Running is Stupid and I Keep Doing It

If you’ve known me for any amount of time, you know my opinion of “Why run when you can ride a bike?” and “running is stupid”.

Running has always had a bad rap in my mind; mainly because I’m an ugly runner.  It’s hard, it’s one of the few things in raw athletics that doesn’t come naturally to me.  I can go ride a bike for 100 miles without thinking twice, but a 30-45 minute run is a humbling and slightly humiliating experience.  In general, I hate running, it’s stupid, and I’d rather be doing anything else.

But in a quest for a zen-like state, I’m bound and determined to conquer the running thing once and for all.  After running a 1/2 marathon with no training a few years ago, and a 1/4 trail marathon with no training back in August; I’ve set my goal on knocking out a trail half marathon and possibly a half road marathon in early 2014.

I’ve been discreetly running for the past couple of months and really found some running form when I was out in Colorado back in September.  Between being back in the great town of Colorado Springs, the scenery and the weather I was knocking out the runs.

how could you not find good form when running with this view?

Keeping the effort going, I’ve been chipping away at my form here in Indianapolis.  It’s still not pretty, I’m not built like a runner, but I am getting more comfortable getting the job done.  For the first time ever, I ran on the Monon Trail yesterday here in town.  I had worked in the morning at a gig and was working out of the community workspace in the afternoon; but I had planned ahead and had my running stuff in the car as I had a 5:30 MeetUp and knew I wasn’t going to have time to come home and run from there.  So, off I went at 3:45 in an effort to get my sweat on and suffer a bit to knock out a quick 4 miles before getting back to my day.

a beautiful view of the run yesterday

So as I continue to work on the running, I’ll most likely continue to hate it, but I can check off the 1/2 marathons as my quarter-life crisis next year and move on with my life.

Conquer and Succeed, it’s the only way, even with something as stupid as running.

Cheers,

-th