Disclaimer!! This post is not about barefoot running or my desire in any way to give it a try. I read Christopher McDougall’s book Born to Run this summer and while it was fascinating and interesting, it did not increase in me a desire to live like a Tarahumara. I work in a running store and love my shoes! Especially my trail shoes!
But….part way through this TedxPennQuarter talk McDougall speaks of reclaiming a joy in running. He makes a hilarious comment about those of us (ahem, ahem…) who think if we run a 4:00 marathon “we suck” but if we run 3:59:59 “we’re awesome”. His reminder about running as an act of human joy was really poignant to me right now.
I’m signed up for a few things…a 10 miler, the HAT Run (50K), and an oly. But honestly, I think I really just need to reclaim the joy of running to run; to be healthy. Not to train all the time to race to get faster and go longer, but rather run because I feel like running. I have had a plethora of weeks recently where 2-4 miles feels perfect but more than an hour feels like torture. It hasn’t always been this way, I recall times of great joy running 16+ miles with friends. But now is not that time.
I have fallen so far away from the running community that I once loved and knew and I fear that if I take one more step away from “training” that it will alienate me forever. But what is better, to run for joy or to train in misery?
Either way, I’m keeping on my nice cushy shoes.
RunSingTeach 