Ahh!

Just Another Runner’s Perspective

February 2024

Written by Gale Fischer

Ahh!

“Running is about finding your own inner peace, and so is a life well lived.”

—Dean Karnazes

2/15/2024: I turned left on Boyer Drive and continued east down Crosby. I was now in the final stretch of my afternoon run with less than a mile to go. The sun was shining bright, a refreshing sight on this blustery winter afternoon. The stiff wind was at my back and although speed didn't necessarily concern me for this run, I was able to open up the pace a bit. Soon I would reach my destination and complete my longest run in more than two months, of six and a half miles. Normally this would be a half mile shy of my typical weekday run, but for today this distance felt like a major milestone. It was the culmination of the last two weeks and a series of runs with hopes of finding my groove again as a runner. 

Going back to the first week in December my running had been sporadic at best with injury forcing me to the sideline. I would attempt a run once a week, to test my progress, only to wait it out longer. Finally, I decided to shut it down completely for three weeks. Fortunately, the pain I was experiencing wasn’t present in other activities. During the interim, I was able to swim, ride a spin bike, and use an elliptical with minimal discomfort. Although these activities don’t provide the same stimulus that I experience while running, they were still appreciated. 

The benefits of movement have been well documented through the years. Physical activity of any kind can boost cardiovascular health, decrease the chance of arthritis, and keep one’s blood pressure and cholesterol in check. Perhaps just as important as any of these physical health effects is the impact of the endorphins created from moving. These endorphins can boost mood and treat depression. It can help one’s mental and emotional state as well as any pill. This endorphin boost from the spin bike, the pool, and the elliptical, as I waited to return to running, was part of what kept my sanity in check.

For many die-hard runners, time away from the sport can create a source of major frustration. It becomes an activity that is a mental challenge to go without. The joy that our sport can bring to us is undeniable. The complete opposite can occur for some when forced to go without. Having to take time off from running can dish out a mixture of feelings, including sadness, despair, anger, and irritability. This is why it is so important for those who are passionate about running to find an alternative to lean on when running is unavailable for whatever reason. 

As a seasoned runner, I have experienced my share of unwanted layoffs from my sport over the last two decades. Although these periods of time are always unwanted, I have always felt fortunate to find other options to fill the void. Obviously, other forms of physical activity are something I go to to provide the mental boost that is missing when not running but also my writing is something that I have learned to use to get me through. 

As beneficial as writing and other forms of physical activity have been throughout the last three months, my methodical return to a running routine over the last few weeks has provided a huge sense of relief for me. Running is for sure a mood booster, but the array of emotions that running can provide is truly amazing. It can provide joy, it can make one giddy with excitement, it can erase sadness and it can calm the soul. 

I am grateful to be getting back to my routine. I have implemented a gradual approach starting with three miles at a time every other day to bumping up my distance a half mile with each run and eventually getting out four or five times a week. The limited mileage would typically not be my preference but the familiar feelings that come from a run are enough to feed my running appetite right now. It feels that all is right in the world again.

Much of my running through the years has revolved around getting in the miles with others. Running offers a varied emotional impact between social and solo running. The time of thought and reflection is always a common theme when running alone. This can still occur when running with others but not at the same level when running in isolation. On the other end of the emotional array, a higher level of excitement can occur when sharing miles with others compared to flying solo. 

It seems that with the limitation of my running since the beginning of December, the miles spent with others have been non-existent. I have made a conscious decision to use this time to try to figure out my running routine on my own. The gradual build-up of distance for each run and the number of runs each week has provided emotional support different from what I have been accustomed to. I have not experienced the runner’s high during this time. The thrill of hitting a goal pace has been non-existent. The boost in confidence that comes from going out on a Saturday morning and putting in twenty miles for more than three hours has had to wait. The much-appreciated distraction of getting through some of the more physically uncomfortable patches of a run that is created from social running has been put on the back burner. Although I miss all of these running feelings and am looking forward to experiencing them again, soon, what I have been grateful for is the peaceful feeling that the last few weeks of running have provided. Each and every mile lately has come with a calming comfortable presence that has been a refuge for those runs done after the work day, while providing a simple tranquility for early morning runs to start the day. The sense of relief to be able to do what I like doing best has been refreshing. 

All who enjoy a running lifestyle can appreciate the physical health benefits that come from our sport but for most, these bi-products are not the push for each mile logged. The array of emotions that are experienced from running is what most crave. For a passionate runner, there really are no other activities that offer these feelings at the same level as running but it is important to find a backup activity to tide the storm when running is not available for whatever reason. 

Until next time, this has been just another runner’s perspective.