Run Report

Posted by Joe Thorn - 04/02/08

I haven’t put up a run report in a while, and am thinking this is something I should probably do a bit more regularly. I just got in from a quick 5k, stretched, drank some water, and had a little atheist’s nightmare. Mmmmm, atheist’s nightmare.

Anyway, during a Q&A time at the Acts 29 Bootcamp last week Mark Driscoll explained that every pastor needs a “lightning rod” and a “release valve” (watch some video where he covers this last year). Since the summer of last year, running has been my release valve. It expels stress I don’t need and am often unaware of. Consequently, it makes me a happier person. It gives me real alone time where my mind can drift free or focus in on something specific. If you don’t have a good release valve (or maybe even if you do), I want to encourage you to consider running.

9 reasons you should run.

1. It’s cheap and easy to learn.
I started running in old, cheap trainers, and decade old shorts and tees. Go online, visit the library, cover the basics and you are off and running. Literally. There are high-end gadgets and clothing, but so far I have avoided all of that.

2. It produces results fast.
Internal and external changes happen very quickly. Weight loss is noticed first, but your heart reaps benefits quickly as well.

After a few months of running, your heart’s walls thicken and the ventricles (internal chambers) increase in size. As a result, more blood is sent to your lungs with each heartbeat, and your resting pulse can decline by 20 per cent or more. What’s more, if you run for 145 minutes per week, you are on average 40 per cent less likely to have a heart attack.

3. It reduces stress and makes you feel better.

4. It strengthens your knees and joints.
Don’t listen to your friends. Running will not kill your knees. The short version of the truth is - improper running is the cause of injury, proper running strengthens the body.

5. It fights disease.

6. It connects you to your community in new ways.
You will meet new people, and see and relate to your neighborhood differently when you start running it (more on that later).

7. It will boost your self-esteem.
I’m not encouraging pride here. My point is that many of us, the couch potatoes and the never-has-beens, give up before we begin. I was never an athlete before I started running, and I was completely unaware what the human body was capable of - what my body was capable of. If you start running you will start believing that you can do more than you ever thought.

8. You probably need to run. Just look at yourself.

9. God made you to run.
Why do you have a butt? To run. You don’t really use it otherwise (sitting shouldn’t count as a use).

On the other hand, Ian’s suggestion is that you quit before you get started.

9 Comments

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  1. Joe,

    The jury is still out on the knees and the problems running, even proper running can have. As someone who has had knee problems for the last 20 years and have seen many orthopedic docs, I can tell you there is another camp out there that would refute many of the claims in the runner’s world article. If you’ve never had any knee problems, you are probably ok. But many docs say that people who have had issues in the past may not want to do a lot of running. The reason is OA or early OA may already be there.

    I am actually try to work may way back into it in spite of the dodgy knees. I ran cross country in high school and college and miss those 10+ miles a day.

    Rich

    Comment by rich — February 4, 2008 #

  2. Man, I’ve never seen anybody smile while running. Just doesn’t look like any fun to me.

    Comment by Donnie — February 4, 2008 #

  3. I would have to agree with Joe. I served in the Army and now have no cartiledge in my ankle and have had two surgeries on my knee (all left leg). I am no longer able to run distance without my ankle locking up or my knee swelling up.

    Thanks to a class and some “research” for that class, I have learned that the most effective way to lose weight is to ride a bike at a rate of 10-12 mph. It burns the most calories and fat during the exercise.

    With that being said, I wish I could still run!

    Comment by Terry Delaney — February 4, 2008 #

  4. Of course pre-existing conditions can make running painful/problematic. Always check with your doctor. But running properly does not appear to be the cause of knee trouble.

    And Donnnie, I explained on my running blog,

    “There are things in life that are easy, and produce easy smiles; theatrical comedies, a friend’s joke, watching your child do something for the first time, or perform well. These are good things, and can be important. But there are other things in life that are more complex, require greater concentration or effort, and can yield a more profound sense of joy and satisfaction. These things are not often accompanied by constant grinning.”

    Check out the whole post here at:
    http://losingman.wordpress.com/2007/08/16/miles-and-smiles/

    Comment by Joe Thorn — February 4, 2008 #

  5. I visited the “Quit” link, and I have one question: have your toe nails turned black?

    Comment by Chris W — February 5, 2008 #

  6. Funny things is, I had them “removed” years ago. Long story. But seriously, I have big toes with no nails. Scary eh? The upside is - I don’t worry about losing them when running longer distances. I am not sure though if I would have had trouble yet - since I am only running 8 miles for my long run. But as the miles increase, I know that it happens.

    Comment by Joe Thorn — February 5, 2008 #

  7. I think this runnin’ stuff is overrated. I mean, if I wanted my toe nail to turn black & fall off, all’s I gotta do is hit it with a hammer. You runners are just plain odd. ;)

    As for your toenail-ectomy, it reminds me of a girl I knew at ISU. No toe nails. At all.

    Comment by Chris W — February 6, 2008 #

  8. I have lost and regrown toe nails after several races. I have been debating how much time to devote my running. I enjoy running one long run a week of about 16-20 miles, but then I feel guilty about devoting that much to running.

    Comment by Jeff T — February 6, 2008 #

  9. No toenails? That would be sweet!

    Running, eh? That number 8 was a little close to home!

    Comment by GUNNY HARTMAN — February 8, 2008 #

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