Fellow Runners, We Might Have a Problem

February 18th, 2011: In Daily Musings of a Runner
http://atlantarunnersblog.org/fellow-runners-we-might-have-a-problem/

By Jamey Burrell

For those of you out there that think all runners are crazy, you’re probably right, but I would like to take it a step further than crazy; we are addicts. Don’t believe me? Let’s investigate. According to the Drug and Alcohol Abuse website, below are the symptoms of addiction:

1. You’re neglecting your responsibilities – I’ve neglected other areas of my life (i.e. skipping social functions, missing meals, self-inflicting injuries – i.e. over-training, etc.) all in the sake of logging those extra miles.

2. You’re using under dangerous conditions or taking risks – Who hasn’t run alone at night through a less than safe neighborhood, tip-toed down the runner’s lane to keep from being run over in rush hour traffic, or struggled down some poorly worn path that has plagued runners for years with ankle sprains and knee twists? We run through blinding snow, stinging rain and oppressive heat- all dangerous conditions.

3. Your use is getting you into legal trouble – “Sorry officer, I didn’t know I was trespassing. I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get a run in by the water’s edge.”

4. Your use is causing problems in your relationships – “Baby, I really want to talk about this, but if I don’t hurry, I won’t be on time to my running group.”

5. You’ve built up a tolerance- Remember when you first started? Whether you were on the JV track team or started as an adult looking for a healthier lifestyle – do you think that person would have believed you’d become the runner you are now? Isn’t it amazing how one mile became two, became four, became a 10K, 13.1 and 26.2?

6. You use to avoid or relieve withdrawal symptoms- “If you go too long without a run, you experience symptoms such as nausea, restlessness, insomnia, depression, sweating, shaking, and anxiety.” So maybe it’s not as extreme, but my friends or family would agree that I get mighty cranky if I go more than a few days without a run

7. You’ve lost control over use- You often run more than you planned, even though you told yourself you wouldn’t. You may want to stop using, but you feel powerless. You’ve got a rigid, planned workout schedule. Tuesday is scheduled a rest day, but it’s nice out and you can’t pass up the opportunity to squeeze in five miles before dinner. Does that sound like you?

8. Your life revolves around use- You spend a lot of time running and thinking about running, figuring out how to run better and recovering from the run’s effects.

9. You’ve abandoned activities you used to enjoy, such as hobbies, sports, and socializing- This is big for me. I’ve missed parties, gone to bed early instead of hanging out late with friends and opted out of dinner to take to the road for an evening run.

10. You continue to run, despite knowing it’s hurting you- I’m 25 years old and my knees ache. I sometimes stumble going up stairs. In the winter, my face is chapped and hands cracked; in the summer, I live on the brink of dehydration and with a solid runner’s tan. I’ve had shin splints, blisters, tight hamstrings, plantar fasciitis, chaffing (lord the chaffing), bloody nipples, dry eyes, the trots and sprains. But I still do it. I have to. It’s too much a part of me.

So I thought about this while running last night. Why do we continue to run? Sure, there is the increased release of dopamine, increased blood circulation, heightened mental acuity and the countless other health benefits. But to me, it’s more fundamental than that. I run when I’m happy, and I’ve run with tears streaming down my face. I run when I’m piping mad or overly excited. When I’m in the mood, I run. When I am not in the mood, I make myself run. My running addiction is more than a reliance on chemical impulses and hormonal releases; it’s more than evading the health issues that have stricken our family tree; it’s more than part of my daily routine. But what is it?

As I listened to my feet striking the pavement in rhythmical harmony, I arrived at this simple answer — we run because the run is a daily battle against the world, against fear and against failure. We may run for 10 minutes or 10 miles, but so long as we run, we reaffirm our ability to persevere, reaffirm our dominance over our inner demons and debilitating self-doubt. We prove we are capable. We are in charge. Our destiny is not a helpless cause left to the whims of fate, but our charge to create on our own.

I run because I can.

It’s about finding the best of our human spirit and courage within us.