Existential threat. 😲🤯😯

[nchunc]

Hello forum 😊

I am back again 👈 with my unique ability to jinx things.

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🛑 TRIGGER ALERT 🚨 I am questioning the reasons why one runs. Please feel free to pass on this one.

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So why do you run? I am being nosey I know. You probably can imagine me asking this in real life, annoyingly and will get me nowhere. Online forums give that anonymity to people to open up about personal affairs, without affecting their day to day setting. Outside the environment if you will.

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I love eating. Still do. Have been stuffing my face in my early years and for a very long time, not anymore but do like my seasonal treats.

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🎯 Couch to 5K gave me a reason to get out my home. Gave me something to do rather than sulking on my own and be miserable about my past. Gave me something to look forward to.

🎯 7.5k gave me a step up. I still remember looking at an oncoming lamp post and determined to plod just to the next one. Have failed several times before getting there. Euphoric on my first 7.5k. Treated myself to a big meal and couldn’t move for 2 days.

🎯 10k required a different kind of commitment, to push ahead with what I had and hope for the best. Luckily never had an injury in doing it. There were always some excuse to not do it. Have always put them behind me and have been ever since.

🎯 Now, I feel like my anxiety is catching up with me. I wanted something different to escape my immediate setting.

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Half marathon and full marathon seem like a different ball game as mrrun put it in my other thread!

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It requires a commitment that I have never applied in any other part of my life.

Even purely based on the time spent during the run! 2 and a good half of the hour with no immediate appreciation in doing so whatsoever. I have never run any public events, maybe that’s the reason?

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I was able to manage 10k in the early morning for 1 hour before work and feel smug all day. Any more, it makes me tired. Maybe my recovery routine is poor?

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Probably I need to watch my calorie intake during the non-running days and go full on breakfast during the running days? My routine now is 10K on Tuesdays, 10K Thursdays and a bit further every week on Saturdays.

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As suggested by Lordi , I am realigning the longer runs to 1 day a week to the weekends… just working on my reasons.

[ju-ju- Marathon]

I am not sure of your question but reading your post it sounds like you are considering going further? From the sounds of it you do a fair bit a week anyway so have a very good base. If you haven’t run with people before try a Parkrun? I do very very few events as I’m not mad on crowds but give myself my own goals and challenges to keep me sane 😎 so if you want to then go for it......

[nchunc in reply to ju-ju-]

Thank for sharing.

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"give myself my own goals and challenges to keep me sane"

Very sustainable!

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I suppose one has to know their extremities and understand their body fully, design the challenges to overcome it. You are right, It does keep us sane!

Social anxiety is a big hurdle and NHS has a big guide document on it. It has been printed and waiting in my drawers for nearly a week now.

Will probably have to go through the document first before jinxing myself about socialising with run groups.

[mrrun Ultramarathon]

I run because its effects do me good. Your question is fairly wide but should you want to tackle half or full marathon you should follow a program. There are plenty of them, find one that suits you and work it out. Like any attempt in life this one will need determination, commitment and discipline, during and between the runs. At least that’s how l go about it. Will you make it? Your body and mind hold the answer.

[nchunc in reply to mrrun]

Thank for sharing.

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"its effects do me good"

Yes!

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I used to be 38W 10 years ago. 34W now and can't believe myself when I got into a pair of trousers two weeks ago. The difference is nearly 40KG. That is nearly a persons weight!

And the cherry on the top, this is just a side effect.

Mood swings are very controlled and it takes a lot of it to get past me.

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Thanks for suggesting me the programmes. I have just gone through the forum posts to find a pinned thread on the various plans, nice start there.

[Lordi Marathon]

I run to bank beer and kebab calories! I now bank more calories than I need for spending on those particular extrinsic rewards, so I suppose there I must also be intrinsic motivators too (runners' high, weight loss, fitness and personal achievement).

[nchunc in reply to Lordi]

Thank for sharing.

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"bank beer and kebab calories"

Indeed.

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There is no other way one can bank this. This is probably the most efficient way to burn off the excess, feel good and top up when necessary. I have been free from alcohol for three years after a big stint. Kebab, cake and fried foods through, can't have enough of them

[SaskAlliecat Half Marathon]

Great question nchunc. It’s nice to remember why we do what we do sometimes.

I restarted running after a hiatus due to chronic pain and surgery when some local guys started an amazing trail race at the lake I spend most of my summer. It looked amazing, demanding and fun. I started the C25k, got hooked on running, ran the 5k trail race, got hooked on trail running and haven’t looked back. In my journey, I found that I’m a happier, more grounded person when I run regularly and am better able to deal with my everyday stressors (I have a very satisfying but stressful, demanding job). I have running goals but am very careful to not make them a chore; if I lose the joy in running, there goes a very important stress relief for me. I’ve had to take some short breaks here and there but notice a big difference in how I handle things in my everyday life during that time that reminds me not to take too long of a break, even if I’m only able to do short little runs sometimes.

[nchunc in reply to SaskAlliecat]

Thank for sharing.

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"a happier, more grounded person when I run regularly and am better able to deal with my everyday stressors"

Beautiful.

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You make a very very important point about not making it a chore.

I guess my problem has been that going out for a run helps me to escape my immediate setting yet the moment I walk in, I obviously have to start from where I left. Everything comes flooding back in.

I have not regretted a single run since my first day on the road. Still, I can see how it has become a chore at times. I just have to accept that sometimes it is okay to slack and take a short break.

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

I run because I enjoy it, and because it challenges me. I love being fit and strong, and I too like the extra eating opportunities 😊😊😊

[nchunc in reply to roseabi]

Thank for sharing.

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"it challenges me"

Wonderful.

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I mean why not? I will probably just have to be sensible in challenging myself and pushing my limits... a step at a time!

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to nchunc]

Absolutely! Just by doing a little bit extra each day, week, month... enormous changes occur over time 😊😊😊

[Decker Ultramarathon]

It is a good question to consider going into the next phase of your running. For me, I was turning 50 last year and I had a lot of heart and stroke issues in my family. Running seemed a good way to combat that. After c25, I found these forums and the support to go further through 10k. By that point I was also enjoying the benefits of the runs themselves. Since then, I met with a great local run group and some people who find real joy in running (similar to many folks on these forums). That joy seems to be contagious because now I find myself feeling the same way. After a long run, I feel like the rest of my day goes that much better. And the saved calories, plus the opportunity to catch up on new podcasts and music are more bonuses 😁. Of course there are lousy run days too. But the good ones outweigh the bad ones by far.

[nchunc in reply to Decker]

Thank for sharing.

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"After a long run, I feel like the rest of my day goes that much better."

Fantastic.

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I should probably look into socialising more with run groups in my locale.

[Decker Ultramarathon in reply to nchunc]

Though I do like the solo runs too, the group for me was a game changer, due mostly to the great chemistry and support they have. I am one of the oldest members but they don’t treat me that way 🙂 I had a hard time keeping up at first too but improved ad a result. If you can find a supportive run group, it can be a good thing for motivation and accountability.

[Sqkr Half Marathon]

I run to untangle my brain, mostly. I like space, and I need space, and sometimes that feels in short supply. I'm a terrible overthinker. So I run over a load of wild and woolly hills and watch the bees in the heather and it helps me to exhale a lot of stuff that would otherwise weigh me down. Running for longer allows me to go up wilder and woolier hills and meet more bees, so that's pretty much why I strive to improve my distance running.

The secondary stuff is good too I guess, though definitely not my motivation. It is a good way to monitor and maintain a level of fitness, because I have a very sedentary job and I can't just fluke being healthy like I used to when I was a bit younger. Also, I'm quite competitive with myself, and it gives me a bit of entertainment and a point of focus to try to beat my own targets every now and then, and also secretly work colleagues on Strava.

[nchunc in reply to Sqkr]

Thanks

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“untangle my brain, mostly. I like space, and I need space“

“helps me to exhale a lot of stuff that would otherwise weigh me down”

“to go up wilder and woolier hills and meet more bees”

I like bees 🐝 !

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I know what you mean when you say it untangles your mind. As roseabi mentioned in the other thread it does indeed calms down an unquite mind.

I have personally made few important decisions very recently after a run. It gave me time to mull over few facts during the run and it definitely helped.

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What you shared is beautiful. I might just take a break from mindlessly listening to podcasts which at times have indeed becomes a background noise and run on wilder and woolier trails.

[C3PO Marathon]

I run because I never would have before. I always hated running with a passion, and was convinced it wasn't for me. It didn't come naturally to me.

When I lost weight several years ago, I tried running to challenge myself. I didn't like it, but I kept doing it. It's still work, but I enjoy it now - in a way. I mostly enjoy the fact that I can do it and the fact that I have endurance. I have a lot of energy, and sometimes it makes me sad that I didn't discover running properly when I was younger, when I could have learned to be faster. But I don't dwell on it too much.

I also need it for weight control. I'm envious of people who say that running makes the weight melt away. It doesn't for me. It just keeps me on an even keel - and this isn't due to an unhealthy diet, so it's frustrating.

[nchunc in reply to C3PO]

Thanks

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“enjoy the fact that I can do it and the fact that I have endurance“

Nice!

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I know what you mean by missing out on faster us. I remember hating running vehemently, the ones during the physical training sessions at the school.

Ah well, we are here now.

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It’s nice to have the calories burning aspect of it too! It’s just nice to burn and eat rather than just eat!

[misswobble Marathon]

I run because I can’t stop 🤷‍♀️ It took a long while to start (57 years) so i have a lot of catching up to do to make up for all my unfit years

I can’t imagine not running now 🙂

I mostly run alone and I like it fine. I like racing though. Great fun 👍. I don’t do big events though. The smaller the better for me 😃

[nchunc in reply to misswobble]

Thanks

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“to make up for all my unfit years“

...also you can’t stop now!

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Fair enough. I have never been anywhere near fit at anytime. This is a nice feeling definitely

[Whatsapp Half Marathon]

I took up running as I was needing o improve my fitness. I continue to run because there is unfinished business there in challenges and milestones I still want to acheive.

I set myself a challenge and work toawrd it. At the moment I am training for a HM in March. I did it last year (first time) and now I want to run it better - and hopefully faster.

Like you I have not regretted going for a run. However, I have regretted not going for a run plenty of times. It helps me now to remind myself of that fact when I am questioning why I want to get up in the cold and dark.

[misswobble Marathon]

You can have that feeling everyday if you wish. Running streaks etc 😁 eat healthy and you’ll feel even betterer 👌😃