I RUN, because I like it (dammit)
I’m warning you know that I’m a little peeved today and will be venting in this post! You can do me a favor and add your comment below and help me build a case as to why I think people enjoy running and why, as a trainer and coach, will never promote some 7 day fat loss system to anyone, EVER!
Because I am in the fitness industry and connected to many trainers, I receive a load of emails daily. So many of my emails are all surrounded around fat loss and the quickest way to achieve it.
Our society is so changed and people want instant results, so that is what trainers are promising. “Lose weight in 10 days”. “14 day fat flush”. “Drop 10lbs in 2 days”.
Sure, someone can lose weight in 10 days, but how realistic is that? And, what happens 10 days later? The water weight they lost in the first place is back on! Arghhh……
I understand we trainers have to make a living and we have to market these ridiculous claims in order to get clients, but in my heart of hearts, I cannot take someones money and promise them fat loss in 14 days or less. My knowledge and experience in exercise physiology knows that is not possible. And, if fat loss does happen, its probably not gonna last.
Honestly, this is exactly why I have taken my focus over to running. I find that my clients (and me) get way more out of running than just thirty minutes of exercise. For most of us, we get into our mind and body.
This is often my experience with running, regardless of the distance. I connect my body with my soul and I find it to be an amazing connection.
As runners, we share the passion to explore our limits with every step that we run.
The longer we run, the more miles we cover, the more interesting it gets. And needless to say, the more in tune we become with our mind, body, and soul.
Do you ever get tired of answering to people why you are running a marathon? Or, how about just why you run?
Now, I’m not one to go out and tell everyone they should be running or training for a marathon (even tho they should). But, I do encourage people to run at least one marathon in their lifetime.
Why run? Well, not only for the challenge of running 26.2 miles, but for the mental and physical challenge. In my experience of running and training for 6 marathons, I have had my physical abilities and mental strengths stretched to the maximum.
I’ve experienced hard lessons along the way, but with each race I’ve learned more about myself and I’ve learned how to train smarter and better for my body.
Also, I run because I like it. End of story!
My marathon journeys have helped me develop a new mindset and mental conditioning that has really changed my attitude to life. I’ve come across difficult clients and or situations that I think I can’t handle or resolve, then I say to myself “but you’ve run 26.2 miles, so this is really nothing you can’t handle”
For me, running marathons take me out of my comfort zone and allow me to access my true potential. I guess that’s why I kind of get addicted to these races. And, that’s why I set a goal to reach a new PR in Chicago……to get out of my comfort zone.
In the end, the marathon race and other races I complete, help me discover what my body is capable of. This means way more to me than any “14 day fat loss” program.
When you finish a race, that finishers medal is yours to keep forever. No one can take it away and no one can take away what you accomplished. It’s all yours and you even have a medal for it 
Do you agree with me? Have you trained and run a race or a marathon and discovered a whole new level or potential within yourself?
Maybe you haven’t lost a pound or gained a ton of muscle, but I’m sure you gained a new perception on running and attitude to life because of your experience.
In the end, I find it much more rewarding and fulfilling to have experienced something that not only transformed your body, but your life (and in many ways)!
Posted by admin | in Fitness, Marathon, Mind Set, Run, Run Training | 12 Comments
great blog today Jill! Regarding the mental side of things, and the medals you had mentioned…I think it’s more than the material aspect of seeing the medal, or the race shirt…but more the experience that you take with you, in continuing training, or just as you say ‘running because I like it!’ For instance, while doing my long run yesterday (5 laps around greenlake
I was imagining where I was on the Portland course…because I ran it last year, I could actually picture exactly where I was on the course. Pretty cool stuff.
Cheers,
Michael
Loved your blog today. When I did my first marathon I was a sheltered fat women. My husband was deploying to Iraq and basically I had never been alone, and now I was looking at being a single mom for at least a year. Nobody believed that I would be able to finish (in fact my grandma actually said to me “You don’t really plan on finishing do you?”) I did finish, on the same day that my husband landed in Iraq. Crossing that finish line changed me – I realized that I could do things I used to think were impossible. During the year my husband was gone, if things got tough and seemed impossible, I would reach up and touch my Tiffany Necklace (I did the Nike Womens Marathon in 2005) and know that I could do it. Heck I did a marathon – I could do anything. I have completed 4 marathons, each time getting better. I have a long way to go to be where I would like to be, BUT I am not going backwards. I have struggled with some health and injuries as of late, but I can’t seem to stop and have just slowed down a bit. I have made the most amazing friends as we have trained for miles and miles, and we joke it is cheaper then therapy. I respect the marathon, I respect the half marathon, heck I respect any distance that someone is willing to go – it is just doing it that makes the difference to me.
Running has done for me what therapy and even an antidepressant couldn’t. It gives me purpose, confidence and a sense of well being. I hope to do it until my body will no longer let me, hopefully in my 80s. All those questioners – I just ignore them and just let the positive stuff in. Great post.
I just love to race. It hurts to do it, I feel like crap for days after, I don’t have chance in hell of ever winning, but I love to race. I love challenging myself, I love meeting friends that I haven’t seen in a while. I love beating the guy that has kicked my ass for the last 10 years. I just love to race.
Jill – I run because I can. Fourteen years ago next month I broke my back in two and pelvis in five places. I haven’t run any distance over a few blocks since before that motor vehicle collision. Just this past weekend though, I ran 13.06 miles – my longest distance ever. When I completed a 10K on my 35th birthday, I thought “I can maybe do this.” At that time, I didn’t think I would be physically able to run any longer distance than the 10k until I did. I ran 8 miles a few weeks back and it felt great. Then, I thought maybe I could do this half marathon thing but I still wasn’t convinced. Then I ran a 10 miler and lived to tell about it. Then the 13 miler this past weekend (but only because of a map reading error) even though I only set out for 11. It wasn’t until that point that I truly believed I was strong enough, tough enough, capable enough physically and mentally to complete the half marathon distance. In those 13 miles I finally accepted that my body can tolerate more than my mind ever thought it could. So you ask why do I run? I run because it’s actually good for me and my arthritic joints. My joints feel better when I’m moving, go figure. I run because it helps clear my mind of all of the trauma and abuse I deal with almost daily in my career. I run, quite simply, because I CAN. And I’m going to run my first half marathon in Omaha, Nebraska in less than two weeks!
Jill, I am so glad I came across your web site. I find you a true inspiration and I love reading your blogs. I started running at age 50 (I am now 55) and now have many triathlons tucked under my belt. It was not easy to start with, but I persisted over many months and gradually increased the distance. I now love to run just because I can. I have recently started track running with a sprint coach who has improved my speeds. My next goal is to do a half marathon and hopefully a marathon sometime in the next 12 months.
Kind regards
Denise (Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia)
Great blog Jill! I just got back to running after many years. I had a goal of running 30 minutes straight. I accomplished that goal and went on to run my first 5K in over 30 years. My time was far lower than my time 30 years ago, but I appreciated my accomplishment so much more! Running has given me such confidence; I feel I can accomplish many more of my goals. It is not about looking “pretty”, or “thin”, or even “young”. It is about loving life and living it to its fullest. It is about being healthy and being happy.
I love your blog and I really love your You Tube videos…they are awesome!
THANK YOU for all the comments everyone! I loved reading every one of them. Keep it up!
Great blog, and I do agree with your points about the mental aspects and the changes in self-perception upon completing the marathon. Your approach toward your clients and your business is excellent–once you are able to turn their mindsets toward becoming athletes for life, their success will be assured.
I have found each marathon to be unique and life-renewing in its own way, having completed 62 in 41 years. I always figure that a marathon is a reflection of life itself, in that there are going to be parts of it that you don’t like quite so much, and that needs to be OK!
This was a great post. The comments are really an inspiration. I’m training for my first marathon and this weekend is my first 20 mile training run. I’m very excited to put my training to the test. I run because, thru all the pain, I really like it. It clears my head and I fell stronger.
Jill I completely agree with you! And the thing about those ‘quick’ diets is that they may give short term results, but you always go back to how things were. People need to adapt a healthy lifestyle and not just ‘go on diets’.
I run because it’s my ‘me’ time, because God has given me the endurance to do it, because I love it, and because my body feels great after I’ve gotten a run in!
I too am glad that I stumbled upon Jill’s Blog. I run for so many reason’s, sometime’s I tell people it keeps me sane. My moods are so much better, and the feeling of accomplishment is so rewarding. I also love to be outside, and see the season’s change. Feeling very grateful right now after my 20 mile run!