Why do you love/hate running?

KatrineJensen
KatrineJensen Posts: 75 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I just got back into running a couple of weeks ago, after taking a long break and doing other stuff (I did a round of insanity and cross trained a bit).
I think I forgot why I used to love to run, but I remember now. I'm falling in love with it all over again. It's seriously therapeutic, almost like meditating in a way. It's such a major stress relief for me, it's like my brain goes quiet and I can focus on just my breathing and the repetitive sound of my feet against the pavement (or my music, if it's a long run)
I get a rush when I beat a record, when I can run further or faster, but mostly I just love the way running seems to take away all my frustrations and worries for a while.

Does anyone else feel this way? Or do you completely disagree? I know some people absolutely hate running, I'm curious to hear about you guys' relationship with running.

Replies

  • ES110791
    ES110791 Posts: 43 Member
    I like having the goals of beating my PBs and the satisfaction when I can go faster. A fast high intensity run is so cathartic. It's so intense, because all your thinking about is your running. Everything else isn't relevant. IDK it's like you sort of burst out of your skin. And I agree, an easy slow jog is mediative.

    I love long distance running because after a certain point you kind of hit a wall and your body just feels like a machine, and after I finish I feel so amazed that my body can do that.

    I like jogging as opposed to going on the elliptical at the gym, or classes, or a video workout (or even the treadmill) because I hate feeling like i'm having a 'workout,' it feels so artificial to me and I have no motivation to do it. Running is more relaxing (but not really lol) because you just do your think and you get into that 'zone,' and you just concentrate on your running and think about other things and it's really nice. Especially today, like the sun was out and I could smell all the blossom along my street lol.


    I 100% understand why people hate running though. I can see how people would find it boring and tedious and prefer other exercise. Especially if they're unfit, because running when you're unfit is actually super hard, in a way that fit people don't get, because it's more than just being tired out. When I first started I could hardly do 300m, it made me really out of breath and it's so weird to think of now. I was so unfit, and I wasn't even overweight. I remember being so proud when I ran my first 5k. Today in half marathon training I ran 19k lol it's so weird to think i've come so far. Getting fit was always on my bucket list but it's still a little weird to think I actually did it. And I think choosing running made it a little easier to stick with because I experienced a lot of positive reinforcement when I noticed improvements and it made me motivated to go out and improve more. Sorry for the life story lol your question just made me reflect.
  • adeleruth83
    adeleruth83 Posts: 1
    I'd always wanted to do long distance running but as a child I played hockey which was far more about sprinting and as such I just wasn't built for distance. I started the nhs couch to 5k and just fell in love with running. Once you get in the rhythm it feels like you can take on the world because nothing can stop you. I tend to lose time I'm enjoying it so much. I don't know about stress relief but it definitely gives you a time out. I used to love walking for long distances because I could daydream. I find I can't do that when I run I am just hyper aware of my body and the way it moves and that is really satisfying and enjoyable. I prefer to jog which is something I was never able to do before as speed was always the key with hockey but I prefer to go slow and take in the world. It helps that everyone I meet on my runs are super happy and friendly so it's just a really nice break from the world to take in the scenery.
  • ainarsraciks
    ainarsraciks Posts: 166 Member
    I love first 30 minutes of my runs. It's fun, it's relaxing and I can be alone with my thoughts. But after 30 min mark it just gets more boring and boring. When I do long runs I have to listen to some music or audio books cos it's boring as hell. I guess you could just meditate or something but I can't get in a state when I'm moving, so it's just boringness without anything to listen to at that point. But the feeling after the run, even the long ones, I like. After run high you may call it?
  • cosmonew
    cosmonew Posts: 513 Member
    I am just the opposite of the above post.... I hate the first 2 miles or so... and then... I could run forever. It is so hard for me to take a rest day.... cause I just want to go run.
  • LisaGirlfriend
    LisaGirlfriend Posts: 493 Member
    I remember being in LOVE with running before I had my kids. I'd put my tunes on blasting in my ears and run. My mind would quiet as you said, and I would escape. What an awesome feeling. I've been chasing it again lately. I still feel that but now I have issues with my knee so not as fun as I pay the price the next day... but I still LOVE it!!!
  • KatrineJensen
    KatrineJensen Posts: 75 Member
    I like having the goals of beating my PBs and the satisfaction when I can go faster. A fast high intensity run is so cathartic. It's so intense, because all your thinking about is your running. Everything else isn't relevant. IDK it's like you sort of burst out of your skin.

    Yes, I completely agree with this! It's almost like a high, especially when you finish strong and beat a goal you set, you're just on top of the world. I can never stop grinning, I probably look like an idiot all sweating and gasping but half-laughing at the same time. I'll admit, I HAVE gotten some strange looks :laugh:
  • KatrineJensen
    KatrineJensen Posts: 75 Member
    I am just the opposite of the above post.... I hate the first 2 miles or so... and then... I could run forever. It is so hard for me to take a rest day.... cause I just want to go run.

    Yeah, the first mile or two can sometimes be a hurdle you have get over, before your muscles really warm up and you get into it and feel great
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I love running because of the energy it gives me, and how good I feel afterwards. It helps alleviate stress too.

    The other day I had a really stressful day at work, and that day of the week I sometimes run after work instead of before. The day's stress powered a five mile run for me, and it was fantastic!
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
    Personally, I hate running. If I try it, my ankles and feet hurt so badly I have to stop in 50 feet or so. Arthritis is not a friend to runners. I've started doing 4 mile run/walks, but at a walk, which doesn't hurt much. The only time I will run is if reailze I've left the water on in the barn.
  • leroyswain
    leroyswain Posts: 6
    I love running because it keeps me sane. When I'm stressed out from school or work or even upset about anything, running is my solution. Running to me is therapeutic, its that button i can press that will just help me forget about everything that's going on around me...with or without music lol
  • R1ss4n1
    R1ss4n1 Posts: 35 Member
    Just leaving this here: http://theoatmeal.com/comics/running :laugh:

    While not why *I* love to run, it's a fun read.
  • Greenbomb
    Greenbomb Posts: 89 Member
    One word: Boobs. Mine are 36 D. I have tried every "jog bra" on the market and it still hurts the twins. In bootcamp when we have to run laps, I just fast walk.
  • GillianMcK
    GillianMcK Posts: 401 Member
    I love first 30 minutes of my runs. It's fun, it's relaxing and I can be alone with my thoughts. But after 30 min mark it just gets more boring and boring.
    I'm the opposite, I detest the first 30min of my run, I seem to take ages to warm up and find my stride, after 30min I feel much better!!
    I tend to let my mind drift I do the majority of my running in the forest with the dog, so I always have company, even if he can't answer back:)
    One word: Boobs. Mine are 36 D. I have tried every "jog bra" on the market and it still hurts the twins. In bootcamp when we have to run laps, I just fast walk.
    Shock Absorber Ultimate Run Bra's are brilliant, I'm 36DD and have no problems with bootcamp/running/obstacle courses:)
  • kfesta52
    kfesta52 Posts: 98 Member
    I love running in general, always have. When I'm feeling good on a run it seems like I could just keep going and going. I love that feeling. Running is one of the absolute best stress relievers for me, and I do some great thinking while running. I have never tried a more medatative approach, like someone above mentioned (focus on breath, foot strike, etc) but I think I'd like to try that as well.
  • skippygirlsmom
    skippygirlsmom Posts: 4,433 Member
    I am just the opposite of the above post.... I hate the first 2 miles or so... and then... I could run forever. It is so hard for me to take a rest day.... cause I just want to go run.

    This is me too, I suck the first mile or 1.5 miles then I just run like Forrest Gump LOL

    Like others I love the satisfaction of beating my personal bests, I love adding distance and pushing to see what I can do. I love the feeling I get the rest of the day.
  • beachgirl172723
    beachgirl172723 Posts: 151 Member
    I love running, everything about it, and everyone who loves it....
  • moya_bleh
    moya_bleh Posts: 1,375 Member
    Headphones on, world off, laps of the park. Therapy.
  • ohiotubagal
    ohiotubagal Posts: 190 Member
    I just love the way running seems to take away all my frustrations and worries for a while.

    ^^Totally this! Running is really the only way to quiet the crazies in my head!
  • onefortyone
    onefortyone Posts: 531 Member
    Running is hard for me and exhausting, but a good kind of exhausting. It allows me to think about my daughter and miss her, and leave the pain behind and just find the joy in the very short time I got to spent with her. It's a release, because I have to give 100% to keep going - no holding anything back.
  • throoper
    throoper Posts: 351 Member
    I love trail running - you have to constantly think about where to put your feet, you hear birds and wildlife, check out the views, the trail is always changing, etc. I find the in-the-momentness of it very Zen.
  • Fit_Happens_2021
    Fit_Happens_2021 Posts: 303 Member
    I WANT to love running! but it hurts. It hurts my legs on the outer thigh. I have tried having people watch me run to see if I am running in bad form, I have tried all sorts of different running shoes, I have tried running on treadmills, running on tracks, running on grass, but it still always hurts too much to run much more than 3-5 mins at a time. So I run for 1-2 mins and walk 1-2 mins, but I dream of being able to just run :(
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    Even though I can't go the greatest distances, I still love it.

    I used to go early morning running (around 06:00) but that's not really an option, so instead I go at around 8pm where it's quite dark... I love it.It's relaxing; jogging at a steady pace with music on is just relaxing.

    It's something that I hope to continue with in the future.

    The only thing I hate about it is my recurring shin splints! :laugh:
  • bvontur
    bvontur Posts: 9 Member
    I loathe every step I take when I go running. The deep laborious breaths, the boredom or (and this is the worst) the knowledge that my muscles are being tapped and weakened. I like sports and while the cardiovascular endurance is helpful, it's not worth the loss of explosive strength.

    I'd rather be a muscle car getting five miles a gallon to a prius getting 50mpg.

    I do like the time alone though. I do like the wind. I do like the adventure of it. And I admire people who do do it.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    I love first 30 minutes of my runs. It's fun, it's relaxing and I can be alone with my thoughts. But after 30 min mark it just gets more boring and boring. When I do long runs I have to listen to some music or audio books cos it's boring as hell.

    I find that if I limit my session to 30 minutes then I get frustrated that it's not long enough. I find the first 10-15 minutes are difficult, to loosen up and get into the swing of it. Once I'm on the move the rhythm of the pace takes over, very therapeutic and quite meditative given the focus on the pace and the breath. I find I prefer trail runs to road runs, they're more challenging, particularly to get a good pace on.
  • topazora
    topazora Posts: 82 Member
    I love running, because, like walking, it gives me time to think about things. I can put my headphones on and tune out the world while burning calories.
  • KatrineJensen
    KatrineJensen Posts: 75 Member
    The only thing I hate about it is my recurring shin splints! :laugh:

    I can definitely relate! That and my knees, they keep acting up on me :grumble:
  • yankeedownsouth
    yankeedownsouth Posts: 717 Member
    I hate everything about running. It hurts my head, it hurts my lungs, it hurts my legs. I don't think I could hate it anymore than what I do!

    Give me a mountain bike and a trail any day!
  • ccather
    ccather Posts: 16 Member
    One word: Boobs. Mine are 36 D. I have tried every "jog bra" on the market and it still hurts the twins. In bootcamp when we have to run laps, I just fast walk.

    I'm a 38 F and I run and do boot camp. I have Enell bras. Love them! They strap it all down so I can go!! Expensive but I'm worth it ;)
  • KandGRanch
    KandGRanch Posts: 131 Member
    Love: its very soothing to run. I feel like I outpace all the stressors in my life.
    Hate: I have some pretty bad joint issues and im basically crippled after a run, be it on pavement or grass.
  • Raclex
    Raclex Posts: 238
    Love it because: it's good for my heart, I trail run so the scenery is stunning.
    Hate it because: I get bored. I don't actually like to feeling of running.

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