Nothing Compares

Just Another Runner's Perspective June 2023 Written by Gale Fischer

Nothing Compares

“As every runner knows, running is about more than just putting one foot in front of the other; it is about our lifestyle and who we are.”                                                             —Joan Benoit Samuelson

6/29/2022: The speed setting on my Garmin watch topped out at twenty-one miles per hour as I sat on my bike seat and cruised down a half-mile-long hill. The sun was glowing on my face, and a breeze dried the sweat that trickled down my back between the fabric of my shirt and my skin. Moments later, my heart rate began to spike as I pedaled with great effort up a long incline. I was now nine weeks into my twelve-week hiatus from running as I recovered from a recent hip surgery. My wife and I were camping in central Indiana, and my bike was my only option for any source of cardio input. Racing down a hill on my bike at a speed of twenty-one miles per hour was thrilling for sure, but it failed to provide the level of satisfaction that comes from an hour run. 

Coming off my surgery, I would spend two weeks hopping around from place to place on crutches. Most of my spare time was spent sitting on the couch watching TV. I would graduate from crutches, but I would have to wait it out another four weeks before I could implement any sort of cardio into my daily routine. Finally, after living in a metaphorical cage for six weeks, my orthopedic surgeon granted me permission to try any form of exercise except for running.

I had come prepared for this visit to my doctor in Grand Rapids with a bag packed with workout clothes. I went straight from my appointment to the Battle Creek YMCA. With six weeks of little activity, my endurance needed to be built up again in incremental steps. Still, I managed twenty minutes on the elliptical training machine followed by twenty minutes in the pool. The labored breathing, the sensation of sweat covering my skin, the rapid heart rate, and the dull, achy muscles gave me a sense of accomplishment that I had not experienced in what seemed like a lifetime. I would spend the next three weeks adding different forms of exercise and length of time to my workout arsenal. My bike became a familiar companion, and I rotated days between the elliptical training machine and the stair climber at the YMCA. I also added weight training two days a week.

All of these activities brought moments of joy to my life. As a committed runner of more than two decades, sitting on my ass was not part of my DNA. It wasn’t like I didn’t find comfort and relaxation in planting myself on the couch while watching a movie on Netflix. In fact, this time of leisure brought comfort to me after a long, hard day of work and exercise. To continue with this routine without an exercise component added to the daily routine, however, was pure torture. 

Spending an hour or so each day swimming, biking, lifting weights, or partaking in any other form of cardio exercise was something that I was grateful for, but it was obvious that something remained out of place. These things provided peace of mind in knowing that I was implementing a healthy lifestyle and physically accomplishing something each day, but I still missed running. 

Thinking about it now, if circumstances occurred in which I were never able to run again, it would seem like a death sentence. At the end of the day, the one thing that I appreciate the most about running is that it provides an instant component to my life for living an active, healthy lifestyle. I’m positive that I could fill that void with other activities, but it’s something that I  care to think about at this time in my life. 

For many in our sport, running can provide a sense of accomplishment unlike any other routine. Running for me began as a physical challenge. I decided that I wanted to run a marathon and went out the next day for my first run, a four-miler, beginning my journey as an endurance athlete. That initial four miles provided a spark and set in motion a boost to my confidence. Each milestone run would add another reinforcement to my level of confidence. More than twenty years later, knowing that I can run for four hours at a time and beyond gives me the mental capacity to take on any challenge in my life. I think for many, running can provide self-assurance that can amplify into multiple facets of life. It can provide the impetus to lose weight and transform one’s body. It can build one’s endurance in small chunks over time. It can increase one’s speed and lead to a competitive drive.

Confidence for me is an important layer that makes running unique from any other sport I have tried, but there are many other attributes that I have been unable to experience in any other activity. Running requires no gym membership and does not depend on weather-friendly conditions. I can run most anywhere I choose at any time of the day in all weather conditions. Just give me a pair of shoes and clothing that is appropriate for the season, and I am ready to go. I love the familiar running routes of my hometown, but I also enjoy exploring areas in cities and regions throughout our nation. 

Perhaps what running has blessed me with more than any other sport is a network of friends to share it with. The passion that I have for our sport is something that can provide peace of mind and joy while running solo, but there is nothing that soothes the soul more than sharing this passion with others. The diversity of the running community is unique, bringing together individuals from a variety of backgrounds, age groups, and genders. 

Running has shaped my way of life into one of being healthy and active. This branches out into other activities besides running, but none of them feed into my passion the way that running does. They’re just not the same.

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