I have tried to do the start to run program probably about 5 summers. I always stopped my attempts to run in winter time when I lost my motivation to run in the dark 100%.  I've completed the program once  and started the Start to run 2 sequel but quit after lesson 2 or so.  I had the intention to run the Leuven Corrida for 2 years but never achieved a full 5 km run in my life and never subsribed for the run. (oh my god, sounds aweful to type that). Since I became a mom, all sport activities have stopped.

Looking back at my running attempts, I enjoyed them as long as the start to run program didn't take more than 30 minutes.  30 minutes is a good time to squeeze somewhere in your agenda.  Jan's cooking dinner, ok, I'll quickly go for a run and I'll be back by the time dinner is served - so to speak. 30 minutes gave me multiple trail options around our house. I enjoyed going from a state where running 200 m gets me without breath to a slightly better shape.  But as soon as distances grew and the running time increased, I found it so BORRRRIIING.  While I managed to learn to run for 30-60 minutes (at a mediocre speed but lets ignore that), I was counting down to get home and start doing other things.  Somehow I also belief that walking regularly at a steady pace is more fun, more easy to do and also contributes to my health. When I consciously walked each day some kms to beat my pregnancy diabetes, I clearly felt more energetic.

So no, I'm not a runner and I will never be one. I don't think I'll ever share that runner's enthusiasm at all.  But now that I've written all that, I believe it would be good to maybe start that start to run just once again ...in spring time when days are getting a bit longer again. Pushing myself up to that mediocre minimum level just now and then for 30 minutes wouldn't harm me I suppose.




Comments

yab said…
I'm not a hipster and I don't like running either, but it seemed a good way to get some physical activity to help me sleep better. But I have to agree with you: I don't like it at all. And I can't imagine ever experiencing runner's high.

Popular Posts