The Curious Thing About Running

I do not like running. I never have. It’s hard and it takes me a long time. Running is something I was never good at, even when I was on  Track & Field (emphasis on Field). I’m a bulky guy – overweight but also a broad build. Running is rough on my legs. It’s an activity I get no enjoyment out of. But something curious is happening. I ran my first half marathon in October. I just ran another last week. And I’m signing up for more.

On race day for my second half marathon, the Walt Disney World Half Marathon, I told myself it would be my last race. I achived my goal of running 2 halfs to show I’m not a ‘one trick pony’. When I managed to complete the race after not training for 2 months I was sure I’d think, “Welp, I’m not doing that any more.”

A Change in Thought

But something funny happened. I got my time and it wasn’t that bad, especially considering I ran only 4 times between the October half and the January half. Then I went to meet my brother at the finish line of the Marathon the next day- something he did without training at all for about a year.

I had several thoughts at that moment:

• I ran a 10K (6.21 miles) and felt perfectly fine. That’s wild.
• I could definitely do a half in under 3 hours if I train.
• I could probably do a marathon given the right amount of training and dedication.

The conclusion I came to and one Erin agrees with is that we should try do to the Dopey Challenge next year. That’s a 5K, 10K, Half, and Full Marathon over the course of 4 days.

We have also decided we are going to sign up for  the Walt Disney World Wine and Dine Half Marathon in November.

That Curious Thing…

So how in the world did I go from I’m never doing this again, to Let’s do a marathon and other events? That’s the curious thing. Endorphins probably have a lot to do with it. I’m on a chemical high after I finish a race so I’m feeling good. But many folks have told me that running, after a certain point, is mental.

I can definitely vouch for that. Around Mile 11, life got really hard for me. I didn’t think I was going to make it. But I powered through it because I was close. I kept telling myself I was ticking away at those 13.1 miles, little by little, until I saw the finish line. Then I booked it. I actually got a little emotional after I crossed the finish line. It was hard and I didn’t think I would complete the race, and I did. And some of my best friends were by my side.

But now I’m almost a week out from that race. The endorphins have long worn off and I still want to sign up for more races. So what’s the curious thing? Do I all of a sudden like running? No. But I like the challenge. Running isn’t easy – I think anyone who runs will agree. But there’s something to working towards a goal and actually accomplishing that goal…especially if it’s something you’ve said several you will ‘never do’.

Physical & Mental Toughness

The curious thing about running is this: it’s a challenge that’s both physical and mental. That means completing the physical gives you an immediate high – that endorphin high I was talking about. But once that goes away, you’re left with a different high. It’s the high you feel by knowing that you’re mentally tough enough to run a distance you’ve never run before, or have run faster than you’ve ever run. It’s an amazing feeling. If you’re considering runing a race of any distance, I recommend it for that reason above else.

And I’ll tell you something countless people have told me: If I can do it, you can do it.