10 Reason's NOT to feel bad for the runner in your life

Becoming a runner is a choice, (although a great choice) and we all do it for different reasons. Others in our lives may or may not understand why we do what we do. But if they love us, they let us do it anyway without questioning us much.

This is written for the non-runner in your life. Or if you are a runner, it may provide you today with a little laugh.

THEY ARE IN PAIN AFTER A RACE

Your friend or significant other is limping badly or complaining about the pain they are in because they just gave it their all in a race. Don't feel bad for them, no need to extend sympathy, they did this to themselves, you nor anyone else forced them into it.

Not only that, but they actually PAID to put themselves in that pain.  Instead, just congratulate them, and tell them, that pain is their reward for a job well done! Then pretend to look interested or concerned, even if you can't imagine why anyone would want to torture themselves with doing what they just did. Pretending to do this especially when they are complaining about the pain, then a few minutes later share their plans to do it again soon, can also be helpful.

THEY COMPLAIN THEY ARE GAINING WEIGHT

While many take up running to lose weight, what many realize if they don't have good diet habits to begin with. They find themselves gaining weight faster than they did before they started running.
If you have a runner in your life who is complaining about how much weight they are gaining, and how it shouldn't be possible with the mileage they put in.
Don't feel bad for them! Tell them that maybe they should reconsider the amount of sports drinks they are consuming daily, or the second helpings at dinner.
Of course, I should warn you if you do tell them these things, they may react unpredictably and you yourself may have to take up running to get away from them as they come after you.

THEY WEAR QUESTIONABLE APPAREL

While some may buy cute running outfits and matching shoes. If you've been a runner a while, it's not always a top priority to match. In fact very likely the more years that go by, the less and less a runner is going to care what they look like as they head out the door for a run.
If it is clean or at least smells good enough to throw on, they'll wear it.

So if you have a runner in your life who leaves the house in colors that you aren't sure a clown would wear in a parade. What better reason to just let them go, and secretly pretend you don't know them.

THEY SAY THEY HAVE TO GO TO BED EARLY

This rings true especially for morning runners. If they are going to hit the pavement in the morning, or of all things it is their long run in the morning. You may find the runner in your life's day ends pretty early.
Don't worry about this or feel bad they are missing out, send them to bed, tuck them in. Then use it to your advantage to go catch up with a little Netflix binge, or an excuse to go hang out with your friends. But word of warning, don't accidentally unplug their Garmin while you are still up. Otherwise, they may wake you up at 4AM for questioning.

THEIR MIND IS ALWAYS RUNNING RELATED

You may have noticed the runner in your life, turns nearly every story or conversation into running. If they don't, you can guarantee the next conversation you have with them will be about running.
Don't feel bad that their minds are so one track and don't begin thinking they need psychiatric help.

It's a pretty good guarantee when they are out with their running buddies they are talking about everything else in life, and solving all of the worlds problems. If they run solo, they probably have a few dozen conversations with you non running related in their heads while they are out, even if it is a long list of honey do's. This also keeps them sane, stress free and so much better to be around. So while it may seem like they only talk running non stop, rest assured other things do go through their minds while running that are and will keep them sane.

THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT HAVING TO USE THE TREADMILL

Don't feel bad for the runner in your life who is complaining on bad weather days that they have take their 6 mile run to a treadmill.
After all 6 miles on a treadmill is going to feel more like only 4 miles on the road to them. (Although you may not want to remind them of this.)

Plus, lets be honest, they will say they hate the dreadmill over and over, but secretly they love it, because it's a way they can run and there is no reason to feel bad for them being able to do what they want to do.

THEY COMPLAIN THAT ENERGY GELS ARE GROSS

Do you have a runner in your life who tells you every energy gel they taste is gross and disgusting? Yet they continue to keep on taking them? First, don't feel bad about this. Just like running, eating these gels are a choice not a requirement to run.

Second there are other things they could be doing or taking instead that don't taste as bad. Of course they probably won't take your word for it, but knowing that alone should curb any reason's to feel bad for them when they complain about things like this that make them want to hurl.
Instead, go grab a donut, and listen to them and pretend you care and tell them if you could you'd make energy gels that taste more like the donut your eating.

THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT RUNNING IN BAD WEATHER

This is one you definitely should not feel bad about if you have a runner who has to do this.
First, most runners love running in crazy weather. Then when they come back from the run they get to tell each and everyone they come in contact with and on Facebook how seriously tough they are and how insanely brave the they were during the worst moments of it.

Second, if they didn't want to run in bad weather there are almost always other choices. It's the reason a lot of gyms enjoy runners becoming members, because they only rarely use the facilities when the day or night is to crappy to run in, yet they get to collect their monthly fee anyway.

Third, if you haven't already started to notice a pattern. It is their choice! It wouldn't kill them (Well maybe a little mentally, but definitely not literally) to take a day off running if they really wanted to. So let them go, and don't feel bad for them if they come back after with a gross frozen stream of drool or snot hanging down them and frost covered eyelashes. Instead when you see them looking this way, just tell them "looks like you had fun" and allow them to strut their stuff and bad weather badges of honor.

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THEY THINK FANNY PACKS ARE OKAY

Don't feel bad or too embarrassed by the runner in your life if you notice them always wearing a fanny pack, even though you know they went out of style decades ago. You may find they have a new name for it, a fuel belt.
Just turn your head and let them call it anything they want. Let them buy one in every color and strut their stuff as they train in your neighborhood, or in a race.
Like I mentioned above, you won't be with them so you won't have to pretend you know them while they are out strutting a fanny pack like it's okay.

THEY NEED A 2ND JOB TO KEEP UP THEIR RUNNING HABITS

Don't feel bad if the runner in your life comes to you and says they are looking to take a 2nd or part time job to help support their habit.
They'll probably complain that shoe prices keep going up, or they need multiple pairs of shoes. Or money to enter the next race or travel to a destination race.  The list could really go on and on.

Because technically if they wanted to they could cut back, but since they don't want to it's their choice. Let them go get that 2nd job, and then don't start feeling bad for them when they tell you they have to adjust their running schedule and how tired it makes them.
After all, running gives them more energy right, so 1,2,3 jobs??? Who cares just tell them to go run more and get the energy and endorphins they need to get through them.

If your a runner are you guilty of any of the above? Did you have a little laugh?
If your a non-runner with a runner in your life, when I finished did you want to say Amen, LOL