20 Things No One Tells You About Running

DeputySox
DeputySox Posts: 78
in Fitness and Exercise
1. Your feet will look like crap. Blisters, black toenails, callouses. If you get pedicures, just apologize when you go in.

2. When people (non-runner types) learn you are a runner, they often like to tell you how much they hate running or that running will ruin your knees.

3. You don’t have to look like a runner to be a runner.

4. If you only run and don’t do anything else (cross train, strength train), you will probably get injured.

5. Most people, especially non-runners, really don’t care that much about your running.

6. You will run a race and in the middle of the race you will tell yourself you will never do this again. Yet, 30 minutes after you are done you will surf the Internet for your next race. Running is kind of like childbirth that way.

7. You will go through phases where you feel totally inadequate as a runner.

8. You will go through phases where you feel totally like a rock star as a runner.

9. You might gain weight instead of lose weight while training for a marathon.

10. Having a spare pair of shorts in your car is important. Soiling of all kinds can happen. Eww!

11. You will be pissed if someone refers to you as a “jogger” instead of a “runner.”

12. Sometimes other runners won’t always say “hi” to you when you run by them.

13. You might pee yourself while your run, or worse.

14. Running is expensive. It’s not just about a pair of shoes and shorts and a top. There are race entries, massages, watches, sports bras, cute running skirts, gels, blocks and recovery stuff.

15. You will get addicted. Yes, there are worse things to be obsessed about than running (like meth and prostitutes), but you might be surprised by how hooked you get into the whole running thing once you start.

16. After awhile, you cannot get the stench out of your running clothes.

17. You will never be the fastest runner you know. You will always never be the slowest runner you know.

18. Farts happen. A lot.

19. Running performance is as much, if not more, about mental strength as your physical strength.

20. You will never forget crossing the finish line of your first marathon or half marathon. That moment in time will come to mean a lot to you. Your feet might not even touch the ground.
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Replies

  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    3. You don’t have to look like a runner to be a runner.

    Think this is my favorite one :smokin:
  • onlyanegg
    onlyanegg Posts: 5 Member
    17. number 17.
  • wiebelnancy
    wiebelnancy Posts: 31 Member
    Love it! So true!!
  • smarionette
    smarionette Posts: 260 Member
    I take pictures of my feet and send them to people to gross them out. 3 black toenails and counting...
  • TwinMamma09
    TwinMamma09 Posts: 140
    I like 1, 13, and 18. All the embarassing things that can happen, have happened to me.

    Just appologized to my nail tech during my pedicure last week. She did amazing work though and my feet look presentable again.
  • Qski
    Qski Posts: 246 Member
    I'm still a noob learning, I really appreciate posts like this, glad you are telling us!

    Oh... Re Black Toenails - I was reading up something because even though my shoes were professionally fitted they feel like they are slipping, so I use a different lacing technique, there is one, that says it will save your toes!
    http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/custom-tie-your-running-shoes?page=single
  • Scotland_forever
    Scotland_forever Posts: 64 Member
    thanks for compiling these. :flowerforyou:
  • Linli_Anne
    Linli_Anne Posts: 1,360 Member
    20. You will never forget crossing the finish line of your first marathon or half marathon. That moment in time will come to mean a lot to you. Your feet might not even touch the ground.

    While I appreciated all of these...some of them more than others, it is #20 that rings truest right now.
  • ALH1981
    ALH1981 Posts: 538 Member
    #21 - there are few things more devastating than an injury that stops you running for 3 months.
  • BorntoROAR
    BorntoROAR Posts: 91 Member
    I agree...#20 rings the truest to me.

    I crossed the finish line of my first half marathon in January 2004. I cried like a baby!! It was one of the most emotional moments of my life. I really believed I couldn't do it, but I did....And I cried. :)
  • learnerdriver
    learnerdriver Posts: 298 Member
    19. Running performance is as much, if not more, about mental strength as your physical strength.

    Every time!! Though yesterday I did realise that I could now run up a hill that I used to stop on - multiple times!!
  • Raasy
    Raasy Posts: 972 Member
    #6 was so totally me!!! I ran my first half marathon (very first race ever) and then signed up for 2 more!!
    #20 is also very true~
  • angelams1019
    angelams1019 Posts: 1,102 Member
    Beginner runner here!

    This is inspiring and terrifying, all rolled into one awesome post! :drinker:
  • GardeningZombie
    GardeningZombie Posts: 55 Member
    11. You will be pissed if someone refers to you as a “jogger” instead of a “runner.”
    Most certainly!

    22. The first mile (or half mile) tends to be the longest, until you realize that very little concerns matter at the moment. Simply step and breathe.
  • 1968samuel
    1968samuel Posts: 176 Member
    I love this!! Thanks for posting! :flowerforyou:
  • kepete
    kepete Posts: 268 Member
    Made my night!
  • dorothytd
    dorothytd Posts: 1,138 Member
    23. Runs that used to be a big accomplishment become "I only..." As in - "I only ran five miles today." Don't forget to celebrate how far you've come!

    Great post!!!
  • helpmeet2day
    helpmeet2day Posts: 33 Member
    I have been forced by bad feet to quit running after over 30 years of running. My knees never gave out or troubled me at all. I never had a black toenail or ugly feet (blessed I guess). I just loved every moment of it and I read your post with the utmost sentiment. How I do miss it!!
    Enjoy it as long as you can, for only those who do it can truly understand why and appreciate the quality that it brings to their lives and souls. Thank you for this post!
    And as for me, as an aside, I would gladly be a jogger at this point. Now I can only jog in place on a trampoline because age has taken away the padding on the bottoms of my feet and the ground bruises them.:wink:
  • Erica_theRedhead
    Erica_theRedhead Posts: 724 Member
    9. You might gain weight instead of lose weight while training for a marathon.

    This was a shocker to me! I lost most of my weight training for my first half, probably because I went from nothing to running 4x per week. Once I started theprogram to get up to a full marathon, I've gained like 10 pounds back! Hoping some of it is preserved muscle from the strength training I do on opposite days...but I'm also eating a lot more lol. Guess we shall see in about 2 months.

    Thanks for the compilation!
  • angelams1019
    angelams1019 Posts: 1,102 Member
    11. You will be pissed if someone refers to you as a “jogger” instead of a “runner.”
    Most certainly!

    22. The first mile (or half mile) tends to be the longest, until you realize that very little concerns matter at the moment. Simply step and breathe.

    YESSS!!! My first mile is always SO HARD!!! I never feel like I can keep going....And then I just do.
  • GardeningZombie
    GardeningZombie Posts: 55 Member
    Right now I've plateaued at about 3.5 miles (shameful considering I was up to 8 this past summer.. a broken toe is no excuse! :-p ) I am going to start throwing out my first mile as even a time worth remembering..

    My miles:
    9:50
    9:37
    8:56
    8:20 (.55 miles)

    Now I understand why people run for so long before a 5k! Stretching is great, but getting the "set up mile" out of the way is even better.

    23. You depreciate your shoes by the number of miles you get out of them. I don't consider them paid off in sweat until they are down to at least $0.50 a mile.
  • GardeningZombie
    GardeningZombie Posts: 55 Member
    23. Runs that used to be a big accomplishment become "I only..." As in - "I only ran five miles today." Don't forget to celebrate how far you've come!

    Great post!!!

    This is so true too! 5k's used to be the finish line.. now they are the starting line!
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    if anyone calls me a jogger, I will cut them!
  • Byrdsong1920
    Byrdsong1920 Posts: 336 Member
    Hilarious! Love it! Thanks!:love:
  • angelams1019
    angelams1019 Posts: 1,102 Member
    23. Runs that used to be a big accomplishment become "I only..." As in - "I only ran five miles today." Don't forget to celebrate how far you've come!

    Great post!!!

    This is so true too! 5k's used to be the finish line.. now they are the starting line!

    I'm still starting out but I remember when I could only run 10 seconds at a time without taking a break (when I was over 300 pounds).

    At this point, three miles at a time is the norm but last week I beat my personal record and ran 5! :)
  • joakool
    joakool Posts: 434 Member
    These are all great and SO true! If one more person tells me "it's bad for your knees", I will scream! LOL. Thanks for sharing.
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
    Running is kind of like childbirth that way.

    Except that I actually want to run.
  • beckyboop712
    beckyboop712 Posts: 383 Member
    16. After awhile, you cannot get the stench out of your running clothes.

    Yep, I'm on the verge of throwing them out and just starting over. I rinse them out after every workout and then wash at the end of the week and there is still a slight stench. :grumble:
  • thatonepersonfromtheinternet
    thatonepersonfromtheinternet Posts: 136 Member
    True...
  • NinjaChickie
    NinjaChickie Posts: 118 Member
    1. Your feet will look like crap. Blisters, black toenails, callouses. If you get pedicures, just apologize when you go in.


    Not true!. For me at least. My feet look better than some people I know who are non runners.

    Blisters & Black toenails happen when you're wearing the wrong size shoes. I've been running for 5+ years, done lots of 5km & 10km races and 2 half marathons and I've never had either.

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