Running Preservation Society

Who/What are the enemies of running?

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.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nota Jogger on April 6, 2008 at 12:36pm: This whole Oprah mentality that Ok is good enough. "Just as long as you try".

Oprah really did take a lot of the meaning out of running (or jogging) a marathon

What every happened to aspiring to be great?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Holly on April 6, 2008 at 9:43pm: i wonder that a lot too, a lot of people are satisfied with such mediocre goals, but one of my favorite quotes is "To be pleased with one's limits is a wretched state"; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Adam on August 1, 2008 at 12:27am: Some people are never going to have the ability to be great and you've gotta accept that. If they're pushing themselves and trying to break their own PR's it's good enough for me. My cousin is 200 pounds and runs a 11min mile, but he runs it, you'd better believe it.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Heather! on April 7, 2008 at 2:04pm: i'm gonna have to go with excessive time limits at marthons. 6 hours?! seriously?

also:

-people who don't shovel their sidewalks
-the girl at the gym in matching pastel tank top, shorts, and nike shox
-the holidays
-unleashed dogs
-bronchitis
-post race pancake breakfasts, beer gardens, and other vomit-inducing fare; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Eric on April 7, 2008 at 5:30pm: dunno about the beer garden one. there is nothing better then a good beer after a long run. pick up a issue of trail runner.....they will lay out some great trails to run and places to grab a pint after you are done. beer can be a good thing after a run, check this out.....
http://mhtoday.menshealth.com/2007/11/hoist-a-pint-fo.html; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Heather! on April 7, 2008 at 9:47pm: i'm not a fan of beer at any time... just the smell makes me gag! i'm more of a vodka girl but somehow they don't seem to be into serving post-race vanilla stoli and pineapple juice.

i'm not saying it's necessarily bad for you. beer is just the absolute last thing i want after a race.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Holly on April 8, 2008 at 12:48pm: ah dogs....

oh and i know "the girl at the gym" gr... why do they come?!?! they complain the whole time!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tyra on April 8, 2008 at 4:14pm: Folks who dont see you when your running in the morning (even though I wear blinding blinking)!! I can't tell you how many times I almost been hauled of in an ambulance. I guess every hobby has its ups and downs! I just don't want to die for the cause.....Ya know.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by jace boatwright on April 15, 2008 at 3:31pm: i have a list:
the people that throw beer at us.
the people that try to hit us.
the people that drive by fling unknown liquids on us and speed off.
the people that mess with us.
the people that that walk turn around look at u coming and dont move.
the ultra walker who comes to pensacola and refuses to move out of the way of our workouts on the track(who the hell is going to do ultra practice on a track when there are over 10 miles of trails across the street).
the people that throw firecrackers at us.
f***y friday( every friday people all over the town mess with my team so we made up this name for it)
treadmills (who ever said they can only go 10 miles on one is crazy the most i have ever stayed on one is 35min which is less than 5 miles on that one which means i had to jog the entire time to)
parents( they wouldnt let me run during the tornado warning or the rain when it was 40 degrees)
red lights
race prices( $20 to run that is so stupid at least it goes to good causes)
injuries and illness; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Heather! on April 22, 2008 at 5:24pm: the money you pay to enter a race BARELY goes to a good cause... the vast majority of it pays for the cops who secure the streets and all the refreshments afterwards. so don't think you're saving kids with cancer or anything.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jay Silvio on April 22, 2008 at 8:28pm: Well, if you consider the race itself to be a good cause...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Michelle on April 17, 2008 at 11:52am: My number one enemy is my head.....I love running! It's my stress reliever, however; after Disney World and Boston I had some injuries. I went through therapy and I bounced back fine, but when you are injured that feeling that you've lost something gets into your brain and it came really work you over. It's like you've lost your confidence running. It takes a few weeks to get it back, but it can be a hard road to travel down. How do you handle your injuries? Do you agree that injuries can be the enemy?; ▶ Reply to This