why did you start running?

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Question:

hey i give up smoking 2 weeks ago and it’s great! Try it! I’m broke and a student so you should feel soory for me !! LOL!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The reason i want to start now is to fulfill my potential and hopefully lose weight too. I was old, laid off, fat and over-weight, broke, totally depressed, ill, smoking 20 sticks of cig a day and generally sick of myself. One day, I told myself that despite all these, I’m not yet finished as a person and so I ran. After a few weeks, I told myself to do a marathon to prove that I could still do something. So after two months of running, I entered my first marathon and ran, walked, jogged, and crawled my way to the finish line, "motivating" myself by thinking that I am worth less than dirt if I quit. I have been running since, lost some weight, smoked less, healthier, but still old, broke and jobless But life feels better.

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I got mad at my sister and ended up running the mile and a half home. I can still remember the feeling when I got home like I had just conquered the world. My legs were kind of tingley. A month or so later I found a flyer for a 5 mile race and talked my parents into letting me run. The rest 23 years later is history. Andy – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was wondering, all of you love your running and i just wondered why you all started? I’d love to hear the stories. my story is dull. i was forced to do pe at school and one day we did cross country running. I never looked back! I loved it! I hoping to get back into it soon. The reason i want to start now is to fulfill my potential and hopefully lose weight too. Many thanks Nancy

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I hope your daugther gets better soon Nancy

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Started running originally in grade nine. PE class we had to run a 1.5 mile route around the block (one big block!). The first day the PE teacher accused me of cutting through a field, because I finished about 5 minutes ahead of everyone else in the class and didn’t break a sweat. Next class he drove around following me. So I dropped out of band and joined up cross country 2/3 of the way through the season. Kept on going through high school, ran a bit in college (out of 5 years there, I still have 3 years eligibility left if I ever decide to go back…not likely!). Since then, every now and then I put on the shoes and go out and get frustrated because it hurts to run now — went from 122 lbs racing weight to over 160 now. However… A series of events in the last year involving my wife and new baby daughter have made me realize a few things about myself and life in general — that being that I want to be around to enjoy it, enjoy them, and for them to enjoy me. So now, I will run again, and this time I am determined to make it stick. I was supposed to start again Monday past, but my daughter has been in the hospital since Sunday, so my restart date is Monday next week. My tag line used to be "I run, therefore I am", and it has always been a part of my being, and so now, I am going to be me again! JerryB I was wondering, all of you love your running and i just wondered why you all started? I’d love to hear the stories. my story is dull. i was forced to do pe at school and one day we did cross country running. I never looked back! I loved it! I hoping to get back into it soon. The reason i want to start now is to fulfill my potential and hopefully lose weight too. Many thanks Nancy

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I got drunk and told my wife that if she ran a half marathon with me (my work friends had challenged me), I would do dancing lessons with her(I don’t do dancing). Her eyes lit up and I regreted opening my mouth. We both started running and we both carried on running, she got into it so much she hasn’t got time to hold me to my side of the bargain! — Martin M

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was wondering, all of you love your running and i just wondered why you all started? I’d love to hear the stories. my story is dull. i was forced to do pe at school and one day we did cross country running. I never looked back! I loved it! I hoping to get back into it soon. The reason i want to start now is to fulfill my potential and hopefully lose weight too. Many thanks Nancy

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I like the rush. in early 70 esh used to run thru trail and hills. No reason just ran and walk. in 80 esh a day would not go by with out a 3 or 5 mile run. after work/weekends.. in 90 esh started to get some lip of younger runners/physical types. so gave smell lipback and mostly like to make fun of it. in 2000 I met you all. Only seems like more into style and form. doing races and trying to learn faster healing methods. LowtucZowtuc

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A few years ago, I’d been thinking about starting some sort of exercise program and fixated on running because all you needed was a pair of shoes and some time. Sadly, all I was doing was *thinking* about it, and occasionally talking about it with some friends. One day at work I mentioned starting running to a co-worker (and runner) and she said, "Why don’t you start tonight?" "Umm.. ahh…" "Are you doing anything tonight?" "Uh, no.. I guess not." "Well, why not start running tonight?" "Ok.. that seems like a good idea." I have been running or biking regularly since then. Sometimes you just need the smallest push. Thanks Janelle. -J

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I’m 39, F & started running just over a year ago – ran a *whole mile* for the first time since age 13 (if then) a year ago tomorrow! (woo hoo!) ;-) I am now doing 3-4 miles a day w/longer runs on the weekend. I started running because walking was taking too long. I lost 45 lbs. by walking w/my dogs (and eating the right food!) the year before, but then one of my dogs started chemo and often wasn’t up to walking 3 miles a day, but I felt so bad leaving her home and taking the other, older dog (who didn’t want to go in the first place!) so I started running w/out either of them and then taking them for a shorter walk. Funny thing is, I usually run at the dog park, w/out the dogs. ;-) (Dog continues to do extraordinarily well – presently in partial remission of canine lymphoma, dx’d just about two years ago – would never know to look at her she’s having chemo every three weeks. I’m very, very, very thankful! :-)

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With 15 I stopped playing soccer. With the time I got lazy. My parents encouraged me to join to a sport club. With 18 I joined the local sport club. I was one of the slower runner and that motivated me to start runing myself. 10 years later I am the fastet runner (400m and longer) of our sports club. Felix http://home.tiscalinet.ch/weilenmann/Sport

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Forgot to mention that I did my first race in September 2000. Last year I did only one 10k race. The rest of racing was tri-/duathlon. Will be the same this year. Beneath the tris I plan to doa halfmarathon.

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I was wondering, all of you love your running and i just wondered why you all started? I’d love to hear the stories.

I’ve always ran a lot, since a very young age. I’ve always known that I wanted to be a runner. I’m currently on my longest sabbatical ever from running. I have a fracture on the talus and I’m not running for 6 weeks. I’m presently deciding between a hard cast, or a ankle/foot orthosis? Troy

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I started running in first grade when some older bullies chased me home from school everyday. I also had to run away from my sister a lot so she couldn’t hit me. In seventh grade, track and field was the only part of P.E., I got an "A" in. The teacher told the other kids that I was fragile and if I could get an A they should be able to also. At that age, I loved to just take my dog to the park and run with him – it felt great! In ninth grade, we had to run a lap around the track in P.E. and then run back to the field. I was always the first one back. After a few weeks, the teacher asked me if I’d like to join the crosscountry team. I didn’t know anything about it except that it was running so I said "yes." I was introduced to the coach. (A large 7 foot tall man.) I was afraid of him and he seemed dubious about my being on the team. He let me join and at first, I was the worst one but by the end of the season I was named most improved. Eleventh and Twelfth grades I was team captain and my coach was my all time favorite teacher. My coach also took my friend and I to our first road race – a ten miler around the Rose Bowl. I placed first in my division and I was hooked!

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Nancy We were made to run in school when the weather was too bad to play football (that’s real football, or Soccer you guys "across the pond") I hated it (along with everyone else in my class) and we used to try all the skives imaginable. I don’t suppose I ran further than 800M for the first 28 years of my life. However, I did get into sailing and particularly dinghy racing, so it’s not like I was totally unfit. (plus I’ve always been slim, and since puberty tall as well) Then (to cut a long story short.) I got involved in a plan to sail around the world, and stopped racing. I became worried that sailing full-time would be difficult and I was losing fitness, so I planned a run and went round the block. It nearly killed me. Fortunately I took a wrong turn, and so only ran about 1.8 miles. I thought my heart would come out of my chest. For days after that my legs were agony (particularly on the first step of a down flight of stairs) Anyway a few days later I went again and did the full 2 miles as planned. I ran multiple times over the next 6 months or so, then we left and I found out that long distance sailing (my kind at any rate) involves almost no exertion at all. I ran in all kinds of countries, and all over the place. I wish I’d had more confidence as I could have dome some great races (I’ve still never raced) such as the nocturnal 10K race they have in Seville (Spain) or another 10K in Papeetee (Tahiti) Anyway, I got back, got a job (working for myself) and started to get fatter. I still had bursts when I would run for perhaps a couple of months, but then injury, or more commonly recently illness (I have a 2 year old) would stop me, and I’d be poorly motivated to start again. Anyway, I finally started again in earnest on 15th Jan 2002 (to get rid of what my wife calls my "Love Handles") and so far I’ve run 74 miles. (with 1 week off) I’m hoping to do a sub 2 hour 1/2 marathon later this year which will be my first race. Well my first "proper" race, you see there’s this damn fool "Amphibious" race each year in a little village in Norfolk. 1 lap of a roughly 1 mile course. Running over marshes, swimming across creaks, crawling through mud. I’ve done it 3 times now, and each time I vow to be better prepared next time. It’s a real killer. Cheers Rob

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At age 39 my waist was 38 and growing exponentially. I was unsure which would reach 40 first, my age or mid-section. Took up running which in High school was always done for some penalty and the weight melted off. For the last 15 years I hang at 172-175 all year. I now suffer from CRS – Can’t remember sh*t! — Caveat Lector "the further you go outside, the further you go inside" – B. McKibben Doug Freese

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- Want to get fit and loose the weight. – Started running last year in jul/aug. – Currently try to run at least 20miles/week. – Satish

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Oops…I misspelled lose twice so far!

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The reason i want to start now is to fulfill my potential and hopefully lose weight too.

I was old, laid off, fat and over-weight, broke, totally depressed, ill, smoking 20 sticks of cig a day and generally sick of myself. One day, I told myself that despite all these, I’m not yet finished as a person and so I ran. After a few weeks, I told myself to do a marathon to prove that I could still do something. So after two months of running, I entered my first marathon and ran, walked, jogged, and crawled my way to the finish line, "motivating" myself by thinking that I am worth less than dirt if I quit. I have been running since, lost some weight, smoked less, healthier, but still old, broke and jobless But life feels better.

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I’ve been interested in running for as long as I can remember (I think watching the Olympics as a kid was an influence). Then once I entered junior high I ran cross country and track, but only ran during the seasons. I started running year-round my sophmore year in high school. At the end of the track season, my coach told all the cross country guys to run over the summer. I enjoyed running that summer, and then when cross country season started in the fall, I found out that I was the only one who ran all summer. I couldn’t believe the difference that it made (I went from #8 on our team to #2), and that hooked me for good! After my competitive days were over (maybe competitive should be in quotes :’ ) I kept running because I liked the feeling of being in shape, and also the ‘runner’s high’. 18 years and still running (only slower), Kurt Kennett – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was wondering, all of you love your running and i just wondered why you all started? I’d love to hear the stories. my story is dull. i was forced to do pe at school and one day we did cross country running. I never looked back! I loved it! I hoping to get back into it soon. The reason i want to start now is to fulfill my potential and hopefully lose weight too. Many thanks Nancy

Response:

Started running originally in grade nine. PE class we had to run a 1.5 mile route around the block (one big block!). The first day the PE teacher accused me of cutting through a field, because I finished about 5 minutes ahead of everyone else in the class and didn’t break a sweat. Next class he drove around following me. So I dropped out of band and joined up cross country 2/3 of the way through the season. Kept on going through high school, ran a bit in college (out of 5 years there, I still have 3 years eligibility left if I ever decide to go back…not likely!). Since then, every now and then I put on the shoes and go out and get frustrated because it hurts to run now — went from 122 lbs racing weight to over 160 now. However… A series of events in the last year involving my wife and new baby daughter have made me realize a few things about myself and life in general — that being that I want to be around to enjoy it, enjoy them, and for them to enjoy me. So now, I will run again, and this time I am determined to make it stick. I was supposed to start again Monday past, but my daughter has been in the hospital since Sunday, so my restart date is Monday next week. My tag line used to be "I run, therefore I am", and it has always been a part of my being, and so now, I am going to be me again! JerryB – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was wondering, all of you love your running and i just wondered why you all started? I’d love to hear the stories. my story is dull. i was forced to do pe at school and one day we did cross country running. I never looked back! I loved it! I hoping to get back into it soon. The reason i want to start now is to fulfill my potential and hopefully lose weight too. Many thanks Nancy

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For some reason, this guy in a state trooper hat, green camoflage and M-16 rifle kept yelling at me to "Move IT! Move IT! Move IT!" Nuke

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I was wondering, all of you love your running and i just wondered why you all started? I’d love to hear the stories.

Hey, Nancy, I hope you’re successful in your goal. The runner’s world website has something about running to lose weight on their front page. I was interested in your post because I had the cutest run this morning. (Bet y’all didn’t know a run could be cute.) Well, mine are cute if I run while James waits for the bus with Kit, because then I get to run by all the other elementary school children waiting for the bus. There’s one little fellah who’s so tiny, I can’t believe he’s in Kindergarten. He waits outside all by himself. As I ran toward him this morning, I said "Good morning," and he very solemnly raised his hand in salutation. Then, after I was past, he said "Why d’yah hafta run?" I said "I love to run!" but I thought it was a funny question! He’s so serious. The next kid I passed is named Zachary. He was in Kit’s Kindergarten class, and he can’t hold still for beans. I got to read to her class one day, and I knew a lot of the children from preschool. Zach said "Do you know my name?" He must’ve thought I was clairvoyant. Then he took his shoes off while I was reading, and was chastised by the teacher. He’s an awesome rollerblader. As I ran toward Zach, he sprinted down the block ahead of me, then sprinted back. Very fast. I think he could beat me in a race. Finally I ran past three kids standing on the sidewalk, arguing about who was going to get on the bus first (they were in a line), and mom was discussing this with them from a window in the house. I’m sorry, what was the question? :-) I guess that answers why I *keep* running. I started running because it was the only thing I could do with two young children. I ran inside, around a 33 by 16′ room we happen to have. I arranged the furniture so I had a track. And they would run after me. Christmas was difficult, I’d knock a lot of pine needles on the floor. This is as opposed to doing aerobics, where they just couldn’t keep up with the moves, then they would get bored and fight or get in my way or try to grab me. And, I confess, I did Gil Janklowicz, I just couldn’t "elmosize." On weekends I could run outside. And once I started running 16 mile weeks, I was totally hooked. Maggie

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I was wondering, all of you love your running and i just wondered why you all started? I’d love to hear the stories.

Great post, Nancy. I started running in late May of 2000 after smoking a pack a day for 17 years and doing absolutely nothing athletic-wise for that entire period. I was suffering from fairly bad depression at the time as well. It was a very tough period of my life. — David (in Hamilton, Ont) "Bid me run, and I will strive with things impossible." Shakespeare, Julius Caesar http://www.angelfire.com/nc/swstudio/home.html –

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I was wondering, all of you love your running and i just wondered why you all started? I’d love to hear the stories.

My story, like some others, is a multi-parter. In school, I was known as the slowest kid in the school. I had a prescription from my doctor saying that I was excused from running because I had exercise-induced asthma. In 10th grade homeroom, there was an announcement that it was the last day for indoor track physicals. Some wit said "Hey, Carr, why don’t you go out for indoor track?" I did a slow burn while everyone laughed and then (I’m still not sure why) I got up and started walking out of the class. The teacher said "Where are you going?" I replied that I was going for a physical for indoor track. The teacher said "Very funny, sit back down." I ignored her and went to get the physical. I have no idea how I passed the physical – I think the nurse never got a copy of the prescription, just the gym teacher. First day of track, I ran a quarter mile, and collapsed with an asthma attack. I literally had to crawl back to the locker room. I felt like hell the rest of the day. So, of course, the next day, I showed up again, and this time ran a bit farther before the asthma kicked in. I think Coach Kopinski didn’t have the heart to throw me off the team. Eventually, I got to be the charity case on the team. There were meets I missed because my teachers wouldn’t let me out for track because they didn’t think I was a "serious" athlete. In college, I ran XC and track. I was 5′9" and 115-120 lbs. At the time, the standard way to train was to start off a couple weeks before the season and run 5 miles a day until you got up to 120 miles/week midseason. When offseason came, you could barely walk or run. Then when track came, you did it all again. Slogans were "No pain, no gain" and "It doesn’t hurt near enough!" Hey, it was what was done. We didn’t know any different. Yeah, there were "Runners World" issues where they talked about increasing mileage slowly and doing workouts at a pace you can talk at. I thought it was the funniest thing. About 1995 or 6, I got turf toe. That’s a lot better to say in Pittsburgh where turf toe ended Steeler Jack Lambert’s career. One need not point out that it’s just a bunion. Anyway, I got surgery for it, and about that time, I decided my running career was over. A little later, I quit being a paramedic, and became a writer, sitting in front of the computer all day. No walking, no exercise, a terrible diet, and horrendous weight gain. At about 220-230 lbs, I started noticing an irregular heartbeat. My heart rate was never under 100. I tried to borrow a heart monitor to see what was going on, but I never caught it, and I wondered if I was imagining it. You know, as a paramedic, I never would have made such a stupid diagnostic decision on anyone else. Well, because of my increased weight, I went to the doctor for what we thought was an asthma attack. Major. At that point, I looked like, felt like, and probably was shit. The asthma medicine just kept making things worse. A new doctor figured out that it was actually esophageal reflux causing the asthma, and he did a blood test for giggles. Ok, I looked like death warmed over – I sort of wonder if he was looking to see if I’d actually contracted HIV from the confused AIDS patient that had attacked me years before when I was a paramedic. Dec. 22, I went into his office, and he said "You’re diabetic." I said "Shit." I said that quite a few times. See, my Dad was a diabetic. He died from Non-Alcoholic SteatoHepatitis, which at the time was not known to be a risk to diabetic males – only females. Several other Uncles died from liver failure related to diabetes as well. Ever see someone die from liver failure? It is not the worst way to die that I’ve ever seen, but it’s up there in the top 5%. I had a book _The Runner’s Complete Medical Guide_ from 1980 that said that exercise was one thought to prevent diabetes. The association of genetics, weight gain and bad diet was also known, and as a paramedic, I was well aware of the risk factors. I can tell if someone is pulseless from across the room. I’ve diagnosed CHF from two floors down. I’ve had to explain to doctors what "Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome" was and the signs and symptoms of it. I was a Pittsburgh Paramedic, and we were among the best. Yet I can’t diagnose myself worth a hill of beans. Being a diabetic is my own damn fault. I went out and read everything I could to find out about how to take care of myself. When I discovered that exercise was good, I started walking. I bought a treadmill. Walking is boring. I started running after a while, simply because I couldn’t stand walking on a treadmill. At least I was smart enough to realize I had to take it slow. I started out with a walk-run for 2 miles and built up from there. The rest, including my first two marathons, is now history! Rob

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I was wondering, all of you love your running and i just wondered why you all started? I’d love to hear the stories.

I started three times: -once in early high school (track)–dropped out due to basketball and other commitments; I regret that I never tried x-country as a teen, I was a sprinter instead -again after college, started running as a way to stay fit despite a bizarre musician/writer schedule (and eating New Orleans food); injured my left knee in a 10K race on poor quality streets and that was it for more than 20 years -finally, and for good, I started running again in fall of 2000 at age 45 as an accidental part of my plan to do things more "on purpose" in the second half of my life, including fitness. I started doing gym workouts (weights, treadmill, etc.) and after several weeks of lower body strength work discovered I had no pain when running. It’s been a hoot since then, two marathons and many more to come, I have a great deal more energy, I sleep better and I enjoy pursuing a sport where I will be able to compete against myself over the long term. Hope you’re enjoying your training. As I’m sure you know, running by itself isn’t a way to slim down, but it’s a great contributor in combination with healthy eating. Chris

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I was wondering, all of you love your running and i just wondered why you all started? I’d love to hear the stories. my story is dull. i was forced to do pe at school and one day we did cross country running. I never looked back! I loved it! I hoping to get back into it soon. The reason i want to start now is to fulfill my potential and hopefully lose weight too. Many thanks Nancy

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I think that most people’s stories would be dull. I mean, how exciting could it be? Maybe: "After escaping from prison, I had to run ten hours straight before I outran the hounds. It made me realize how much I loved running; so I gave up my life of crime so that I could continue my running life uninhibited." My real story is that I took a treadmill stress test one day. During the test I felt awful. By the time I left the hospital I had recovered and felt more relaxed and happy than I remembered feeling in years. I didn’t even realize how crummy I felt most of the time! Being no dimwit, I figured that running made me feel good, so I kept at it. I take layoffs for several months at a time, and I’ve been exploring other activities, but I’ve been running since that day, and I expect to continue to run until I can’t. — Harold – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was wondering, all of you love your running and i just wondered why you all started? I’d love to hear the stories. my story is dull. i was forced to do pe at school and one day we did cross country running. I never looked back! I loved it! I hoping to get back into it soon. The reason i want to start now is to fulfill my potential and hopefully lose weight too. Many thanks Nancy

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