Who/What are the enemies of running?

[spikers]

Who or what do you see as the enemies of running? Here is my list. Add to it. Or maybe there is one here you don’t agree with.

The couch
Television
A busted alarm clock
Oprah. (come on, did she really RUN the NYC marathon?)
Run/walk programs
Medals for just showing up.
MP3 Players? (I enjoy hearing my surroundings)
Treadmills
Moderation
Ice cream (My personal demon)
Red Lights/ “Don’t Walk” signs. Or anything that makes you stop in mid-run.
Late nights at the office.

[Scott]

The biggest enemy of anything
-The little voice of negativity in your head,
It tells you the things you want to hear, but not what you need to hear.
It encourages you to stay in when it is cold, or when you are comfortable.
It reminds you that it hurts, and tells you that it okay to stop, or quit.

I disagree about run/walk, it is not jogging.
Try an ultra. It is done all the time.

[Tommy Heikkinen]

The walk/run thing is directed towards workouts. If you are planning on running while incorperating walking for more than a minute or two on a long run or between intervals, you aren't running.

An ultramarathon is not a workout. it's a test of how badass you are so that even when you're walking, you're doing way more than jogging.

[Jen Willford]

I will add donuts to the list.

I also think we need to consider a different perspective when it comes to the run/walk method.

I am a runner. I've done all sorts of races at all sorts of distances on trails on roads, whatever. I love to run and race.

This summer, I hit a tree head first (I did have a helmet on) on my mountain bike and royally screwed up my back. Running was taken completely away from me for several months. This is torture people. I went from training for a marathon and running 18 miles one week to 0.

I am slowly making a come back and the ONLY way I can do it safely and not totally screw up my back for the rest of my life is to run/walk. Running compresses the discs, walking isn't as bad...so I take walk breaks so that every muscle in my back, hip, glutes, and quads do not go into spasm. At this point, if running is going to be any part of my life, I may have to accept that I will have to run/walk. Time will tell. I guess I'd rather use the run/walk method than not be able to get out on the road at all!! If you were me, what would you do?

[Tyra]

Hey Jen,
So sorry to hear about your situation, but you have got to do what's best for you. You only have one body so do whats most comfortable to you. good luck & stay strong!
Tyra

[bryan]

"Fun runs"



if it's so easy that it's fun:
SPEED UP!!!!!!!
FIND A HILL.
ADD 5 MILES.

[Casey]

My badass has been injured (another enemy) due to really bad weather - heavy snow sleet, etc. resulting in ICE on sidewalks trails (common Dec-Mar in MN).

(I did run Twin cities marathon in the thunderstorm this year...so save the comments..

[cody daneille]

i live in this crap. its literally -28 outside right now. they say it "feels like" -34. what kind of crap is that. its crap.

[Pablo]

the elliptical machine
races that have so many people it's like playing dodgeball
under armor (there's way better stuff out there)

[cody daneille]

i have major beef with UA.

[Heather!]

cars that drive by and splash gallons of dirty cold slush from the melting snow on you

[Bernard C.]

the one thing i hate the most are the dogs that come running after you as you pass.... it pisses me off and ruins my pace, mind set...my whole run.

[Sara Dickinson]

I dont mind the dogs that run next to you near as bad as the ones that run in front of you. Making it so you jump out of the way, land in a hole, brake your foot, and cant run for over a month.