Good morning good morning good morning good morning!
How are we all?
Hey, the other day I saw an article shared on one of my Facebook groups, "Don't Run a Marathon - You have better things to do", by Daniel Engber on slate.com. Daniel seems to me to be typical of the non-runner who doesn't understand why we do it - and I know that we've had a bit of chat here recently about that.
It got a typically angry response, but it seems to me that the article makes some good points. Marathoning often causes injury, it can be expensive, it may take up a lot of time, and it is an arbitrary distance run for no practical reason (charity aside). And I found the idea of using the time and energy one might expend on marathon training to tackle some other difficult project very interesting! Not least because I have considered this myself in a roundabout way:
How can I productively apply my marathon training approach to other areas of my life? 💥WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK??💥
ANYWAY 😊😊😊
Sometimes we don't feel like putting a whole post up but just want to share something small, so this is a great place for doing that during the week. Please join in the discussion!
If you're new or a lurker this is a great place to say a little hi without the pressure of a full post.
Happy running, awesome runners!
Sqkr & roseabi
XXX
NB For my part, I could answer the writer by saying that I run marathons because I enjoy it, and I take steps to ensure that my training doesn't impinge too much on my life.
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roseabi
Ultramarathon
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I didn't seem to get much excercise-wise done last week. I had a day out at Go Ape! in Crawley wrestling with my fear of heights in the tall trees! I survived 😊 I managed one run, a 12k where I had my first attempt to "run like Eliud" by breathing through my nose all the way (and smiling), quite pleased with myself! Failed to go swimming - we managed to make our way to the pool once, only to be told it was closed due to "an incident" that they were still cleaning up. Eek! I did get in some strength and a couple of windsurfs, so I suppose it wasn't so bad actually 😊😊😊
As for applying my marathon training mindset to life, I have struggled a bit to do it so far - I suspect because I don't find many things to be as much fun as running at the moment! But I can definitely see how it could work for things like my flute practice and windsurfing. Watch this space!
I agree don't waste your time running marathons. There are plenty of better ways to waste your time. Would you like a list?
My point is that we are the privileged ones. We have the dual luxuries of spare time and the ability to choose how we spend it. Some of us run (jog in my case), some of us play golf, some of us play other sports, some of us enjoy other pastimes.
So please simply enjoy your running, jogging, golf, football, gardening, needle craft, video gaming, hang gliding, cosplay, rock climbing....
I enjoyed that article 😃. I do think though that those who say they spend their time doing worthwhile stuff actually don’t. They sit watching telly instead and can update you ad nauseaum on the latest tv drama, soap, film blah blah That’s their choice of course but don’t castigate me for “ruining my knees” 😁. I base this purely on my own family experience 🙂
To this week. Having just got back off hols, where I ran just once, I am now really tired so am getting some shut-eye. I ran yesterday but sluggishly instead of “fast”. I am out there again today for a slow 5k. It’s my taper week so it’s slow jogs til race day this Sunday I had planned on doing my speed challenge yesterday, but it soon became apparent that it was never going to happen, as I plodded on wearing lead shoes 🤨
I had to have a small medical procedure last Friday, the day after my long flight back from hols, and I think the local anaesthetic is still effective 😁 I am eating well and healthily and expect to be firing on all cylinders very soon 💥🔥🏃♀️
It is also true that "worthwhile" is pretty subjective. I'm currently engaged in sewing a pair of "cat ears" onto one of my hats in preparation for a Superheroes run I'm doing in a couple of weeks. A foray into cosplay now I think of it, MatildasPb ! I'm pretty sure this is not worth my while - like, will they stand up in the wind? I have no idea!! 😊😊😊
Last week was another good one for me in running terms. No great speed, but definitely mileage. I felt particularly virtuous yesterday, as hubby and I have had to volunteer at the local school flea market this weekend. But I still made it up and out in time to do my speed challenge before reporting for duty.
Running should be OK this week, but I'm really sad that my plans for my first Norwegian parkrun outside Oslo have been scuppered. We're going to Bergen this weekend, but the event has been cancelled due to a fell race in the same area. I have no plans to try my hand at that quite yet.
I like to think I balance my wasted hours - some are spent running (or running related eg. Faffage, shopping, HU, strava, planning etc - not all of which is bad for my knees), many others are spent playing candy crush 😀. On balance, one of those pursuits is probably better for me than the other 😂
Today I broke my 2 day rest rule on account of available time, and am just back from a 21k run which I truly enjoyed. So beautiful out there today with far too many flower laden shrubs to list. The route overlapped my HM route in 2 weeks (the same route as my first miserable attempt at 21k in training), so it was good to replace the bad with a good, positive experience. This week I'll stick to my interpretation of the Pete Magill approach, with no more long runs until after the HM on 19th.
But what if learning Arabic was really important to your career, and you could apply some of the skills/mindset you've developed through running to help you learn the language? Wouldn't that be a wonderful thing? And as a yes-runner you could have the increased benefits that come from going for a lovely run as a study break to help process what you've been learning 😊😊😊
And hey - welcome to the forum! Hope you find inspiration here xxx
I’m a few more months off starting the formal part of the journey to that marathon start line. For me it’s just a continuation of how I’ve approached life... sometimes the impossible is in front of us, and we need to try and beat it.
It’s always the ones who don’t do it that say it’s pointless or it can’t be done. That’s their limitations/gremlins speaking... hopefully by the time we arrive at this forum we have learned that those voices in our heads lie a lot.
An arbitrary distance probably means nothing when put in terms of “simply” running 26.2. It’s a big thing to do, but it’s nothing in itself... what is huge is the hundreds of miles we run to get to that start line. That’s the healthy habit we form that makes us live longer. We commit to beating the toughest challenge (I have a friend who now runs ultras because they’re “easier” to do) and we follow that commitment through... sticking to beating our goals is very much a transferable skill.
So, my plan is to live longer (gotta spend the daughter’s inheritance) and commit to everything I decide to do before my days are done... a marathon is part of that journey... and that’s my reason to do it (that and somebody once said I couldn’t)
It doesn’t have to be running, but if everyone found a way to live longer, smile more and inspire everyone else to do similar, the world would be a better place. London marathon has raised a billion changing millions of people’s lives... here’s to the next billion, some of the anti-running brigade will probably be very grateful of the fact we did it one day when they need help.
I agree there are plenty of other things worth doing. running a marathon is not healthy, not cheap, and really time consuming. My doctor told me that it is not healthy to run a marathon!!!
BUT it's a hobby and I like it. I like running and, every now and then I like racing; and the marathon is a race against my self and the voice that tells you to quit and that you are not ready or enough.
Learning how to tell that voice to shut up is a great skill for real life and happens to be also the only way to finish a marathon
So, although I know that for a lot of people it does not make any sense to run a marathon, I like to tell them not to play around with somebody who wakes up on a Sunday morning and goes out running for longer than ten miles... for fun. Also, check that they had a cup of coffee and a run before you talk to them (read me...).
I like, every now and then, to run a marathon. I do not ask anybody else to come with me and usually find the time to train when it does not impact too much others' lives.
I really, really, really enjoyed last Sunday Marathon. Discovered again the joy of racing that distance
I read it, but it doesn't apply to me as I haven't/am unlikely to run a marathon. He believes a valid alternative to marathon running is to choose something to do for yourself. I choose to run half marathons. Job done. I'm happy and hopefully he is too
Hoping that article was mostly was tongue in cheek, but is it sad that I had a bigger problem with the ‘pie is overrated’ link? That’s just not on! Pie is sacred in my world. 🥧
With regards to running, we just had The Toronto marathon here, and though I did not take part in this one, I did read a friend’s post where she hit a wall mentally and physically at 35km and another friend caught up and helped her get through, sacrificing his time and motivating her to finish even holding her hand towards the end to get her through. That tells me all I need to know about this sport. I’ve seen the very best of people in the last year or two of running and I can say it has brought structure and much needed discipline into my life. Beyond physical health I deeply feel that running is positive for mental health as well. Today was just a brilliant 10k run in the sun with a cool gentle wind. It felt so good. I genuinely appreciate the weather now. All of it. Saturday was a long run in the early morning mist with some run friends. People seem to open up a bit more on a long run too. These experiences just can’t happen on a couch.
I once went to a Pi day party whilst visiting my Texan family, and I have never quite recovered from the experience. I love a pie, but my gosh that was a lot of pie!!!
Yes, the article certainly does not touch on the social aspect of running - what a lovely story! 💗
Texan! 😃. I went to a Texas Roadhouse in the US last week. The cinammon bread rolls and whipped butter were to die for. I took the spares back to the hotel 😋. Most people were eating massive steaks 😁
Although marathon training does impinge on my life as it's solidly structured, time consuming, and can leave you with an injury if not careful (or simply unlucky), it gives me a unique place of solace, element of peace and satisfaction (my wife describes it as self destructive madness). l ran for 28k yesterday, slowly, in good rhythm and felt no ill effects afterwards, no great tiredness or sore muscles and if that wasn't good in itself than l wonder how my previous life could have topped that. (ok, ok, l did enjoy late nights and whatever that entailed, but still...)
Talking about running, I did run a marathon this week, so very limited running before and after
The official final results accounting for the correct length (they had us running about 500 meters longer): final chip time 3h25:05 (pb by 50 minutes!!!)
Not sure why the two should be considered mutually exclusive, this idea of only having running or something else in your life. Could you not learn a language whilst going on training runs for example? I have listened to many great (and some terrible) audio books whilst running, On 'naked' days I have resolved a lot of issues in my life.
There is validity in many pursuits and in the end we make a personal choice for what we want to do. I never question other peoples choices and it is really annoying that someone should feel entitled to question others. There is a reason that article is free - it has no value. Compare it to the many articles that pour over the mental health benefits running gives.
On another note taper week this week, might use the extra time to learn ancient sanskrit!
But don't you think that running has enriched your life by giving you the time to listen to the audio books? So maybe you learned from running that you can plan a portion of your time to learn a language (for example) just as efficiently as you can train your mucles?
Cool tip - you're not the first to recommend that app either! I need to apply some of my marathon-trained grit and determination to learning some French... 😉
On my runs I write shorthand in my mind's eye. It keeps my hand in sorta thing. I do this to the lyrics i'm listening to. Multitasking you see. What else would we be doing if not running? I dread to think (rolls eyes)
The marathon and distance running a waste of time? I run for beer! Not much in that article chimed with me. I've not injured myself, the training is not hell (I enjoy it), and 1300 cals for a HM pays for a barrel of IPA!
Ran 15k at my target HM pace today (2hr HM pace) and it felt good at what felt like a jog/run pace, so race day "running" and adrenalin should see me ok for a sub 2hr HM time 18th May (Helsinki City HM). Might do another longish run Fruday then a couple of short faster runs next week during a taper (of sorts).
I don't like to do anything unless I am going to do it properly. So my one and only HM preparation was planned to within an inch of its life.
If I was to enter a marathon my same rules would apply. As I don't have the time to fit that commitment in around everything else I want to do in my life without something suffering, I won't be doing a marathon. Another HM would be a challenge at the moment and Mr L-L is reluctant and convinced I will drop dead if I run further than 10k (I am confident he is wrong). Instead I will do some 10k events with appropriate prep (hill in the middle of the next one).
If I wanted to do a marathon I could because of my refusal to fail but instead I will continue to spread my dedication between running, cycling, tap dancing, gardening, knitting, cross stitch, cooking, working FT, being a Mum to two teenagers, being a wife, maintaining friendships, driving our sports car, the odd evening out, watching GoT....did I miss anything?!
This is such a challenging and interesting article. I like running but i can't do as much as I used to do. Those who are running the marathons are doing to raise money for charities as you mentioned above. I would say let everyone decide what is best for them also what good came out of this article is how we need to think about long term physical effects. I would say run marathon if you enjoy because the good thing is it can encourage those who sits down and do nothing at all to get out and do something. A good example i have noticed over the years is the Wimbledon Tennis season. What do you see in your local parks. So those who can get out there and do what you can. Happy running.
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