Twenty triumphs of training!

The Minuteman Bike Path

Our long distance run this past Saturday comprised running on the Minuteman Bikeway for the most part. While this kept us under the cooling shade of the trees and protected us from being out in the scorching sun, it meant miles and miles of monotony with little to entertain us but other runners, bikers and trees. In order to keep myself amused through the 19 mile run, I decided to think of reasons why training for this marathon is a good idea and why running is fun! I precluded the obvious health and charity benefits and only included the ones I personally believe to be true. I’m certain there are several more that I haven’t thought of so I would love for you, my readers, to contribute!

1)   You can give in to gluttony without guilt. My current Sunday diet consists of French toast with extra maple syrup for breakfast, tandoori chicken for lunch, buttered parathas for dinner and two helpings of tiramisu for desert. Oh, and I did I mention the pizza I snack on in between?

2)   On the same note, you can use “So I burnt 3157 calories this morning…..” as a conversation starter and you would not be lying.

3)   You can justify wearing sneakers everywhere for you never know when you will find time to get in a run. Goodbye horrid heels!

4)   You get to make a day trip to the doctor’s office. I would have never guessed that I would visit internal medicine, pathology, dermatology and physiotherapy all in one day!

5)   It boosts your self-image. I love how I imagine that my clothes fit a little better even though the weighing balance stubbornly refuses to concede.

6)   It’s romantic. Ever tried running hand in hand with your significant other on a rainy summer evening? You’ll feel like a couple of teenagers in love.

7)   You discover the friendlier side of town. In a city where drivers would rather run you over and bikers are quick to curse, I have seldom passed a fellow runner who didn’t smile or nod to me.

8)   You learn to put things in perspective. Each time I am whining to myself about the pain or soreness I feel during a run, I see a wrinkled old grandma or grandpa slowly making their way around the same loop with a huge grin on their face.

9)   You can reminisce the good ol’ times. Occasionally during the long runs, my iPod will run out of its contemporary playlists and reach out to an Eagles or Shan number resting in some forgotten corner. And soon I’m traveling down memory lane recollecting days spent singing and strumming guitars by the college canteen or the road trip I took with my parents in high school where I made dad replay the same love song on the car stereo over and over again!

10) It teaches you to pause and celebrate yourself in a world where we are constantly pushing ourselves to achieve better. Sometimes when I drive past one of the routes for our long distance training runs, I am engulfed in awe - “I ran all that?”

11) Don’t we all look for that one cool thing to do before we turn thirty? Well if I push myself just a little harder, I’ll have run my age in miles.

12) It helps you truly appreciate the luxury of a warm shower and a soft bed!

13) You don’t need to spend dollars at a tanning salon or hours on the beach to get a summer tan. You’ll be naturally well roasted from the ankles up!

14) The local Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks will recognize you as their most frequent customer.  For their restroom, that is.

15) It will make you as efficient as google maps. At least for a radius of 6 miles in any direction from your door.  

16) It’s the best way to explore your city. Some of the most breathtaking houses, gardens, stores and city views I’ve seen are located in cul-de-sacs or along roads I hadn’t noticed while driving by.

17) You begin to enjoy going uphill. There comes a moment in every runner’s career when you 'd rather run uphill than run on a flat surface or go downhill. It’s gentler on the knees and helps develop immense fatigue tolerance and muscle strength. I’d like to believe that running has taught me to also appreciate the necessity and value of the metaphorical uphills of life.

18) You realize that your mind is the strongest instrument you own and that usually it is the very first to give up.  But if you can will it from doing so, it will astound you with how much it can achieve.

19) It reminds you to be kind to others. As I struggled to run up a particularly grueling hill in the rain during one hill training session, a stranger driving past stopped, stuck out her thumbs and yelled “You’re awesome!” to me. Her simple gesture gave me all the strength I needed to tackle that same hill six more times. Next time I see someone who could do with a little encouragement, I’ll be sure to take a moment to applaud their effort.  

20)  You won’t be afraid to wear spandex anymore!