Everything good in my life I have my wife to blame for. She introduced me to half marathons. Shortly after we were married, she trained for and ran the Hope and Healing Half Marathon in Amarillo, Texas. I remember her going out for training runs as I sat idly at the house, enjoying my comfort. I was always very impressed that she would run for an hour or more. I had run in high school for wrestling, but my max distance was 4-5 miles. I was standing in downtown Amarillo when she crossed the finish line. I felt like a cheater instantly. She had run more miles in one morning than I had run in months. She beamed with happiness. I will always respect my wife for her ability to humble me.
I began running because I hated it
I can still remember the pain of not knowing how to breathe. My mouth was instantly dry, and my eyes stung with sweat. I could hear a convincing voice telling me, “Stop, There is no need to run, you are choosing to do this, just stop.” The West Texas sun had superheated the asphalt, and I was sure that the rubber on my shoes was melting between each stride. I could feel the slump enter my back, and the urge to whine crept to the base of my throat. A glance over at my wife disheartened me as she appeared content, happy. She was enjoying what I felt was killing me. I kept my gripes to myself and quietly took note that my fitness had a gaping hole in its game.
Who are you working for
My understanding and perception of physical fitness changed as I ran more. I matured. I looked like I was in good shape and could perform specialized tasks, but I couldn’t perform the basic human task of traveling by foot. Before the advent of automobiles, people rode on horses and buggies. Before that, Humanity spent millennia traveling by foot, carrying supplies on top of all the traveling miles. This is one of the disconnects of modern man. We don’t perform the animalistic tasks which bound us to our physiology. This elimination is to blame for most of our modern ailments. We are a culture strife with sedentary existences. Running is a way to reengage our base nature.
A phoenix will rise from the ashes
I have found running as one modality that never disappoints. It is an activity which will give exactly what is put in. There is no better means of trimming the fat from the mind than pounding pavement.
Call to action: Find a race, set a goal, and then RUN. The point of running doesn’t have to be self-improvement. It is also a perfect tool for self-destruction. Follow me on STRAVA or tag me in a run on INSTAGRAM.