13 December 2007
Passion for Running
Posted by Bob Estes under: Bob Estes .
It was really great seeing everyone at San Chez. We had some great laughs and had a bite or two (I lost count after the sixth or seventh dish.) I can’t say enough about how welcome I’ve been made to feel from Kristen, Brooke, Mike and Terry and the rest of the Road Warriors. Also, thanks to the gentleman from Brooks for all the information and samples of GU!
Now, let’s talk about running. I had planned to stop at the DDH YMCA on my way home from San Chez. I figured; little bite here, little bite there; maybe I can avoid overeating if I plan a run on the track after dinner. Little did I know that there would actually be “little” bites everywhere! I did follow through with my plans to run. That brick I carried around in my stomach? Let’s just say that it kept me from peak performance.
Sure, I pushed myself to run a few very sweaty “speed” laps. I ended up with 3 miles total. I can say that I did it. Now I am thinking I shouldn’t have. I was definitely more tired yesterday than I have been in some time. I rode the couch after work with an ice pack for a couple of hours nursing my sore right foot. Maybe the extra 5 pounds of food irritated the ever present and potentially vicious capsulitis?!
During the 20 or so courses of dinner, Matt was telling us about the “streak” he has started of running at least 3 miles every day for a year. He mentioned that he was a bit worried about tapering his running since the streak had the potential to become compulsion. While I may not run everyday, I start with a good idea of how many days and how many miles I will run during the course of a week. When I don’t run one of the planned days, I feel compelled to work much harder the next chance I get. Even to the point of aggravating old injuries! I can see how this running thing can become compulsion. I am not saying this is all bad. After all, I was compelled to change sedentary behavior that started me exercising and eventually running.
The question I leave you with is this; do we run out of a passion or out of a compulsion? Or, is it the passion that leads to compulsion?
My 2¢ worth: Be compelling to others as well as yourself and share your passion! See you soon.
5 Comments so far...
Shelly Says:
13 December 2007 at 12:15 pm.
Bob–great post! And thought-provoking on the compulsion vs passion…hmmm…something to ponder now on the next run. I just wanted to say KUDOS to you for following through with your run after dinner–great job!
Your fellow road warrior–
Shelly
Terry Says:
13 December 2007 at 8:39 pm.
Hats off to you Bob. I couldn’t phathom running after that great meal.
terry
Julie Hurley Says:
14 December 2007 at 10:38 am.
Great post!!!
When I was on maternity leave and had vast expanses of time on hand(and more bright, sunny days), I thought running was a compulsion for me. I’d run when I didn’t want to run, because it was something I had to do. But now that it’s cold out and I’m back to work full-time, I’m find it challenging to find that same compulsion. I still have the passion, obviously, so I do think I need to focus more on that to carry me through to race day.
I am also impressed that you ran after our meal!
Troy Says:
14 December 2007 at 1:11 pm.
Bob great job on running sfter the meal, tis I could not do.
As for the other questin, I would say that when I started running and racing it was compulsion that kept me going. I loged EVERY run and if I got back to my starting point and I was at 5.9 miles and I wanted 6, I would keep going until the GPS said 6. It also went the other way, if I hit that 6 and I was still a 1/4 mile out I would stop and walk the rest. I am much more relaxed now and don’t get so cought up in all that and run because I love it. So in short I started with compulsion and it turned into passion.
To bad you and Joyce missed the turn last night, you missed some great hills…. Man I like hills…
Good luck with this, I’ll be keepign an eye on you.
magic kook Says:
20 February 2008 at 8:20 pm.
Hearing nuns’ confessions is like being stoned to death with popcorn — Fulton Sheen
The Stones, I love the Stones I watch them whenever I can Fred, Barney — Steven Wright
A woman is an occasional pleasure but a cigar is always a smoke — Groucho Marx
It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong — Voltaire