The Lore of Running

The outdoor season is just around the corner. Indoor Nationals provided some interesting results, but besides that there is not much to discuss in the competitive running world. Instead of providing the usual astronomical amount of statistics, I'm going to write about why someone would want to compete in this sport to begin with. We live in a modern age, with planes, trains and automobiles. Many jobs require their employees to sit behind a computer screen for many hours of the day. We have become increasingly immobile. With many Americans enjoying a surplus of food, comfort, and entertainment, why do some choose to put themselves in an uncomfortable place and run? Biking is much faster, more exhilarating, and provides less impact on joints. Running is slow, painful, and definitely not glamorous. People who play ball sports such as football, basketball and soccer don't have to go through nearly as much pain on a day to day basis, and generally attract more attention. Professional football players make millions, while even the best professional runners have trouble cracking a six-figure digit salary.

However, running is extremely natural. Humans are not the fastest animals on the planet. Usain Bolt is only slightly faster than an African Elephant at top speed. However, the farther the distance the better we get. We are able to shed excess body heat with ease. Being a biped makes running and walking extremely efficient. The arches in our feet act as natural springs connected to the springy muscles in our lower leg. Our arms are able to act as counterweights moving us forward. We are able to go days with nothing but water. We are built for running. The endorphins released when you run can give you a happy euphoria that some people call a
“runner’s high”.  

Many coaches for sports that involve running use running as a punishment. If you do something wrong you have to run a few laps around a field. Long distance runners find a few miles a piece of cake and can enjoy runs that are longer than ten miles. Most of us don’t even know why we run, but taking a break just makes us want to come back to the sport. The competitiveness is high and it is very easy to create a formula to get better. For the most part, the more you run, the better you become. There is no subjective decisions to be made when comparing athletes, because everyone has times and places at specific meets to use for comparison. We race against ourselves just as much as we race each other. It is a self bettering activity. So as the weather gets better, try going for a run. You might hate it at first, but after a few weeks you’ll be addicted.