Why we love to run!

[ejvcruns]

In my family we play a game called "Animal Superpowers" -- in which when we watch nature shows and find out about animals, we call out their amazing powers -- for example the short horned lizard can shoot blood from its eyes to frighten predators (google it); duckbill platypuses and sharks can sense electrical energy from living organisms; squid can glow in the dark and change colours; and of course birds can fly. So what are our human superpowers? Obviously we can talk and make tools (and play video games) and such but that doesn't carry much weight with my kids.

But I now know several things about humans which we do BETTER than any other animal, besides talk, sing and tell lies! For example:

* we are the ONLY animal that can throw things with accuracy, far away, while we and/or the target are moving. Yep, the throwing animal.

* we are the undisputed long distance running champions of the animal kingdom. Yes, no other animal can run for as long distances as we do.

Probably this is how ancient humans got their food without any weapons to speak of. Pick up rock. Fling rock hard at animal. Hit (because of throwing superpower). Run after injured animal. Throw more rocks. Run for hours until it is tired out. Hit it with more rocks and then eat it. Yum.

Running is our thing. We are running animals. We have no hair on our bodies so we can sweat and cool off while we run. We have variable running speeds because we run on our hind limbs only and therefore our breathing doesn't have to match our gait as it would if we had to use our arms for running and they compressed our lungs (like with other mammals). Old people can run. Kids can run. Pregnant women can run for most of their pregnancies. Everyone can run. And we can run FAR. It's our superpower!!! In my mind, that's why it's so fun to be able to do it. We were born to!

I'm considering taking some rocks and trying to fling them at targets as I run. I've read some accounts first contact where explorers were absolutely astounded at the accuracy and strength of the throws. On the other hand I don't want to get arrested -- maybe when I'm running in the forest...

(also did you know we are the longest-lived mammal? Yep, also true).

[Sandraj39 Graduate]

No good at throwing - one out of two's not bad!🏃🏽‍♀️

[ejvcruns Graduate in reply to Sandraj39]

But better than any other animal

[Sandraj39 Graduate in reply to ejvcruns]

You haven't seen me throw! I think my cat could do better!😉

[ejvcruns Graduate in reply to Sandraj39]

Perhaps we need a "couch to hit the can 45 times out of 50" programme? I'm sure you could be trained

[LeeU Graduate]

My friend at work who runs always says we were meant to do more than just sit behind a desk, man as a hunter-gatherer would have needed to be able to run to survive and by that I don't just mean to eat.

[ejvcruns Graduate in reply to LeeU]

Yes. Not too many desks on the savannahs or in the forests

(Although I would say "human" instead of "man". When I studied anthropology it got very confusing when "man" meant "human" and sometimes when "human" really meant "men". I decided it's better to be specific and avoid confusion.)

[LeeU Graduate in reply to ejvcruns]

Of course I meant man as in the human sense, not in a gender sense.

[ejvcruns Graduate in reply to LeeU]

I did not interpret it as you thought women were meant to sit behind a desk. Sort of funny if you think of all these women behind desks while the men run by on the savannah!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Great post!!! Thanks for all the info

I love the.." old people can run..." phew...lucky for me !!!!

We completely and totally rock!!!! I feel so good now!

Thanks ejvcruns

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate]

You could be the David Attenborough of the forum ejvcruns....😉

[ejvcruns Graduate in reply to Mummycav]

"Here is the most dangerous mammal on the savannah, the Long-Lived Throw-Runner. One stone thrown with its powerful, specially-adapted arm can knock down a zebra at forty paces. Watch what happens when I provoke it with these bright fluorescent lycra tights..."

(imagine the David Attenborough voice, if you will)

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate in reply to ejvcruns]

I did!!! 😂😂😂 with his pants firmly fastened obviously!!!