The mind of a runner is a wonderful and terrifying thing {sounds like a Willy Wonkaism}.
Some days I think we’re just a big ball of emotions that is only controlled through the outlet of sweat. Over the miles there may be frustrations, wild joy and tears of well name any emotion! Which of course is one of the many reasons that we show up mile after mile to push our bodies, when our friends can’t understand why anyone would want to run that far or that often.
The truth is that around mile 23 of every marathon, all distance runners start questioning their sanity and believing their friends are right… this is just stupid.
BUT prior to that are the months of training that we love to chat about around the water cooler. For all the times we want to say “every muscle in my body hurts” and instead say “hell ya I ran 20 miles Sunday, then chowed down on a burger while watching football” here are the other things we aren’t 100% truthful about for fear you’ll see through our thin layer of sanity.
Confessions of A Distance Runner
What I think about while running:
“I love life” – During a great run, I’ll find myself with a huge toothy grin thinking life couldn’t get any better than that moment.
“I hate running” – A few seconds later, I trip because I’m not looking at where I’m going, I’m gazing at the puffy clouds in the sky and now my knees are skinned and I want to cry like a toddler whose fallen on the playground.
“Good story” – As I regroup I realize this is going to make for another great running story and I’m off again to finish that run with blood dripping down my leg, feeling like a total badass because really who runs while they are bleeding?!
PE: I hated it. No I was not a runner as a kid.
Road Kill: If someone passes me, I immediately assume they aren’t running as far.
Mornings: I love my morning runs, but that doesn’t mean I’m a morning person. I don’t really want to chat until I’ve run, showered and had a smoothie.
Nosey: I totally re-wear clothes because I already feel like it’s a mass amount of laundry, usually it gets the sniff test. I also frequently in winter wipe my nose on my sleeve cause I just can’t manage the snot rocket.
Stairs: No matter how many miles I run, I still find myself huffing and puffing going up multiple flights of stairs.
Running Shoes: A new pair can magically heal my injury…or get me out the door regardless.
Poop: Runners talk about this way more than the rest of the world. When Dr. Oz talks about it, we’re like no biggie it happens all on it’s own.
What do you embellish or leave out when telling non-runner friends about your training? #runchat Click To TweetWater: I never used to carry it, but I bust my athletes for ever missing it.
Nightmares: The only bad dreams I have involve being late to the start of a race…and now you know why I sign up for so few.
Sugar: I shouldn’t eat it, but I do and I totally justify it by my running.
Oprah Effect: We set random race day goals based on beating celebrities for no good reason.
Distance: I’d happily run 10 miles over 1 fast mile on any given day
Stare Down: If you’re driving by and staring at me as I run, I will stare back…it bothers me and I want to bother you too. Then as you turn the corner I will sprint because I’m concerned about road rage!
Hotels: If it doesn’t have a treadmill or some place safe to run, I’m not staying there.
Tripping: It happens more than I’d like to admit. When I do it in front of you, the appropriate response is “are you ok?” Not “damn that looks like it hurts” or just walking by (yup totally happened in Miami)
Pee: We’re always checking the color to see if we’re hydrated.
Instagram: Has dramatically improved our selection of places to run! I never used to think about how pretty a place was, I just went…now I’m far more aware of the beauty and altering a route to somewhere nicer!
Mood: My ability to go for a run directly impacts my focus and mood for the day. Luckily as the years have gone by a bad run no longer causes full day crankiness.
Treadmills: It’s the cool thing to dis them, but let’s be honest sometimes they’re a great excuse to catch up on Real Housewives
Bad Weather: It blows, but you can’t wait to post that badass runner photo, so you go anyways!
Doctors: They don’t get runners or they wouldn’t say dumb things like “just don’t run”, hence we clearly know better and will self diagnose.
Race Shirts: For no discernible reason we are forbidden from wearing a race shirt that we have not yet run or where we had a DNF or DNS…mostly because you might ask us about it and then we have to fess up.
Of course we love running...but sometimes we might leave out a few things #confessions #runchat Click To TweetKnees: Every time someone tells me that running is bad for my knees I have to take a deep breath to stop myself from saying so is sitting on your ass all day. Stop the myth.
Weights: Just because I don’t want to lift heavy things doesn’t mean I’m dumb. Can’t we all just get along and cross train in whatever way makes us happy.
Runner’s High: Completely real and likely part of what we’re chasing, but it’s elusive and more miles than not are about finding an inner mental strength to keep going.
Should’s: Every time you tell me you “should” run more I have to restrain myself from the eye roll…no one should run. If you want to then do it. If you don’t want to then don’t do it. Just DO something and stop pretending like you want to do something.
Race guilt: I feel like I’m supposed to be racing and setting PR’s all the time because I have this blog. But I’m not. I’m just trying to enjoy my life.
What’s your confession?
Do you relate to any of these?
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Chrissa - Physical Kitchness says
I suck at long distant running, but I did get a good laugh out of some of these! When I do run (a whole 4 miles), I usually never know what to do at cross walks when the light is green and I can’t go. Like hey should I run in place or just stop? But I feel like cars pass by and LOL at me trotting there in place. My confession – stop lights give me anxiety 😉
Susie @ Suzlyfe says
OMG AMANDA I LOVE THIS.
I did a Running Confessions post way back in the day (I might need to bring that back, actually), and here is one of my all time favorites:
If I say I have an appointment the week before a big race, I am getting a Brazilian bikini wax #nochafingforme
And no, I’ve NEVER popped a squat on the side of a busy road or in a bush in Central Park…..
Never.
#lies
TheDimpledRunner says
I relate to every. single. one. of these!! Great job! So funny, yet so true! I confess that because I have a running vlog and my baby is over 15 months that I feel I should have the perfect runner’s body! But I don’t. :/
amanda says
Confession…thank gawd i’m not just totally crazy!!! I absolutely understand the “think I should be a certain way” feeling…running helps me bypass that!
Shannon @GirlsGotSole says
YES! YES! YES! I felt like I was a living bobble head reading this. So very many truths it’s hilarious!
Great post, Amanda! ?
amanda says
hehe I love that!!! I wish you could come enjoy some cool CO weather running!
Laura @ This Runner's Recipes says
These are too funny and relatable! I confess that I’m guilty of using my sleeves to wipe my nose or blowing snot rockets on a run. Gross, but we all do it!
Maria says
I am not a long distance runner, but this article made me laugh! I can relate to many in my very short distances 😉
Jenn says
HaHa, this is so funny. And so true. Not that I am a distance runner by any means, but I have thought and did most of these things even on my shorter 3-5 mile runs (because even those are long for me). Oh, and I always carry tissue tucked away somewhere. 🙂
Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says
OH my god, this is too funny. I love the Stare Down – couldn’t hold it in reading that one 🙂 I’m totally guilty of the sniff test! I mean really, washing after just one wear? That laundry really piles up!
Sarah Miller says
I agree with the race guilt, I run very few races and when people ask about PR’s I’m like “I dunno, but I had an awesome run this morning!”
Gretchen says
So true..I can’t even tell you how many times I go from hating running to loving it within one mile! And from telling myself I will never run again during a race to signing up for me next one as soon as I finish. Runners are crazy!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
It’s like you are reading my mind!!! HAha!!! So awesome. I also get a little giddy whenever I pass a fit looking man. Absolutely ridiculous but I think if I can run faster than him… I’m totally winning today.
Laura says
I relate to all of these! Especially choosing a hotel based on the running accommodations! I also think about how to protect myself (ninja style) with my pink pepper spray when the sun doesn’t get up as early as I do!
Sarah- A Whisk and Two Wands says
Haha I love it! I hear the stories from my husband and his buddy. All the poop ones just kill me and then one day while on vacation I was walking with the girls to the store and on the sidewalk there was some and it wasn’t a dog and I couldn’t help but giggle and be grossed out. Than there’s the every time someone says something about constipation my husband responds with “wanna go for a run?”. I have a marathon on my list but after the good bad and ugly I’ve seen with husband and friends I often fear I’m not strong enough for it, I need my head and body to get on the same page.
Emily Kyle says
I have to say I am very inspired by this post. I am certainly not a long distance runner (or even a short distance runner) but I love getting to peek into the mind of someone who is!
Lindsay Cotter says
Loved reading your confession lol!! So many I can relate to!
Emily says
I relate to so many of them; I sometimes think, ‘Wow, I could run 100 miles… when I go on a 2 mile run, and then I get to mile 1, and I think, ‘Nope, I think I’ll just go 2 miles.’ 😀
Taylor Kiser says
This made me laugh so hard! Great post!!
Elizabeth says
I always feel like I have to sign up for races…..I have a friend who ran a race every single month last year and I think is trying to run two races every single month this year and I can feel her judging me for not doing as many races (probably all in my head lol). Soooooo last year I signed up for 5 half marathon races and then my first 50k trying to keep up my race cred and in the end I was so mentally AND physically exhausted that during my 50k (last race of the year) I fell down a mountain and ended up DNFing at mile 22……I was fine; I just didn’t want to run anymore, so I’ve spent 2016 not running and just recently started getting my run mojo back. And now I’m back to trying to make it a mile without dying lol
amanda -runtothefinish says
OMG this sounds awful to me, ha!!!! I definitely know that having a race is really motivating for a lot of people and there’s nothing wrong with that at all…but so many would burn me up! hope you can get back to enjoying it for you!
Beth W. Willis says
LOVE this! I’m running my first marathon in February. Just hope I make it to mile 23! 😀
Michael says
One of the reasons I love running is as much as people can push me to go faster competing against myself and constantly pushing myself to improve is such a draw to the sport. 🙂
Claudia Smith says
It’s great when you can enjoy the race together with other runners who have the same interest. I believe that we should run with the others so they can motivate ourselves. Thanks for sharing!
Barbara J. Silverman says
So true. I can find myself in your post. There are so many hilarious things here and looks like you’re reading my mind 🙂 thanks a lot for sharing