Running. An avoidance behavior?

PlayerHatinDogooder

Don't get me wrong. I love running. I used to run all the time. I was that guy that used to spend an hour on the treadmill everyday hoping to see results. But as I started lifting a realization occurred to me. Weightlifting puts you up close and gives the feeling of having personal close combat with your problems. Running on the other hand seems to be more about running away from your problems rather than facing them head on.

I mean look at marathon training for example. A marathon was started because some French aristocrat wanted to celebrate a Greek messenger named Pheidippides. So basically, rather than celebrating the actual soldiers for fighting in The Battle of Marathon they celebrate some messenger who runs 28 miles away from the battle only to collapse and die a failure and a coward.

The fact of the matter is that since I have started lifting I've been more focused and more determined to tackle my problems head on. I'm more assertive, more confident, and happier. In the past when I was really stressed out I would go for a run just to eliminate the stress but my problems were still there when I returned. Running was just a temporary escape from the problems of reality. Almost like how some would describe their drug use.

In fact did you know that studies have actually shown that running (particularly stationary running) causes withdrawal symptoms in mice?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19634951

'There was a direct relationship between the intensity of running and the severity of withdrawal symptoms.'

'These findings support the hypothesis that exercise-induced increases in endogenous opioid peptides act in a manner similar to chronic administration of opiate drugs.'

They didn't do a study involving mice with weight lifting but I'm sure they would've seen different results.

Bottom line is that I would encourage each and every one of you to take a good long think about the person you want to become. Do you want to be the person that runs away from his/her problems or would you rather be the type of person that stands their ground and deals with their problems? I just can't support running on the hamster wheel and running outside is just a larger rat race because we always end up right back where we started and all our problems are still there waiting for us. We can be a hero like Hercules who faced his foes head on or we can be like Pheidippides and run away from our problems till it kills us.

The choice is yours . . .

timeasterday

Oh, I can't wait to see what this stirs up!

Mamahana82

Interesting you see it only as running away from problems, rather than running towards a solution. I could compare weight lifting to a masochistic need to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders like Atlas, but that would be JUST as silly. I run to to clean up the clutter in my head and on my body. If picking up the barbell does that for you, then more power to you. We all have different ways to get the job done.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

In to learn about how I'm better than people doing cardio.

PlayerHatinDogooder

Interesting you see it only as running away from problems, rather than running towards a solution. I could compare weight lifting to a masochistic need to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders like Atlas, but that would be JUST as silly. I run to to clean up the clutter in my head and on my body. If picking up the barbell does that for you, then more power to you. We all have different ways to get the job done.

'Running towards your problems'. I don't believe I've heard that phrase before. And saying that you use running to 'clear your head' only further illustrates my point as I've heard the same things said by alcoholics. I just need a drink to 'clear my head'.

I would seriously encourage you to think about my post rather than just write it off.

MyChocolateDiet

I see nothing wrong with running. I feel free whenever I can do it. Not free from my problems or battle but just from the shackles of life. It's something I miss terribly. I've never thought of it as running FROM something but more like running TOWARDS something. There's something so mind numbing and zen about the footfalls repeating over and over, and something empowering about the fact that I can do it with just my body, no props, machines, or anything. I think it's a freedom lovers endeavor and nothing less.

I think strength training with weights has it's obvious advantages too, but I think neither is mutually exclusive. Unless you have a rival like a sancho or something who is a runner, i'm not sure why you'd feel the need to bash running in order to embrace lifting?



ETA: just saw the running towards problems. no. running towards things that you like. in my case it's a big chocolate cake, lol. no seriously there is sometimes a destination in mind or in reality. for example it's not running but it's monotonous but when i used to rollerblade on the beachside path with friends we went toward a bar for margaritas. that was our destination. it was rewarding. then we'd relax and on the way back our destination was our cars to head home for some refueling food. not escapist or cowardly at all if you look at it that way, just sightseeing or destination based. make sense? hiking often produces excellent sights and vista's and yes runner's get the runner's high sometimes. i never ran that much to experience that but the relaxed mode of it was something to experience. if you have to think of it in these terms to get started on your lifting i guess whatever works, but i dont think most people run for the reason of escapism, nor cowardice. at least not the one's i've known. they seemed pretty strong and bad'azz to me?

kmbweber2014

I completely disagree. I run because it is the only time I can sort out my problems with quite time. I run when I am stressed and overwhelmed so I can have some quite to decide how to handle my situations. That's not to say I don't lift also. I do both and to say one is wrong and somehow means you can't face your problems is outright wrong.

1ConcreteGirl

Interesting you see it only as running away from problems, rather than running towards a solution. I could compare weight lifting to a masochistic need to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders like Atlas, but that would be JUST as silly. I run to to clean up the clutter in my head and on my body. If picking up the barbell does that for you, then more power to you. We all have different ways to get the job done.

Um... no, you really couldn't, because you don't have studies to back that up, unlike the OP.

Nice post, OP! I love lifting and I totally agree.

rybo

Should have started this thread on a friday, people are more likely to go at each other.

Still should get a rise out of many people as I'm sure was the intent.

So...where do the people who lift weights and run fit in?

usmcmp

Contrarian

What about people who lift AND run?

iWaffle

I keep going back and forth on the issue. I will admit that running does become habit forming. Going for a run does have a stronger appeal than going to the gym to lift weights. I can't help but think however that once I'm strong enough to open the pickle jars for weak women what greater good do I get from lifting even more? Running is an escape for sure but it has to be doing something for me right? Am I ruining my knees and joints with this exercise? I hope not. That would be like an drug addict breaking his needle.

I do find at times that I have issues that are weighing me down and I think "I would love to go for a run and just forget about this for a while." Perhaps it is an avoidance behavior. Fighting your problems is harder work. Perhaps running is getting easier because I have to work harder and harder to get away from my problems like a druggie taking a bigger and bigger hit to get the same high. I just don't know.

pastryari

TL;DR.

1ConcreteGirl

I love this post! I used to do cardio only and I actually did struggle with my problems on those runs, whereas lifting gives me a more powerful feeling and helps me tackle issues instead of obsessing about them in my head while churning my legs uselessly.

It's hilarious how many people are coming in here and just saying, "nuh-uh!" when you have studies to back up your observations. Good research and great post! :flowerforyou:

ohnoetry

I think it all depends on the person. Many people swear by yoga and how it helps them de-stress. I think it stresses me out more than relaxes me. In my opinion, nothing helps me de-stress quite like lifting, BUT I also love running and I find myself clearing my head more with lifting, but actually examining my issues/problems while running.

BurtHuttz

As contrarian mentioned, I am both a runner and a lifter. Thus, I could beat you up. Or, if I find I could not, I can run away.

And you say it causes withdrawal symptoms. You know what else causes withdrawal symptoms? YOUR MOM.

CharliesInCharge

now I am an advocate of both and I go back and forth as to what my favorite is (am in a running phase now), but now as the OP was trying to tweek the masses and I know good naturedly as he is on my FL

let me play devils advocate in the same spirit, with what I used to think about lifting when I avoided it out of weakness

Running you get some where from one point to another.. weights you pick them up then you put them down.. why didn't you just leave it there in the first place ?

Zekela

If running helps me maintain these abs and this body... then I enjoy running away from my problems... lol

PlayerHatinDogooder

I completely disagree. I run because it is the only time I can sort out my problems with quite time. I run when I am stressed and overwhelmed so I can have some quite to decide how to handle my situations. That's not to say I don't lift also. I do both and to say one is wrong and somehow means you can't face your problems is outright wrong.

I think that it's good that your balancing out your running with lifting but honestly I have to ask . . . why engage in the unhealthy behavior in the first place. This is a site that promotes health and wellness and running doesn't seem to fit in either of those categories.

Mamahana82

I said running towards a SOLUTION.


I think you believe your post to be far more insightful than it actually is. You're saying running is not healthy because people can become addicted to it? Or that addiction to running is inevitable? But weight lifting is not addictive? Because I find that very hard to believe. I love lifting. But rather than consider them activities at odds with one another, I find them both to be tools to help me attack life problems and achieve life goals. Putting blinders on your eyes and saying, one is for cowards and the other for heroes is just...like I said...silly.

infamousmk

I run so I can drink more beer. The end.