Master Index of Archived Threads


running

is running fun?

fun	4 votes
not fun	15 votes
i wouldn't know	0 votes

metsmarathon Jul 01 2008 03:39 PM

is running fun? guess which way i'm leaning!

themetfairy Jul 01 2008 03:50 PM

It's not the act of running per se that's fun - it's how it makes you feel afterwards.

seawolf17 Jul 01 2008 07:09 PM

Only if you're being chased by an axe-wielding maniac.

Nymr83 Jul 01 2008 07:11 PM

thumbs way down. the running around the track in circles as part of "practice" is what turned me off to other organized sports in high school, the lack thereof led me to intramurals in college

metsmarathon Jul 01 2008 07:17 PM

running on a track is punishment.

cooby Jul 01 2008 07:42 PM

themetfairy wrote: It's not the act of running per se that's fun - it's how it makes you feel afterwards. You like to ache?

AG/DC Jul 01 2008 07:51 PM

The feeling of having accomplished it despite the ache. I used to run a lot. I didn't like any of it but the last ten steps. It wasn't until I got ten steps from the finish that I was confident I'd finish.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jul 01 2008 07:55 PM

When I feel good physically, I enjoy it very much, but that makes it a solid "sometimes" for me. I've taken to running at night with the Mets on the radio, but they ruined it last night.

themetfairy Jul 01 2008 08:03 PM

cooby wrote: ="themetfairy"]It's not the act of running per se that's fun - it's how it makes you feel afterwards. You like to ache? No, I don't ache afterwards. Not after all of these years. What I love is how open my lungs are after a run. Especially if I have a cold or something - once I get past the first mile, I really feel clear. And there's definitely something to the concept of a runner's high.

Benjamin Grimm Jul 01 2008 09:05 PM

I hate running. (I think I have a mild asthma, although it's never been diagnosed.) But I enjoy walking at a very brisk pace. I do it on the treadmill mostly, but sometimes I'll walk somewhere instead of driving. So I can understand how satisfying it must be to run, but it's not something that I can do myself.

themetfairy Jul 01 2008 09:17 PM

One thing that's especially fun is when you can run somewhere that's not generally accessible. I've had runs where I've been on the Shea field, the Giants Stadium field, and the Lincoln Tunnel - it's really unique being able to run through such places.

Rockin' Doc Jul 01 2008 09:56 PM

seawolf - "Only if you're being chased by an axe-wielding maniac." My thoughts exactly. From Junior High through college I generally worked out six days a week. I alternated weight lifting on 3 days with running (sprints/stairs/2-5 miles runs) on 3 days. I never actually enjoyed or considered it fun, but I was dedicated to competing in sports. Once I left college to enter grad school and my playing days were over, I quickly fell away from the work outs.

Elster88 Jul 01 2008 10:04 PM

Not fun. But I need to lose a few.

seawolf17 Jul 02 2008 07:28 AM

themetfairy wrote: One thing that's especially fun is when you can run somewhere that's not generally accessible. I've had runs where I've been on the Shea field, the Giants Stadium field, and the Lincoln Tunnel - it's really unique being able to run through such places. Unique, maybe. But I can't imagine ever enjoying the Lincoln Tunnel for any reason.

themetfairy Jul 02 2008 07:48 AM

The Lincoln Tunnel run is a blast. When you enter the tunnel, everyone makes all sorts of noises in order to hear the echoes - acting like kids in the best sense of the word. I've run the entire way the two times I've done this course, but a lot of people take time out to take pictures at the New York/New Jersey mosaic. mm described the run to me once in that you run through the tunnel, come out on the other end, see your shadow and, like the groundhog, go back into the tunnel. I tell you, you never realize just how steep that thing is until you tackle it on foot.

Vince Coleman Firecracker Jul 02 2008 08:03 AM

"...we can blaze! Become legends in our own time, strike fear in the heart of mediocre talent everywhere! We can scald dogs, put records out of reach! Make the stands gasp as we blow into an unearthly kick from three hundred yards out! We can become God's own messengers delivering the dreaded scrolls! We can race dark Satan himself till he wheezes fiery cinders down the back straightaway....They'll speak our names in hushed tones, 'those guys are animals' they'll say! We can lay it on the line, bust a gut, show them a clean pair of heels. We can sprint the turn on a spring breeze and feel the winter leave our feet! We can, by God, let our demons loose and just wail on!" -John L. Parker, Jr, [url=http://www.amazon.com/Once-Runner-John-L-Parker/dp/0915297019]Once a Runner[/url] I was an NCAA cross country runner, I've run a sub 4:30 mile, a sub 27:00 5 miler and at one point I was one of the top 25 high school steeplechasers in the country. Since college I've gained 40 pounds and am appalled at how slowly I now run. It's really discouraging getting out on the trail and running literally half the speed I used to. Running used to be one of my favorite things to do, and I would do it, on average, for 2 hours a day. Now, while I still love getting out into the woods, I simply don't have much fun doing it anymore.

themetfairy Jul 02 2008 08:30 AM

I'm in the opposite camp. I was never blessed with speed, so for me running has to be about things other than the timed performance. The bottom line is that I love how it makes me feel. I love how I breathe afterwards. I love it when my sore muscles feel better from the internal heating I build up during a run. I love checking out the details of an area that I would never notice if I was just driving by. And I'm amused by the number of people in my neighborhood who know me because they see me run.

Centerfield Jul 02 2008 09:10 AM

I was once a pretty decent runner too, and when I was in shape, I used to love how great it felt to be able to run long distances while only getting mildly taxed. These days, I rarely run more than once or twice a month, and when I do it's depressing how slow and out of shape I am. My lungs feel like someone is holding them, preventing them from taking in air to full capacity. I guess the years of smoking took its toll. I still love how great I feel afterwards. Nothing is better than the ten to fifteen minutes after a workout, whether it be weight training or running. I really used to enjoy doing hillsprints. There is a nice hill by my new apartment. I've been meaning to get out and try it.

Rockin' Doc Jul 02 2008 11:02 AM

VC Firecracker - "...Since college I've gained 40 pounds and am appalled at how slowly I now run." I think I see you everyday when I look in the mirror.

Vince Coleman Firecracker Jul 02 2008 11:12 AM

Rockin' Doc wrote: VC Firecracker - "...Since college I've gained 40 pounds and am appalled at how slowly I now run." I think I see you everyday when I look in the mirror. My condolences.

soupcan Jul 02 2008 11:41 AM

I voted 'not fun'. I'm with CF. Used to be fun when I could run 10 miles and still function normally the rest of the day. That was quite some time ago though and now my knees are not anywhere close to being as forgiving as they once were. Biking is much, much easier on the knees and it's a lot of fun going downhill. Uphill not so much.

A Boy Named Seo Jul 02 2008 11:54 AM

I have an older bro who's a marathoner and a younger one who runs a lot, too, and wants to do a marathon. I thought it'd be cool to train for one and the 3 of us could bond and do this run together and all that beautiful shit. I started running a couple miles a day to get into it and hated every stupid step. A couple weeks in I said, "feck those a-holes, we can bond over the phone." I just turned 33 and surfing is my primary form of exercise. It's very very low impact and really great cardio and I think if my body doesn't completely break down from my hard-livin' youth, I could do it til I'm a very old man. A good diet and surfing on average about 4 days/week has helped me drop a good 40 pounds the last coupla years, too. I'd recommend it highly to any of you'se near a beach. Very therapeutic.

Vic Sage Jul 02 2008 02:52 PM

unless you're Pheidippides, and its your job to run from Marathan to Athens to announce the Greek victory over the Persians, OR, unless someone is chasing you with a knife, their is very little point to running. There is no place that i'm in that big a hurry to get to, or leave from. And i haven't been chased by a guy with a knife since my days at Mark Twain Junior High School.

Vic Sage Jul 02 2008 03:38 PM

Running movies: CHARIOTS OF FIRE JERICHO MILE FORREST GUMP GALLIPOLI LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER MARATHON MAN PERSONAL BEST PREFONTAINE WITHOUT LIMITS RUN FATBOY, RUN RUNNING RUNNING BRAVE SAINT RALPH TERRY FOX STORY

Frayed Knot Jul 02 2008 04:24 PM

FK's ranking of movies about Steve Prefontaine 1 - Without Limits (Billy Crudup in the lead role) 2 - Prefontaine (Jared Leto) (and it's not particuarly close)

metsmarathon Jul 02 2008 08:31 PM

but see, if you don't go out and run, when that guy really is chasing you with a knife/axe/mallet/weedwhacker/etc, you won't get terribly far until you're totally out of breath, and the guy just finds you cos your wheezing so damned loud, or you pulled a muscle trying to run so hard. me, i'll just keep on running. i'm ready for 'im!

AG/DC Jul 02 2008 08:36 PM

Frayed Knot wrote: FK's ranking of movies about Steve Prefontaine 1 - Without Limits (Billy Crudup in the lead role) 2 - Prefontaine (Jared Leto) (and it's not particuarly close) I saw Without Limits years ago, liked it, and until this moment thought it was Prefontaine.

Frayed Knot Jul 02 2008 08:52 PM

The two were made around the same time (timed for the 25th anniv of his death or something like that) but backed by differing groups of Pre's contemporaries. 'Without Limits' used coach Bowerman as a source and also Kenny Moore as a contributing writer. Moore, who later went on to write for SI for a number of years, was one of the upper classmen runners who freshman-recruit Pre initially annoyed with his cockiness. But 'Prefontaine' - which was told through "rememberences" of actors playing Oregon track teammates, specifically discus thrower Mac Wilkens - was better financed so the 'WL' crowd held theirs back to avoid the conflict and released it the following year. The existence of the other didn't do either movie any favors in the long run and probably did more to confuse what little audience exists for track movies about a "star" who's largely unknown by today's sports fan.

Rockin' Doc Jul 02 2008 08:59 PM

marathon - "but see, if you don't go out and run, when that guy really is chasing you with a knife/axe/mallet/weedwhacker/etc, you won't get terribly far until you're totally out of breath, and the guy just finds you cos your wheezing so damned loud, or you pulled a muscle trying to run so hard. me, i'll just keep on running. i'm ready for 'im!" All true, but I'm the lone hunter of the forum. I won't need to run from the maniac with a knife/axe/mallet/weedwhacker/etc.

Vic Sage Jul 03 2008 08:51 AM

i readily admit that, when the apocalypse comes and society devolves into cannibalistic tribes scouring the wasteland for victims, I'll be easy prey. But until that day, I don't plan to break a sweat unless it is followed by an orgasm.

A Boy Named Seo Jul 03 2008 08:59 AM

BoC.

holychicken Jul 03 2008 10:03 AM

No offense marathon, but I can't think of a more terrible way to get a cardiovascular work out.

metsmarathon Jul 03 2008 11:20 AM

no prob. i just have a hard time thinking of an easier, more accessible one. other than sneakers, you're born with everything you need! and you can do it just about anywhere, and in any weather, if you're so inclined! its the ultimate free form activity - you can do it however you want, whenever you want, wherever you want, and with whatever effort level you want. you can be as serious about it as you want, or as relaxed as you want. its all up to you. its just something you can go out and do. i guess the difference is the approach. viewing it as a workout, or just plain work, is guaranteed to strip away the enjoyment of it, as it would with nearly anything. how many people who enjoy basketball enjoy practicing free throws? even though i'm training for a marathon (or two) right now, i don't really look at my workouts for a given day as 'practice' so much as an opportunity to go out and run - to shut down teh brain for a while, focus on the road ahead and how i'm getting there, or just let my mind wander where it may, and see what i can do. each run is a challenge to run better, faster, easier, smoother, stronger, or whatever. and i enjoy the challenge. if i have to run on a treadmill, i don't enjoy that. if i have to ride an exercise bike, i don't enjoy that. so the getting out there part of it is a big factor, but the individual challenges moreso. plus, there's those added benefits of feeling good afterwards, and accomplishing goals, and not having to watch my diet too closely, and so on.

bmfc1 Jul 03 2008 12:37 PM

I started running about two months ago as part of an effort to lose weight. Exercising in the house didn't do enough toward that goal and the treadmill was dull. I started running and couldn't go for 90 seconds w/o having to switch to a walk but I stayed with it. With the aid of my iPod ("Badlands" is a great running song), I'm now up to 2 and a half miles. I know that's not a lot compared to metsmarathon and TMFairy, and others here I'm sure, but I'm damn proud of myself. I look forward to my run days (I'm trying to run every other day) and miss it when I can't. I remember once looking at the ashen face of a runner and wondering why he was putting himself through such agony. I now know why.

themetfairy Jul 03 2008 01:28 PM

Hey, I'm nowhere near mm's class. 10K is the longest I've ever done, and 3.75 miles is generally my longest run on a given week. And every other day is a fine schedule. I run three times a week - if I run more frequently than that, my knee gets balky. 2.5 miles is great progress for a beginner - WTG!

bmfc1 Jul 03 2008 02:10 PM

Thank you Mets Fairy!

themetfairy Jul 03 2008 02:13 PM

You're welcome :) If they reinstate the Run To Home Plate at Citifield, we need to have a CPF contingent there :)

metsmarathon Jul 03 2008 03:14 PM

i'm currently on a 3 running days per week schedule, myself. more than that and it gets in the ways of softball, basketball, weight training, life, and/or other things.

themetfairy Jul 06 2008 03:18 PM

When I was running this morning, I was thinking about why I enjoy it so much. Part of it is that it's my quiet time. I don't listen to music while I run, because I'm concerned about hearing the traffic. So I find that it's my Zen time. When I first started running, it was probably my only time of the day when I didn't have to worry about changing diapers, getting someone apple juice, etc. Even now I find it's time when I can, literally, hear myself think. The first couple of the layers of my subconscious make themselves known, and I get a good bead on what's important to me based on what I'm thinking about when I'm out there. Also, there are those days when the weather is perfect and the running itself feels absolutely fabulous. It's worth all of the slogging to get those kinds of days.