Whenever I feel like blowing off a run, I head over to SkinnyRunner for inspiration. Sarah, the blogger behind SkinnyRunner, says her blog is “a not-so-serious take on something she’s seriously passionate about— running.” This approach makes her blog both entertaining and motivating. I really enjoy reading SkinnyRunner, so I’m psyched to feature Sarah’s guest post on CNC this morning.
Sarah is running the Boston Marathon today, so please click over to her blog and wish her luck!
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I like to run, and I reallylike to run marathons, but I know that not everyone’s crazy enough to think the same way I do.
Some people just don’t “get” marathon running. (And that’s ok too: you don’t have to run to be healthy; you only have to run to be a runner) And if you run, at some point, people will tell you that. Some of my favorite non-runner comments that I hear:
“So how far is this marathon you’re running?”
This is not the time to be a dirtbag and say something like, “Same distance as every other one I run, duh.” Just smile and mumble 26.2 miles. Maybe even leave off the .2 to simplify things.
Hopefully they aren’t listening by this point because if they are, the next line is 100% guaranteed to follow:
“26 miles?! I can’t even drive that far!”
Umm yes, yes, you can… unless there’s some sort of new, super-inefficient car that I don’t know about… And I drive a smartcar so I know all about small, crappy plastic boxes that can’t go far.
“How long did it take you to finish?!”
Ok, so I had a bad day. A reallyslow, bad day. So slow that time actually went backwards and I had to meet up with Doc Brown and Marty McFly just to get back here.
source: scifipulse.net
But a bad race/run/workout still trumps no workout at all.
“That doesn’t even sound fun!”
Sometimes it’s not. Running isn’t always fun and neither is life, but you don’t give up on that when things gets tough.
Let’s have a moment of silence for the upcoming clique: the bad runs make you appreciate all the more the great ones. Gutting it out through the tough races makes you a stronger runner and person.
Running a marathon in the rain isn’t easy and it certainly isn’t fun, but if you can run 26 in crappy weather, you can murder a marathon in ideal conditions.
“I could never do that; I can’t run.”
This is my least favorite because I want to say, Yes, you can do it! If I can, you can. Anyone can finish a marathon. It might not be in 3 hours, 4 hours or even 6 hours, but anyone can finish. I mean, if Ron from The Biggest Loser can walk a marathon, he just killed your excuse.
source: biggest-loser.org
Do you ever get random comments from non-runners about your running?
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I don’t run as much as I use too, but when I do go head out for a run I actually enjoy it. When the weather is nice and the sky is bright, I can’t help but hit the road. My fiance tells me there is something wrong with me for actually enjoying running. I tell him there is something wrong with him for not enjoying running. (We bicker sometime).
Oh yes I do…LOVED this post. And in fact, the Biggest Loser contestants running the marathon was part of my inspiration to do so! I am the former “fat kid in gym class”…if I can run a marathon, anyone can!
Good luck Sarah! I love your light humor about running comments. Made for a nice morning smile
I have walked 6 marathon’s, 10 Half Marathons, 2 Goofy’s Challanges (a half marathon on saturday and a full marathon on sunday), 2 60 mile 3day walks and 1 26.2 2 day breast cancer walk. You can do anything you put your mind to:)
I usually get the “girlllllll, you’re crazy!” comments….here are some of my fav that I’ve gotten recently:
“what do you even THINK about for that length of time??”
“why? That’s just stupid”
“3 hours? Man, I could do a lot of shopping in that time…”
love it.
I am a runner and the excuses other people make drive me crazy!
“People drop dead while running.”
“Running ages you, more wrinkles.” -That one drives me nutty!
People make excuses for everything they choose not to do in life.
I run for me, my health, and my sanity!
Love skinny runner!!!
I actually just signed up for my first 5K in June. Probably something most people use as a warm up, but I’m excited
I’ve gotten the “I can’t even drive that far” comment before, but most are supportive. Hope you’re kicking butt in the marathon!
“Gutting it out through the tough races makes you a stronger runner and person.” WOW, amazing quote, Sarah. She’s running Boston all! I’m following her bib number. I’m a stalker. Muehehe.
Most people are surprised that I even run, based on how I was 5 years ago – an overweight smoker that ate garbage.
Now I run – not marathons – but I run.
Love your blog, Skinny RUnner!
Great post!! Some people make running a marathon sound like a BAD thing when it’s really a great accomplishment!
Great post. I was definitely one of those people who thought they could never be a “runner” but after I slowly ran half a mile then another mile and then another…it became an addicting passion.
Generally all of the annoying comments come from people who do not exercise or only exercise the bare minimum to avoid looking fat so I they don’t really bother me because I know they are just not in a position to understand my perspective at all.
I do, however, really hate the people who vehemently argue that running is “bad for you” just because they know someone who destroyed their knees or developed arthritis or something like that.
Wow that’s a pretty good reason to not RUN marathons- DUH
Love SR’s retorts!
Tina – are you heading out to the course today? I’ll be cheering from mile 26!
All the time! Whenever I tell people how far I go they are shocked and then I invite them to run with me and they’re even more shocked at how slow I go! Just because I run far does not mean I run fast.
I agree, anyone can be a runner! I never thought I’d run half marathons and now I’m training for the Chicago Marathon in October! Who am I?!
Have a GREAT time today!
I’ve often considered walking a marathon. May have to wait until the kids are a little older so I can train, lol!
I agree–if I can run a marathon (or 2) then anyone can!!! good luck today in Boston, girl
Hahaha! I told someone a little while ago I was training for a marathon and they said, “oh I don’t know about the swimming part!” hehe
@Chase:
Haha! That is the *worst* part of marathons!
When I was running and racing it seemed like EVERYONE want to hate on it. “Running is SO bad for you!” “You’re gonna wreck your knees” blah blah blah. Yeah, I know running is high impact but I choose to do it anyway because I love it.
When I was training for the Hood to Coast Relay people weren’t always supportive either. They knew it was 200 miles and sleeping in a van, etc. and just crapped on the whole thing.I ignored their negativity and rocked it!
Love this Sarah! I get the same questions about running 5K’s sometimes. But I’ve found encouraging others they can do it too instead of getting annoyed is best. I’ve found great running friends this way.
Love this post! I get it all the time from people. I even had a good friend, when I signed up for my first half, say “that’s impossible, people can’t run that far!” Well, we can and I did! Yay running!
Great post! Last night when I mentioned that I was going to start training for my first marathon, my grandma couldn’t understand. She kept asking things like “are you training under someone?”
YUP! People think i’m hard core. (in a good way and bad way sometimes)
I’ve heard:
“Be careful with all that training, you never see a grey haired triathlete.”
(Implying that you won’t live as long because of the training- grrr!)
OR
“people who do triathlons have self esteem issues and abuse their bodies/beat themselves up by pushing themselves so hard”
Negative Nancy’s and judgemental people are so annoying.
This is great Tina and all of us can learn from SR’s self talk! Do you two get to do a bloggy meet up?!!
I love SkinnyRunner Sarah! She’s hilarious, sarcastic and at the same time a very dedicated and down-to-Earth athlete. Awesome guest post, Sarah!
I really like Skinny Runner. I’m pretty new to long distance running and her reports on races — often in southern California — are really helpful.
Great post
I hear the ‘I could never do that!’ comment a lot, and its usually in response to my saying I went on a 7 or 8 mile run, nevermind a marathon. So much of running success comes down to what you tell yourself; its much more a mental game than it is a physical one.
Love this post! I get a lot of “I don’t have time for running”. Well, I’m sorry but I think everyone has time for running. It is called making sacrifices somewhere else and MAKING TIME FOR IT.
I really can’t stand it when people call me crazy for wanting to run marathons. And I’m really annoyed by the response of “why would you run that far? Was a bear chasing you?” No, you coach potato!
Love this post!
All. the. time. “You’re crazy” “Why would you do that?” My newest favorite since spraining my ankle two weeks ago…”If I were you, I wouldn’t run before your wedding. What if you get hurt and can’t walk down the aisle??” I heard crickets after that one.
I love the line, “Running isn’t always fun and neither is life, but you don’t give up on that when things gets tough.” I have a love-hate relationship with most things in my life and running is no different (mostly love though).
Haha, I’ve definitely gotten all of those comments! The most frequent one I get- ‘Are you f-ing crazy?!’ I hope you did awesome today- I’m going to go check out your blog and see how Boston was for you!
I would get that first question all the time. And I would say, “just like every marathon, 26.2″
I would love to be more serious about running. I never thought I could do it, but I’ve ran a marathon, half marathons and countless 5ks now and I couldn’t be happier.
I love that post! I feel like I’ve had that conversation hundreds of time. Just need to add “oh, are you going to win?” “No, but I might finish in the top 3,000!” ha!
I ADORE SkinnyRunner! She’s one of the top 5 blogs I read every morning with my coffee
Favorite comments from friends about running/working out in general were pretty much covered above. My problem is coming up with an answer that doesn’t sound like I’m bragging …. so I usually end up playing it down.
“Why would you do that?!”
“You’re insane”
“I don’t have the time to do that” – My all-time favorite excuse. You have to MAKE the time – people think I have all this extra time lying around?
and even just the comment “Well you run all the time…”
(as much as I play down my work outs … it IS an effort!)
All the time I get comments from my others, they don’t understand the endorphine high I get from running. I have a love hate relationship with running, love it for the high and the feeling of accomplishment afterwords, hate it for the way it makes me want to push myself to new limits when my body is not ready for it and I feel it days afterwords.
Great post, Skinny Runner! Yay to new blogs to check out! Congrats on Boston! I’ve never ran a marathon before but it’s on my list of things to do!!
Hey sarah! Loved your post! was wondering about buying a running rain jacket! i have been looking for one and i want to know what is the best or a highly suggested one! thanks cant wait to start reading your blog after this guest post!
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