My husband is a runner. More than a runner he's an ultra runner. Ultra runner is what they call those people who run distances longer than a marathon. I think it is actually slang for crazy nutjob, but he surrounds himself with a bunch of other crazy people so he thinks he's normal. So not normal. (Mind you, the ultra runners I know are very nice people but not normal. Which is okay because normal is over-rated and boring.)
Anyway, my husband is a runner. Today was the Colorado Marathon which he vows is his last road marathon. He'd rather run 50 miles on a trail than 26.2 miles on a road. Actually hard to blame him, the scenery is so much better on the trails. Still, I don't quite believe him on the "last road marathon." Time makes the memory warp and remember things less clearly - like say how much it hurts after he runs a road marathon. Here he is today about a mile from the finish:
My children are runners, one eagerly, one reluctantly. Today they ran the first Healthy Kid's Run of the year. They've done this for 5 years now, running about 8-1mile runs per year and pulling in some swag like warm-up jackets and Target gift cards. I'll let you guess from these photos which one is the reluctant one:
Some of my friends are runners, not sure if they are runners reluctantly or not. Deanna ran the Horsetooth Half this year and the 10K today. Amanda did the 1/2 Marathon today. First halfs for both of them - congrats ladies!
A slew of others I know are doing the Couch to 5K program. It is a nice, gentle intro to running that Brian would have liked to have had back when he started.
I am not a runner.
Once, in my 20's, I dreamed of being a runner. I thought of what it would be like to be in shape and feeling strong. I would run easily, for my health. I would look fabulous. I would have running outfits (hey, I was in my 20's and didn't have kids - the word "outfits" was still in my vocabulary then.)
Now I'm in my 40's and know I am not nor will I ever be a runner. I tried the Couch to 5K. I messed my knee up in Moab and was unable to walk up stairs for ~6wks, let alone continue on my route to running a 5K. I never tried again. Why? Well...
I have that Chronic Fatigue right around the corner, peeking in at me when I do too much. Running is not friends with CF. Walking might be, running invites that bitch in.
I have bad knees, to which two surgeries will attest. Running hurts. Not while running, but aching for hours afterwards. Not my idea of a fun evening.
Did you know it's hot here already? It is. I hate hot. And I don't get up early so don't tell me how cool it is at 5 or 6 am because those hours don't actually exist. Late at night might work, it's beautiful then. And I tend to wake up when the sun sets. I'm kind of like a vampire only I don't sparkle. I'm in my 40's, remember? No sparkling.
Maybe I need to do the C25K but just walk the whole damn time because I need to do something active besides ice hockey which I can't afford that anymore.
But no running. I will not cave to you peer pressure!
StarWars7 | May 6, 2012 at 9:10 PM
you are funny. :) not everybody is a runner. also really it is bad for your joints. I used to be a runner! I LOVED IT!!!! LOVED IT! however, i was a social runner and once my friends gave up i gave up my running career. I thought about doing it again and then i was in a car accident that wrecked my knees and i can't anymore. :( But I CAN ride bikes and do hikes or go on walks. I am ok with that. My joints for the long run will probably be happy with that. That is cool that your girls do the healthy runs! I need to look up the schedule so i can see when theyare so my kids could do it! they would totally dig that! and just remember, it is OK to not be a runner :) your pics are great! glad everyone had fun! that was MY FAVORITE marathon that i did when i was a runner! I loved that one! :)