I Mostly Kind of Love Running, But Also Kind of Hate it.

Let’s start this off with truth. I see so many blogs about how running changed their life, how it made them a better parent, a calmer person, blah blah blah. To be honest, I will probably write one of those too one day lol. But sometimes you need to tell the other side of the story. Because the truth is, for every “running made me better” moment, there are ten “why do I do this shit” moments. 

Today is about the parts that drag, the parts that annoy me, and the parts you’d never admit to someone who just bought their first pair of running shoes. Today is about what sucks most about running.  

So I made a list. What's funny, it literally took me about a minute to think of this stuff. I actually had to cut some out because I ain't trying to convince people not to run ever. 

1. Time

As you get better at running, everything takes longer. People tell you about half-marathon medals and runner’s highs, but no one says, “Oh ya, your average Sunday run is going to take your entire morning.” Sometimes it feels like a damn part-time job. 

Right now my typical run is about ninety minutes. Add stretching. Add driving to the field or the track to avoid running on the street. Definitely add the time it takes to talk yourself into leaving the house. Suddenly this “quick run” is a two and half hour commitment. It is crazy how something that once took thirty minutes now feels like I need to plan my days around it. Whenever I leave the house I tell my wife “I am going for a quick run” she then rolls her eyes and mumbles something. I assume she's saying how awesome I am but who knows. 

Finding that kind of time is hard with kids. Honestly, it is hard without kids. There are days where I look at the clock and think, “I either run or I do literally everything else I’m supposed to do.” The run usually wins because runners are stubborn. But the cost is real. You trade time you do not have for a hobby that keeps demanding more. 

2. Fuel

Running makes you hungry AF. I can burn 900 to 1,300 calories on a run. That is an entire day of food for some people. Your body basically begins craving more and more food because it needs it. If you ignore it, you end up grumpy, tired, and eyeing the fridge.

So yes, it becomes painfully easy to justify eating whatever TF you want. Pizza? Earned it, duh. Ice cream? Absolutely. Anything fried? I ran for over an hour, it would be wrong if I didn’t eat it. But that justification quickly turns into a rhythm that is hard to break. You start using miles as coupons for bad eating decisions.

The idea of eating a salad after a 7 miles run feels like a slap to the face. You burn enough calories to feed a small lion and then people expect you to eat lettuce? Nah. I am hungry and I am not craving lettuce. Nobody craves lettuce. I stand by last week’s blog, salad culture is fake AF.

3. People

I prefer to torture myself alone. When people hear you run, they want to join you. “Oh, we should run together sometime!” No, we should not. I am not trying to turn my personal suffering into a social event. And I’m definitely not trying to talk while I’m gasping for air. And on top of it all I look like shit. Ya, for me running is clearly a by myself activity. 

Running with another person automatically turns into competition. Even if they say it won’t. Even if you also lie it won’t. Even if you both promise to go slow. It still becomes a silent race. Someone always makes a move. Someone always pushes the pace. Someone always pretends they’re not dying. If you don't agree, that probably means you lost.

4. Sore

I have been running for a long time. You’d think that means I would feel amazing by now. I do not. I have basically been sore the entire time I have been a runner. Even on my “rest days,” something is tight. 

Runners constantly push for more. Faster. Longer. Harder routes. Higher mileage. A new race. Every time you hit a milestone, you immediately start chasing the next thing. And it never ends. Sometimes I do not want to feel like my legs are about to fall off. 

5. Cold

I do not like being cold. Not even a little. Running means you will be outside a lot, and that means you will deal with being cold. And yes, runners love to lie to themselves. They say things like, “You only feel cold for the first ten minutes.” Lies. Absolute lies.

I have been cold the entire run. Cold wind. Cold hands. Cold ears. Cold everything. Look I know I live in California and many of you who actually live in cold areas are thinking STFU. All I can say is in California we are very climate sensitive. 

Truth

Yes, running sucks. Yes, it steals your time, your comfort, your energy, and sometimes your dignity. But for some reason you keep coming back. Maybe it is the tiny moments of clarity you get when you zone out and forget you are a person with responsibilities for fifteen minutes.

Whatever it is, runners know the trade. We complain. We whine. We talk about how awful it is. There is something strangely addictive about proving ourselves wrong. Every run feels like a small argument we refuse to lose.

Even if we spend half the time complaining, we still show up. We still try again.

Thanks for Reading

Thanks for hanging out with me today and letting me rant a little. It feels good to say out loud what most people only whisper to themselves. If you like real takes about running, being anti-salad, fatherhood, half-marathon chaos, and occasional video game nonsense, you will love my blog. 

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Also, here's a bonus thought related to last week's blog Thirteen Miles of Random Thoughts. My wife claims that I am a very loud person especially in the morning when everyone is sleeping. She let me know that I was very loud when I locked the door as I left the house. Allegedly, it woke her up and the kids. Me turning the lock may have caused small seismic activity in the area from the way she describes it.

Let's put this into context. Do me a favor and put your hand in the air, move your wrist slightly about 45 degrees, BAM you are in trouble. It's tough being a runner. She's still cool though.