Something to believe in
When all else fails, go for a run
The other day I went out for a 5-mile run even though I really didn’t want to go. My legs felt tight, my body felt sore, and my brain felt fatigued from the cumulative stress of marathon training.
Truth be told, I didn’t particularly need to go for this run. The work for the week was already done in terms of speedy efforts and long runs. This was just another couple of miles to add to the training ledger, which did nothing to help my motivation.
After puttering around the house for a few hours pondering the existential value of a meaningless run, I found myself getting dressed and heading out the door. I’m not sure what compelled me to go, but running is instinctual at this point in my life. It’s something I am as much as something I do.
I’m glad I went because those 5 miles cleared my head and helped my body release some of the tension and soreness that had been building over the last few weeks. (Guess that’s why they call them recovery runs.) I’m not going to say that running makes everything better, but it sure seems to do a lot more good than harm.
Normally, I’d try to fold some bit of training knowledge in with the life lesson, but I don’t have it in me right now. Depression is a cycle I’ve written about before, and I’m not going to pretend that I’m qualified to offer any answers.
What I do know is that running has never lied to me. It may not always tell me things I want to hear, but it doesn’t tell tall tales. In many ways, running is the most honest expression of self that I can imagine.
So, when life hauls off and kicks you in the head, maybe take some time to go for a nice easy run. It won’t solve your problems or make them disappear, but it might make you feel just a little bit better about things. At the very least, running is something you can believe in.
This is a free post to the entire Running, Probably community. When not feeling dragged down by a depressive undertow, RP typically publishes twice a week offering training tips, motivation, and thoughts about what it means to be a grown up runner. If you would like to upgrade to a paid subscription, just follow this link.
You've absolutely nailed my last few weeks with one short post. Thanks for always being the one to say the things a lot of us feel.
And I couldn't agree more with the statement that "it's something I am as much as something I do".
Appreciate you, Paul! The gray dreariness of the weather and heavy training has me feeling worn down too. As the others have already noted, "it’s something I am as much as something I do" struck a chord with me.