I was running hills on Tuesday with Jim, John, Kara and Stacey, and as we were recoving on a long downhill we were discussing the philosophies of running, in particular the difference of road running and trail running.
It's obvious when you go to a an event or race that the dynamics are different, as are the people who compete. I'm not going to discuss which is better, my race schedule will adequately describe my opinion on that. But we were trying to put into words the difference between the people who run road races (5K's - marathons) and those who run trails at any distance. It could be a trail 10K or a trail 135M run. I tried to put into words the difference, and all I came up with was that when you go to a trail run, you see people who consider running an essential part of their life. I don't know if this is accurate (and I'm not saying road runners don't feel the same way) , but it's my observation, and it certainly is true for me.
Go to a trail run. People there love to run. Ask them why they run, and no one will say "I just wanted to say I could run a marathon." It is a major part of their life, it gives them meaning, it replinishes their soul, it challenges them, rewards them, takes them closer to the beauty of the outdoors. It does all of these things for me. Without running, specifically trail running and ultra distances, I would not be the person that I am. It gives me confidence in all aspects of my life. It removes limits. It cleanses my mind when I need it the most, it challenges me, it's the ultimate vice. It makes me a better friend and husband, but also reminds me how important my friends and family are to me. I couldn't do this without their support. Running is a critical part of my life, and my life is critical to my running.
It's a perfect balance, Bunning And Being.
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7 comments:
Howdy. I'm new to your blog but noticed you're running Pikes Peak. Good luck there. Have you run it before? I've done it twice - actually, it's my profile picture!
Enjoy your training.
The groupies, TJ, it's all about the trail groupies!
you really touched on a lot of feelings that i have been going through myself. i couldn't agree with you more about the confidence-building aspect of it, as well as how it makes us better friends and husbands.
i like the idea of this cleansing our minds. the trails are perfect for that.
good luck with your 30K next week. i can't remember...did you sign up for that 12-hour race in July? i look forward to following the progress. next year, i hope to join you out there at pike's peak.
Yep, I sent in my registration for the 12 hour race today. I'm actually really excited about it. It might get a little rough in the wee hours of the morning, but I'm imagining a great lift at sunrise.
I must be doing something wrong, I don't seem to have any groupies...
What's your secret, JT?
Train hard, there'll be a ton of 'em at Pikes!
Groupies huh? By the time I finish I'm happy to still see a few runners hanging around... Anyways, about the post, I totally agree- When my son was scared the other day I gave him my Sunmart blanket to sleep with- I explained how scared I was the morning of the race and how I was able to start and finsh the race despite my fears. He has been sleeping with the blanket ever since. To me, that is an amazing thing that I can teach him.
See you at the Belt, still haven't decided about Inks Lake...
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