Running. An avoidance behavior?

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.

Running isn't for everyone, and I'm glad that you found something that works for you.

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.

I don't understand your need to frame this as an either/or situation. The legend also goes that the messenger, Phillippides, also fought in the battle. He had both strength and endurance. In any case, the legend is hardly present at marathons today. They are much more celebrations of commitment, endurance, and willpower.

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.

As others have pointed out, the study is about "activity-based anorexia" in rats. Your interpretation seems to be a bit of a stretch. This model is about the relationship of activity level to food intake. Most runners do not fall into the cycle of decreasing food intake and increasing activity level to the point of emaciation. Besides, this study then contradicts the point that you can't lose weight with running. These rats did lose weight. Far too much weight, far too fast. The rats that only had access to food 1 hour per day were the ones most affected. I don't know runner friend's out there - do you restrict your access to food to this extent?

On the topic of withdrawal, running does release endogenous opioids, more familiarly known as endorphins. So do lots of other activities - crying, music, yoga, acupuncture or massage, roller coasters, etc. Should we also then avoid these activities for fear of these "withdrawal symptoms." I do not believe this is a logical conclusion. These activities are actually evidence-based, natural ways to treat depression. For some people, these activities are a solution to a problem they have - which activity they choose is up to them.

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 . . .

Read: The choice is yours, but if you choose running over lifting than you're a coward. I really don't understand why lifters must always pose this false dichotomy between running and lifting. You can absolutely choose both. They have different effects, and you have to find the right fit for you. I appreciate that running didn't work for you and that it gave you the sense that you were running from your problems, but I assure you not everyone feels the same way when they run.

Phillippides ran for reinforcements to help his fellow soldiers, and then stood by and fought with them when the reinforcements didn't come, and then after that ran ahead to celebrate their victory.

I'm glad that you're there to offer your support and wisdom to those who are running and finding that it isn't working for them, but...and here's the big shocker...not everyone is the same.

Perhaps the choice is this: to support those who are achieving their goals no matter what works for them or to continue to put those who are different than you down.

Exercise is a means not an end.
If that were my end, I would be a very shallow person indeed.

I don't know if this has been thrown in there, 'cause to be honest I didn't read the whole thing.

I want to know where hill sprints fit into this brave new classification system?

I would say that hill sprints are a bit in the red zone. They're good but they still promote that 'flight' mentality that I'm trying desperately to warn against.

Stuff like Kettlebell ladders, Tabata body resistance intervals, stuff like that will encourage a more assertive nature.

Ah, I see the can-do element you're striving for! If it helps, when I hill sprint I charge like a bull to destroy anything in my path. I feel like I could eat the hearts of my enemies and make their woman-folk cry and rend their breasts......

That does sound pretty manly.

Unless you are wearing tights.

You haven't been following me, have you?

bumping because I do think what the OP shared can be true for some... in any activity.. I'm not a runner nor do I have any passion to run. Sometimes I feel guilty that I don't but I only feel that way when I'm on here and so many bring up the best workout is running. I don't believe ANY exercise is the perfect one for anyone.

So not wanting to get in a spat with anyone but I have often wondered how many on here hit the gym in place of other addictions. Then again, if we're replacing a food addiction then I can see how I personally would pick the workout over the binges anytime... for me that's a better choice, a healthier one for me just as long as I don't go overboard with that too.

Good post to ponder, but I can see where some runners may chime in with a harsh attitude of defense.. some runners appear to get very defensive, not sure why... that I really don't understand, maybe it's because I'm not a runner.

Thanks for posting food for thought OP!

Interesting topic! I did some searching and there are tons of papers on running being addicting but none on weight lifting. I trained for a half marathon last year and ran 4 times a week. To be honest, I hated every minute of it!! Running did not make me feel good at all...so where was this opiate feeling? But I always tell people that I am addicted to and get a high from weight lifting.

Regardless of what commercials tell me to do, I'll have some running and some lifting and some balance because too much (or too little) of anything can be a problem. Balance is the ticket.

i run to the gym so i can lift.

i didn't just say that cuz it's clever. I actually do it. It's a great warm up

also lifting made my running way better.