So, my big(ish) run for this past week was on Saturday at the local YMCA indoor track. Running indoors for the first time in about two years reminded me of something.
I hate running indoors.
For one thing, I like the dynamics of an outdoor run, the elevation changes, the differing scenery, the complete freedom to go where I want to go - to ad-lib my run you might say. Mostly, I just hate the repetition of an indoor run.
Let's start with treadmills and why I'd rather quit running than ever run on one again. First, they give me shin splints. Granted, I'm sure something about that is psychological; treadmills are much lower impact than when I run on sidewalks. Second, without actually moving forward, feeling the cool rush of air resistance, I get hot really really quick. I always get hot and sweaty when running, but this happens much quicker, and is much more severe. Lastly, it's just plain boring. So boring, in fact, that I can't get into my music, or watch tv, or even mentally work on my story plots in my head, all because I'm too focused on how much I hate the treadmill.
Indoor tracks, however, aren't as bad, but I still hate them. This was the first time I'd run on an indoor track at the YMCA, and I was basically forced into it due to the layer of ice still clinging for dear life to the area's sidewalks. I used to run on the indoor track at my college in my nursing school days, and it was eight laps to a mile. This one was twelve. Twelve!
As I said, I get bored with the repetitious nature of running indoors. Running twelve tiny laps to make a mile is possibly the definition of repetition. It's like the movie Groundhog Day, only living out the same 40-45 seconds of your life over and over. Every lap you pass the same walkers. Every few laps you get a little variety when passing a jogger going slightly slower than you, or get passed by one running slightly faster. I lost count of my laps after the second lap or so, and my GPS watch is useless indoors without being right by a window the whole time, so I have no idea how many miles I ran. All I know is that I lived the same 40-45 seconds of my life on repeat for 40 minutest straight, only getting sweatier as I went.
But, in trying to get back into running as much as I used to, or at least close to it, I made this sacrifice today. I don't like doing it often because I don't enjoy it. Though I like that running is good for my health, I truly love running when I'm outdoors, either making my own route or running a race. As I've mentioned on this blog before, a lot of plotting occurs when running, though only when I'm outside and enjoying it.
This is an older(2012) pic after a rainy 5K
in my hometown. No, I didn't run with the
stroller, but maybe I should've!
I'm really starting to consider getting the base GoPro camera to take some videos to spice up my jogging blogs, though I also don't think I can bring myself to invest $200 bucks. So if anyone wants to invest in getting one for their favorite indie fantasy author jogger, give me a call . . . what, I'm not your favorite IFAJ(yes I acronymed it, and made up the word acronymed, and I'm kidding on all fronts, of course)? If I can ever make myself shell out the cash(doubtful with bundle of joy # 2 on the way), I will hopefully do so before the Warrior Dash. I think it'd be fun to take a video of me putting myself through hell, getting muddy, and having a heck of a time doing it.
That's really all I've got for this week. No upcoming races that I'm registered for (yet) other than the Warrior Dash in May. My St. Jude fundraiser will be up until May 17, so please check it out and consider donating to this awesome organization. Either click this link - warrior.stjude.org/brianbeam, or the picture below to check it out.
Thanks for reading!
Brian
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