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Thursday, January 21, 2010

copying and pasting for the sake of, and thanks to, friends

Y'all remember Sharon. Yes, that Sharon. She put up a post today about running. I relate to this post.

Maaaan, do we hate the running.

Yet, we still do it.

Have you met Allison? She's incredible. I got to meet her last weekend. Seriously awesome. She told me that she's training for this eat-blog-run thang, a relay down the coast of California. I checked out the blog about that and found this post (by Allison) including Rules of Running (not by Allison). It's a typical list: some great advice, some meh advice, but you get to decide which is which.

Here it is:

The 53 Runner’s Commandments
by Joe Kelly

1. Don’t be a whiner. Nobody likes a whiner, not even other whiners.
2. Walking out the door is often the toughest part of a run.
3. Don’t make running your life. Make it part of your life.
4. During group training runs, don’t let anyone run alone.
5. Keep promises, especially ones made to yourself.
6. When doing group runs, start on time no matter who’s missing.
7. The faster you are the less you should talk about your times.
8. Keep a quarter in your pocket. One day you’ll need to call for a ride.
9. Don’t compare yourself to other runners.
10. All runners are equal, some are just faster than others.
11. Keep in mind that the later in the day it gets, the more likely it is that you won’t run.
12. For a change of pace, get driven out and then run back.
13. If it was easy, everybody would be a runner.
14. When standing in starting lines, remind yourself how fortunate you are to be there.
15. Getting out of shape is much easier than getting into shape.
16. A bad day of running still beats a good day at work.
17. Talk like a runner. *Singlets*are worn on warm days. *Tank tops* are worn to the beach.
18. Don’t talk about your running injuries. People don’t want to hear about your sore knee or black toe.
19. Don’t always run alone.
20. Don’t always run with people.
21. Approach running as if the quality of your life depended on it.
22. No matter how slow you run it is still faster than someone sitting on a couch.
23. Keep in mind that the harder you run during training, the luckier you’ll get during racing.
24. Races aren’t just for those who can run fast.
25. There are no shortcuts to running excellence.
26. The best runs sometimes come on days when you didn’t feel like running.
27. Be modest after a race, especially if you have reason to brag.
28. If you say, *Let's run this race together* then you must stay with that person no matter how slow.
29. Think twice before agreeing to run with someone during a race.
30. There is nothing boring about running. There are, however, boring people who run.
31. Look at hills as opportunities to pass people.
32. Distance running is like cod liver oil. At first it makes you feel awful, then it makes you feel better.
33. Never throw away the instructions to your running watch.
34. Don’t try to outrun dogs.
35. Don’t trust runners who show up at races claiming to be tired, out of share, or not feeling well.
36. Don’t wait for perfect weather. If you do, you won’t run very often.
37. When tempted to stop being a runner, make a list of the reasons you started.
38. Never run alongside very old or very young racers. They get all of the applause.
39. Without goals, training has no purpose.
40. During training runs, let the slowest runner in the group set the pace.
41. The first year in a new age group offers the best opportunity for trophies.
42. Go for broke, but be prepared to be broken.
43. Spend more time running on the roads than sitting on the couch.
44. Make progress in your training, but progress at your own rate.
45. *Winning* means different things to different people.
46. Unless you make your living as a runner, don’t take running too seriously.
47. Runners who never fail are runners who never try anything great.
48. Never tell a runner that he or she doesn’t look good in tights.
49. Never confuse the Ben-Gay tube with the toothpaste tube.
50. Never apologize for doing the best you can.
51. Preventing running injuries is easier than curing them.
52. Running is simple. Don’t make it complicated.
53. Running is always enjoyable. Sometimes, though, the joy doesn’t come until the end of the run.



**Which are your favorites?

18 comments:

Shar said...

Thanks. You are the bomb!

My favorites are:
1,2,9,11,13,15,22,36,43,49,51,and 53.

La Yen said...

I must be a boring person who runs, then.

Also, when Jooj was a week or two old I was so tired I confused the Desetin with the toothpaste. So I can relate to that.

And I think people who LOVE RUNNING are just fooling themselves. But that could be because I am smarting about being called a boring person.

Carrot Jello said...

When you talk about running, and you say, "Yet we still do it" I'm not sure who you mean by "we". Is this your family? Your friends? I know you don't mean me. I don't think I've run since kindergarten.

~j. said...

CJ - by "we" I simply mean Shar and myself. We loathe running, we two who run.

Gerb said...

Who cries over reading a list like this? Me, that's who. What is my problem??

I used to be a running lover. Now I am a running hater but I am so proud of myself (the good kind of proud) for doing it again.

My favorites were:
5, 15, 22, 37, 39, 45 and 53. but I liked them all.

b. said...

I like 13, because I am not a runner...so, therefore, not boring.
And 29, because I ALWAYS think twice before agreeing to run a race with someone and I always go with my first thought: "Ah,Hayell no!"
I hate 18 because I enjoy talking about my plantar fascitis.

S.I.F. said...

I ALWAYS run alone... Who knew? Guess I need to get on finding a partner or two! :)

Kalli said...

#87 according to me, always listen and look around you when you're walking to start running again so you don't look bad when passing people going the opposite way.

Word Verif: Womanica

as in I.AM.WOMANICA BEETCHES!

Shar said...

#8 I didn't keep a quarter in my pocket, but a dollar in my wallet, and drove to get a drink at Sonic. Instead of running.

uncovering Lee said...

Hmm maybe I should just print them all out love them!!

i am on the rocky (or maybe jaggered and sharp...) road to health and I am comitting this year to less partying and more health and 'balance' not sure if i can get this working at a record label though..

do you run much?? thinking of signing up for a half marathon... maybe..

check me out here http://facingthemusicfor2010.blogspot.com/
dont think anyone else lol!

Emily said...

So I haven't run much since the Red Rock Relay in September...sad isn't it. I just can't get back into working out...I need too...it is such a good thing all around.

I love the rules...thanks for motivating me to get back into something that I truly do love and enjoy...when I am in shape. :)

So my favorite...It is a lot easier to get out of shape than it takes to get into shape.

Iann said...

Totally what I wanted and needed to hear right now to get me motivated again!

Thanks a bunch!

Lisa said...

This is what I needed to start the second week of training.

c-dub said...

i am not a runner, nor will i ever be, but i loved this. i substituted the word "life" for "running" on some of them and some of it isn't half bad. and yeah, the advice is pretty universal for any kind of sport.

p.s. per #28, i want you to know i don't expect you to hold back and stay w/ me on our tri. you'd better fly girl. but feel free to stick around after you're done and wave me across the finish line if you want.

Christi said...

forty-nine.

ray-ray says said...

#13....I've been telling people this for yeeeears.

~j. said...

S.I.F. - welcome! Thanks for hopping over from The Frog (I think I'll call it The Frog from now on) (not really). Maybe try running with others, see how it goes? You may like it, you may find you prefer running solo, you know?

uncovering Lee - welcome! I don't run much. I stink at running. Sign up for the half! You can do it!

Emily - want to work out with my trainer sometime? For free? I'm serious, let me know. We could go together, it would be fun.

Iann - When it warms up, let's run together. I'm sure you could teach me a thing or two. Or fifty.

Lisa - Yesssssss. Remember, you've got the benefit of training at a higher altitude (whatever that means).

Thanks, everyone, for your comments! Best wishes with your running (and other) goals!

Petit Elefant said...

You, are awethome.