I wrote this essay several months ago when I thought I was going to be a guest blogger on another running blog. That fell through... so here it is for you readers!Running Myself Down- Getting over my running addiction
I love running. I
suspect most people reading this blog love running as well! Of course running
has a myriad of health benefits, but that is not what makes people fall in love
with it. People fall in love with running because of how it makes them feel. Sometimes that feeling is hard to
describe, but all of us- all of us runners- know that feeling I’m talking
about!
Let me tell you how
my mind works. Once I discover I love something, I go all out! My philosophy
is, if something is good, more of it
is even BETTER. For instance, when I discovered how delicious roasted brussel
sprouts were, I ate a whole bag of them. Turns out, my taste buds love brussel
sprouts, but my GI tract doesn’t! The next morning, I had the “closest call” I
ever had on a run. And you know what I mean when I say the “closest call”!! (If
you don’t, just eat a bag of brussel sprouts… you’re sure to find out!)
The point of the
brussel sprouts story is not to gross you out, but to make a point that too
much of a GOOD thing can be BAD.
Yes, even running!
Allow me to
explain.
I started out as a
casual runner. I didn’t race. I just went on leisurely runs around my
neighborhood. It wasn’t until I started running marathons in my early 20s that
I really got hooked on running!
Eventually, I started running ultra marathons. These races were anywhere
between 30-50 miles in the length. They were always on trail and took most of
the day to complete. (Running in the woods all day!? Sign me up!!) The training
was time consuming but I loved to run
so it was my pleasure to devote the time to it.
That’s
me on the left with my friend Anne at the start of
the Bull Run 50 Miler, which we completed in 11:20:47
the Bull Run 50 Miler, which we completed in 11:20:47
(April
2010)
But things weren’t
all sunshine and rainbows. Running became an obligation, not an enjoyment. It
got to the point where even if I wasn’t training for an ultra, I was still
running 50-65 miles a week! I felt like I had to keep up the mileage or I would
gain weight. I was addicted to the runners high, and I felt like running was
what defined me. I thought if I didn’t keep running crazy miles, I wouldn’t be
a “real” runner.
I was SO STUPID!
Doing all that steady state cardio and taking no rest days made me tired,
hungry, grouchy, injured, and fat! (Not overweight, but I was carrying around a
significant amount of body fat. I had very little muscle mass due to not
fueling myself properly, and my body clung to carbs because it knew I needed
them for all the miles I was running.)
Skinny-fat
on the Golden Gate Bridge. (June 2012)
I
needed those carbs for all the hours of punishment
I
was putting my body through!
Daily two hour
cardio sessions became the norm. This lasted almost two years. I was so
unhappy.
But I finally “saw
the light” so to speak. I bought a few sessions with a personal trainer. She taught me how to weight train. She taught me
that less is more when it comes to running. I did not need to run 60 miles a
week to reach my goals.
I’m not going to
lie, it was hard. It was so uncomfortable to wrap my brain around the fact that
I didn’t need to run for two hours a day to be fit. But I put all my faith in
my trainer and stepped waaaay out of my comfort zone. I learned to weight
train. I ran less. I did short, HIIT workouts.
Guess what
happened! I didn’t get fat- that was my biggest fear! I actually lost fat and gained muscle mass. I also didn’t lose any endurance because I was
sure to do a long run on the weekend. (At first, “long” was 15 miles. Nowadays,
9 miles is a “long” run for me!)
Not only did I
maintain my endurance, but all the weight training and HIIT made me a FASTER
runner. Within the first year of my “less is more” approach to running, I PR’ed
in the marathon, 5k, and the mile.
2012
Harrisburg Marathon- Mile 25!
I
trained smart and did not run any “junk” miles this time.
The
result? I crossed the finish line at 3:28:08.
A
PR by 12 minutes for me!
Running is not an
obligation for me anymore. I usually look forward to each and every run. Because
I rounded out my workouts with other forms of training, I am always itching to
hit the road when there is a run on my schedule!
I’m telling you
this so you can learn from my stupidity! Don’t over train. Be sure there is a
purpose for each and every run. Cut out the junk miles. Cut out the guilt miles
you run when you need an excuse to have dessert. Train SMART. Too much of a
good thing (running) can overtax your body. You will be surprised at what your
body can accomplish if you just give it a break from time to time!
Running is one of
the most WONDERFUL things in the world. I want to run forever! And I’ll always be a runner. Because being a
runner is not defined by how many miles you run a week, how many races you do
each year, or what your PR is. I think it’s the love of running that makes
someone a runner. The feeling that hooks you in... the one that is so hard to
describe… Once you get that feeling, you’re a runner for life!
No questions, just your thoughts!
No questions, just your thoughts!
I love this! This reminds me so much of when I started playing beach volleyball. I just became obsessed but instead of it taking a toll on my body it took more of a toll on my mind. I became difficult to play with because I'd get so frustrated if we lost or I wasn't doing my best. I think even though running is a good thing overall, it can take a major toll on your body if your'e not careful. Glad you finally found some moderation with your running. BTW I can't even imagine running an ultra. I can't imagine running a FULL marathon at this point. lol!
ReplyDeleteKey words... "at this point"! hehe. The cool thing bout ultras is that you run them sooooooo slooooow. In a way, they are easier than a half or a full marathon, where every minute counts!
DeleteThanks for sharing this - it's hard to know exactly how to train when you start a new sport. Something works and you just go with it - but there is always some element of balance needed, I guess. I agree that when I started weight training at ALL it made a difference in my running - totally not expected! This was helpful and hopefully will prevent some of us from making a similar mistake.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I was some really disordered thinking I had going on! I want to run forever, and to do that, I need to do it in a balanced way, or I'll be hobbling by the time I'm forty.
DeleteI'm so glad I found your blog (and your post)! I myself have suffered from disordered eating, and have learned the hard way that your body NEEDS carbs as fuel for running! There was a time that I was so obsessed with the scale that I didn't realize that just because the numbers were getting lower, that didn't mean I was thinner, or healthier. It wasn't until I stopped worrying so much and started eating more carbs (and protein!) that my running and happiness both improved. It can be difficult to overcome these challenges still, but knowing that I am eating right for my health and a better quality of life keeps me on track. :-)
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you found your balance and learned to be happier and healthier! You are right- it is still sometimes a struggle for me, too. But I would say now, 90% of the time I run it's because I have a reason to run, and 10% of the time I run it's to burn extra calories from eating too much. It's not perfect, but it's a heck of a lot better than what I was doing before. I will be visiting your blog today! :)
ReplyDeleteI could have wrote this post myself! I went two years without taking a rest day. I thought that the secret to being fit was more, more, more so I made myself run increasingly longer distances. My body was not happy with me, and it was actually a blessing in disguise as my injury is what led to me lifting weights in the first place! Now I train 3-4 days a week and I'm muuuuch happier :)
ReplyDeleteYou found the perfect balance, and your blog motivates me!
DeleteThis really solidifies for me that I need to be good about weights in the coming year. I'm definitely edging on "skinny fat", and I wonder if too much pure cardio is to blame!
ReplyDeleteIt could be! And weights will help our running tremendously so there's an added bonus!
Delete