I’d Run Through the Eye of a Hurricane…Maybe not, well, maybe if I had to

I’m a neurotic runner, my parents are also neurotic fitness folks, my sister is a kick@$$ cross-fitter, my littlest brother is headed to the rugby State Champs. No, I’m not trying to brag on my siblings here, (well, maybe a bit) but more make a point that I’m lucky in that my immediate family ‘gets it’ when it comes to making running and fitness a priority.

As in it’s awesome to be able to say without any guilt, “Sorry, can’t make it to such-and-such I’ve got to go run.” Point taken, understood.
runner shoe guilt
Or how about when there’s rain pouring down, the wind is blowing like mad and you’re about to step out for your run…your mom is heading out with you. You both look at each other and laugh mid-run when the wind literally blew you into her. #builtintrainingpartner

I grew up where getting out and running, or sweating SOME HOW, everyday is a sort of given rather than a question. Now I also write and do art about running. Wow, I really have made myself well-rounded. 😉

So today, I’m not going to lie I really just have to laugh sometimes at the contrast between my own viewpoint on running and fitness and that of some other people.

I read on Twitter some chick complaining that she couldn’t run because she forgot her ipod. Seriously? I’ve done miles on the treadmill staring at a wall. #boring #suckitup

It was pretty windy a few days back, I got home and a neighbor remarked, “You actually ran in that?” Ummm, sir, I’d run through the eye of a hurricane if it came between getting a run in or not.
tornado runner
Sorta rainy a few days back and I overheard a couple in line at the store saying, “Darn, the forecast is rainy again tomorrow…guess we can’t go on our bike ride.” Again, reference above.

Am I bit skewed? Maybe brainwashed by the miles?

Horror beyond horrors, and I may receive some hate on this for sounding like a fitness snob, are the people who are constantly getting surges of ‘motivation’. These surges occur not when they are in the middle of a run, while running repeats at the track, or even when they are wearing a pair of running shoes. These are the people who at 9pm are struck with the overwhelming desire to become a runner. To get fit.

“Okay, I’m doing it!” They ask for tons of tips, maybe even pay for weeks of workouts, trainers, diet books…whatever. Buuuuuut…come the next morning it’s a little windy. The day after that it’s raining. Maybe they forget their ipod the next day.

It’s alright, I acknowledge I’m probably a tad on the more obessive side with this whole running thing. Though at least I know I’m not alone. There are others out there smirking and balking at some of the excuses people have in blowing off a run.

I know I’m not the only runner out there who will arrange their day in accordance to their running or training. Hey, I got plenty of retweets and FB comments when I bagged on the girl who forgot her ipod.

If not in the ‘real world’ then darn-it at least I have a safe-haven for being a fitness snob within my immediate family…and I guess that’s all an obsessive, neurotic runner could ask for. 😉

1) What’s one of the funnier things people have said to you obviously showing they just don’t ‘get it’ in terms of being consistent with running or working out?

2) Admittedly sometimes being neurotic can go too far, but it’s funny to laugh at ourselves. What’s an instance that you maybe are even just a bit embarrassed to say you did in order to get a run or workout in?
I’ll be brave. Sneaking out at 3am when I was supposed to be on a break and going for a short run may not have been my finest hour. 😛 There are worse, but I’m only so brave…lol.

3) Most boring, mind-numbing experience you’ve had on a stationary machine, but you did it without an ipod or TV?
Staring at a wall for 8 miles, or when I was doing a rowing machine in a garage with a nice view of the driveway.

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22 Replies to “I’d Run Through the Eye of a Hurricane…Maybe not, well, maybe if I had to”

  1. I think the clincher on your comment was connecting it to runners/athletes who are injured and CAN’T do their workouts now. [Plus, it would seem to me that most of your followers would be pretty serious runners/athletes.]

    To be totally honest, I let the “I don’t understand runners/running and how can you do that” comments roll off my back. I’ve read several blog posts lately about how such comments piss people off – but frankly, I just dismiss them pretty fast and don’t hold on to them too long. So, for better or worse, I can’t really answer Q #1.

    [Although I will say I was once in a serious relationship with someone who didn’t “get” my running, and the daily grind of justifying it wore out after awhile. Not-so-strangely, I ultimately married a runner. :)]

    I’ve probably gone out at all sorts of strange times, and gotten up at freakishly early hours for runs…. I do remember sneaking out of the house (where all the girls were staying) on the day of a friend’s wedding – I was in the bridal party, I knew the day was going to be stressful, and I *needed* that sanity and alone-time in order to successfully and calmly redirect/direct/guide/distract everyone necessary to make the day successful (and keep all parties from killing each other). Someone noticed, “AND she got up early to run!” I kept my mouth shut, but thought in my head, “That’s the ONLY reason I’m still smiling, folks!!” =)

  2. Last October, right before the Savannah Rock and Roll half, my run club actually ran in a tropical storm. It was minor… really just rain and wind. But how many people can say they did, ya know? Your post made me think of that!

  3. That’s great that your family is really into fitness, and that your mom goes running with you. My brother is a runner, and my dad’s getting into biking now. My mom jogs a bit, and likes to take walks around the neighborhood. We all kind of do our own thing, I guess. I wish I had a running buddy, but I rarely go running with my brother since we have different paces and schedules.

    I’m not that neurotic about running, and run depending on my mood and the weather. I don’t run every day if I’m just not feeling it, and if the weather’s bad, I’d rather not go out.

    I used to be on my school’s rowing team, and during winter training, we had to row indoors on machines. I hated it and it was soooo boring.

    • u rowed! i have SO much respect for u guys…my HS coach used to make me cross-train on the indoor rower…few things are more butt-numbing and brain-numbing at the same time! 😛

  4. A couple of years ago when my son and his girlfriend were about 25, I was going out for a run on one of those days when it was cold and windy and raining, and my son’s girlfriend was really surprised and said that she thought that I only ran on the nice days. (maybe she was making fun of me)

    • and it’s funny the way they phrase things and the look on their face…the shock. like any ‘logical’ person would ever go out when it’s raining outside. 😛

  5. Well, you already know that I lost my iphone (which contained my music) and I chose to go and run my planned mileage before bothering to look for my phone. Nothing comes between me and my runs!

  6. Awwwww your family sound awesome!!! I hope to achieve the same thing with my own family. It’s not a question of if we exercise but when! I think that mentality would solve a lot of our obesity problems!!!

    Runner Snob comments are always welcome. They balance out the world of people who just don’t get it!!!!!! :=)

  7. I’m in Minnesota and only run outside so winter can be interesting. Twice this winter I ran in temps that froze my Nike watch up – and it says it goes to 5 below. And just few weeks ago it was warmer – like 30 degrees, but the wind was about 25 mph and there were ice pellets falling from the sky. The nice part is that when the conditions suck I want to get my run done and usually end up doing speed work or a tempo run.

  8. For the past 5 years I got up at 4:30 (I tried 5:00 but that didn’t give me long enough – I need 1-1.5 hours) – every day to make sure I got my workout/run in!! Most of the people I know couldn’t comprehend that – they all thought I just liked to get up early – No, I hate mornings!! I just like/need to workout!!!

    Not working out makes me really cranky – just ask my family right now!!!

  9. I think I used to feel more ‘hard core’ but now it has just become something I do, like brushing my teeth. 4-5 times per week I need to sweat and it is just accepted by my friends and family that I need to go and do that. Sometimes I feel like I need to apologise, but while the people I love may not be exercise freaks like me they definitely understand that it’s something that I need to do to be happy.
    I trained for my first half marathon on a treadmill in a gym. I would go down and do a 2.5 hour long run on a Saturday and spend the entire time staring at a bright orange wall. Girls gotta run 😉

    • it’s SOOOO funny you liken it to brushing your teeth! my mom has always said the same thing to people when they ask ‘why/how’ she works out like she does. 🙂

  10. On the subject of running through inclement weather…our meet was candled yesterday due to severe thunderstorms, but I decided I would get a run in regardless….about 3 miles in the lightning became too scary and my self preservation instincts kicked in…luckly I was running in the direction of my home so I got there fast…faster than race pace I think =P

  11. I’m just like you! I will go out in almost any kind of weather, as long as its safe to be out. I have a saying: “rain or wind, sleet or snow, doesn’t matter…. I’ll still go.” I can’t run every day (I think my shin bones would crumble), but if I have a run scheduled the weather isn’t going to get in the way. I don’t have access to a treadmill, either, so it’s go outside to run or don’t run. I figure if and when I have a race that has less-than-ideal weather, I’ll probably have trained in something worse and it’ll just be something to deal with.

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