A few days ago, someone posed the seemingly simple question, "Do you actually enjoy running?" And it got me thinking.Often times with the turbulent tides of our current day and age and the need to stay afloat, I think people forget to stop and think whether or not they actually value what they are doing or whether they are just going through the motions.
I raced XC and track in high school and that was the extent of my competitive running career. I continued to run for fun post high school and college, and still run to this day. I haven't ran a marathon yet, and am not sure if I ever will. I compete in races infrequently and don't really stick to a strict training schedule anymore. For the most part I run alone. I still get down on myself for for missing a day, and I still run tempos and the occasional workout. For what reason, I'm not sure. Additionally, I still wear a watch on my runs and know the mile markers on my most frequented routes.I think I am what most would consider a hobby jogger, albeit at the quicker end of the spectrum.
Sometimes I have a difficult time motivating myself to get out the door, but usually five or ten minutes into the run the endorphins start to flow and I am glad I am putting forth the effort to get outside moving. I think the thing I enjoy most about running is being healthy and fit, being fast, being outside, and the post workout glow. But there are many other means to reach the same end.
Trail running is great. Running off road is something i really enjoy. Running through fields of flowers and along single track up a ridge is a real rush, however in that environment I usually rather be riding a mountain bike. I have enjoyed the peace and quiet of a snowy run many times, but almost always rather be nordic skiing or snowboarding if it's cold enough for there to be snow on the ground. Sometimes I run to clear my head, but listening to the monotonous rush and hypnotic burble of water while casting to a rising trout is a more effective, and sometimes more fulfilling, means of peace of mind.
On a psychological level, I think I view being healthy, fast, and fit as a measure of one component of self worth and running as a means of self improvement. The minimal gear required to participate in the sport as well as the nominal impact to the environment both sit very well with my mindset and are aspects I truly value in running.
All that being said, biking/skiing/boarding/fishing are all such gear-centric and expensive hobbies, both in terms of money and time. It is very hard to argue against the simplicity and utility of running. As an environmentally minded individual, it is also difficult to look past the 'green' aspect and ease of simply being able to walk out your front door in order to practice the sport.
So short answer, yes. I like running. But I like many other things, too.
