Rare run on the beach
I’ve been running for the last five years. I’m currently training for the Country Music Marathon this April. I’ve run the half marathon for the last two years, but this will be my first full marathon.
I enjoy running most of the time, but I haven’t always felt this way.
When I was in grade school, we would play soccer at PE. We didn’t have any idea about positions and I don’t remember ever kicking the ball. I do remember running up and down and up and down and up and down the field. It was miserable.
In middle school, I was on the Junior Varsity basketball team. During practice, our coach would make us run “suicides.” For the uninitiated, you start under the goal and out-of-bounds. Run to the nearest free throw line and back, then to half-court and back, then to the opposite free throw line and back, and finally run the whole length of the court and back. That’s 1. In addition to the running, you had to bend down and touch the floor at each destination. It’s an awful exercise and induced many a side cramp.
In high school, I tried to run the track a few times, but got bored running in a circle.
So, when people tell me they hate to run, I totally get it. I did too.
Three things changed my attitude.
- A friend. The truth is, I like to run alone. But it took a friend’s passion to convince me to start. We run alone, but share the experience.
- The iPod. This makes a WORLD of difference with the boredom and the “I-can’t-stop-thinking-about-how-much-I-hate-to-run” factors. Now, I can run without it, but it is a big contributor to my sticking with it.
- The Country Music Marathon. I was introduced to this event as a musician. The course goes past several stages where live musicians perform. Runners run down Music Row right in front of our church, so several years ago we decided to put a worship team on the front steps of our church. Awesome. I always enjoyed it and became inspired to participate in the running myself.
Over to you: Do you run? Did you used to hate it? What changed things for you?
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