To that end, I don’t bring up running. Ever. If a friend asks, i’m happy to talk about it and enjoy doing so, but I try not to say too much, and usually change the subject to their interests after an appropriate amount of time has passed. But please know it makes me happier than a slinky on an escalator to talk about running. I also get asked all kinds of questions that I don’t normally think about. They seem like a no-brainer in the moment, but make sense later when I realize that my friends and family see running from a different angle than I do. So here goes:
How long have you been running? There’s two answers to that questions. I starting running for fun about 14 years ago because I was nervous and anxious and lazy and wanted to change. I started distance running in January of 2010, when my great friend Sarah Pugh asked me to run the Little Rock Half Marathon with her. I told her that I would, but had no intentions of following through. I hated it until right up before the race. As soon as I crossed the finish line, I knew I wanted to do it again.
How much do you run? That varies, but i’ve been doing a weekend long run for about four years now. Weekend long runs are anywhere from 10 to 18 miles, with the average probably being around 13. I usually run twice in the middle of the week, about five miles at a time.
Do your knees hurt? This is probably the question that gets asked the most. And then the person usually tells the story of their loved one who has bad knees. I’m really lucky that i’ve never had a major injury, but at any given time my body is probably a little bit sore somewhere. But my knees are fine. Really, they’re fine.
Are you going to do that triathlon next month? I’m really happy for my friends who do those, but i’m a runner.
What kind of shoes do you wear? Good shoes are extremely important and i’ve run in many over the years. My favorite are probably Asics, but i’m currently in Brooks. They can get pricey, so when I find a pair that works for my foot and is on sale (and isn’t ugly), i’ll buy them immediately. Running store clerks will say that no one can consider the way they look, I always say “sit back and watch me do it.”
What should I eat before a run? I have coffee and a breakfast sandwich before long runs. Eggs on an english muffin works great. I eat an energy gel product every five miles. I drink water all day long. Like a lot of water.
What races are on your list? This is probably my favorite question. I love thinking about races I want to do. It changes a little bit every once in a while, but I really want to run the Marine Corp Marathon, New Orleans Rock-N-Roll Marathon, Big Sur Marathon, Twin Cities Marathon, and the San Francisco Marathon.
But what about Boston? Eh. Not necessarily at the top of my list. Or even on my list. I wouldn’t turn down the chance, but it doesn’t spark my interest. Boston is for the gotta-beat-the-guy-next-to-me crowd. The "Type-A" runners. That’s just not me.
What’s the best race you’ve done? New York City. And that’s not a function of it being the most recent one. The entire weekend was really fantastic, but those 26.2 miles were perfect.
“It’s too cold to run.” Not a question, but I hear it constantly. I run year-round, and the temperatures will have to be in the single digits before it’s too cold. Yep, below freezing is still good enough for a run. The key is to have really good winter running gear.
“It’s too hot to run.” Again, not a question but something that gets bandied about frequently. My very first run 14 years ago was in the heat of August, so I guess i’ve never known better. Heat is my friend. So is summer running.
What about treadmills? They are the devil and have no soul. I’ll run outside in the hottest of heat, the coldest of cold, the rainiest of rains, the windiest of winds before I sell out to a treadmill. They’re bearable every once in a while, but only for a few miles.
Music or no music? I’ve usually have an iPod on, but have left it at home more often recently. Some great running songs include “Yeah”, by Usher; “i’ll Stick Around”, by Foo Fighters; “American Saturday Night”, by Brad Paisley; “Beautiful Day”, by U2; and “Jackson”, by Johnny Cash.
But what about that triathlon we talked about??? Answer is no.
What was your finishing time? Usually I don’t even know the answer, and that’s the truth. If I do know it, sometimes i’ll answer with numbers and sometimes i’ll answer with words, using a phrase like “my finishing time was really slow”, or “right about the same as what I usually do.” My answer depends on the person and the tone of the question. My really good friends, family, and teacher buddies don’t ever ask about times because they know it’s not about time for me. That’s easy for a guy with slow times to say, but I can’t help it.
“I’m running my first race!” This is the best thing that I ever hear, because I hope that it means the person thinks highly enough of me that they want me to know. I always give them the same advice: get sleep, drink more water than what you think you need, and forget about times. But I also try to congratulate them for deciding to do it and to keep me posted on how it goes. And I do really want to know how it goes.
I ran 17 miles yesterday and chafed the heck out of my legs, but had a great time nonetheless. My right IT band was sore for the rest of the day so I took it easy, having lunch and going shopping with Todd and Hamilton. She wanted to try out some archery gear at Cabela’s and even talked me into doing it. Fun.
I was able to hit the bullseye in the upper right quadrant, before sending the next two arrows embarrassingly off target into the wall. Had I not relinquished the weapon after the third attempt, they probably would have asked me to leave the store. I’ll stick to running.
No comments:
Post a Comment