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.

Click to Tweet and Share a Little Twitter Love

10 Reasons NOT to feel bad for the #runner in your life @runwybridlplanr http://goo.gl/i5W6yc #Runchat #running

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

How to Gain Weight While Being a Runner

Okay, so this may sound like a funny topic. There are probably less than 1% of runners out there who would actually say, yes please I hope I gain weight by running.
Truth be told, most people who run, want to shed a few pounds or trim down and shape up.

I hear a lot of people say, I can't wait to train for a marathon, just thinking about how much weight I will lose in the process is exciting... Then months later they discover they may be training, but they are also gaining weight.

Why is this?  It's very simple, once you start running and burning all those calories you tend to get hungry, and when we are hungry we tend to eat or in some cases overeat.
If we are already over weight, and not changing our eating habits as we are running.  We aren't actually making the healthy changes needed to give us the overall results.

Or another common mistake is thinking we went out and ran 5 miles, and then decide to treat ourselves to a treat for our efforts.

If you step back and look at how many calories you actually burn in a 5 or even 15 mile run. Then look at the amount of calories in the reward meal after, or treat...  More than likely you're going to find, you're still eating more than your burning.

Another huge and very common mistake is energy drinks or energy bars.  They are thrown in our faces as runners as the go to item we must have.  They trick us into believing that we actually need them each run to preform better and to sustain energy.
In fact they have very expensive ad campaigns designed to do just that, trick us into believing because something says it's for runners, or fitness enthusiasts, or that it is a health bar, that it is actually good for us.  When in all actuality, they are chalked full of calories and sugars and not really all that healthy.

The fact is, unless you have one of those metabolisms that you can't gain any weight no matter what you do.  (If you do, I am jealous!)  Those energy drinks and bars, are going to be most runners downfalls.
Sure, it looks like liquid, or is so small that it fits in the palm of our hand to squeeze or bite into.  But if you look at the calories, look at the amount of sugar inside.  You'd realize most people don't burn enough in one workout to equal that which is in an energy drink.

Truth is, energy drinks/bars/supplements aren't really needed for regular training.  Yup, I said it and it's true!
Most of the time they aren't even needed in a race.  In my own personal opinion when you think about the calories inside them, nearly any distance short of a marathon and you can easily over eat more calories than you are burning.
Just think in a 5k, if you stop and drink an energy drink mid race, in 1 drink alone you just went over the amount that you burn in the race itself.  Then if you have another right after the race, your just adding calories that will turn into pounds on your body over time..

So if you are a runner, and I can write this post based on fact, because I have been there, I have made the mistake of eating too much vs. what I am burning...
Take a look at what you're eating, track the calories, write them down.  Then compare them to what you're actually burning during that workout.
If you are gaining weight, or not losing weight while training for a race of any distance.  Then there is your answer.

Losing weight is simple math.  3500 calories burned = 1 pound lost.  3500 calories ate, means a pound gained...
If you want to lose weight, you have to create a daily deficit in calories, it's that simple.

I remember once, I had just ran a marathon.  The next day I was on a flight with literally a plane full of runners, including the race winner.  Our flight was cancelled and we were all put up in the same hotel and picked up very early the next morning to make our re-scheduled flights.
I was sitting next to this couple who had just ran the same race I did, I had run the full and they had both run the half.  They both were lean and looked like they were in great shape.
I looked like I was in shape, but lean is not something one would call me, as I have the girly curves and a few extra pounds.
I didn't have time to get anything for breakfast so I just decided to grab something after I got through security.  I didn't have many options, but decided I might as well grab a  McMuffin.
I grabbed it and headed back to the terminal.
When I got back, I sat down right across from the lean couple I rode over with to the airport.
Guess what they were eating.... Rice cakes, and a yogurt and they were completely satisfied with it. In fact, the woman didn't even finish hers.  I finished my McMuffin and the hashbrown they gave me easily.
Right then I realized, this is the difference between runners like myself and runners who are lean.

Is there a right or wrong?  Nope!  Runners come in all shapes and sizes, and whatever you're comfortable with, that is what is important.  You never have to be anything other than what makes you happy.
For myself, who's always wanted to shed a pound or five... Weight loss is something I would like, but unfortunately I wasn't eating the right way.

Is it hard to eat fewer calories, when you are running high mileage?  Definitely, especially at first. You can feel hungry all the time.  But like you're training your body to build up mileage for races. You can also train your body to run on what is needed, not more than, in the calorie sense.
It's possible!  I have seen thousands of runners at many races I run who can pull it off, so it really comes down to willpower and wanting it.

This post isn't meant to hurt any feelings.  It's a fact that a lot of runners don't know why they can't lose weight or why they are gaining weight.  Even runners who are running 40-60 miles a week can easily gain weight.
Instead this post is meant to give a little food for thought on the subject.  If losing weight is something you're interested in, and your a runner and it's not happening.
Take a little look at the daily and weekly numbers, what are you eating, and how much?  I won't say it will be easy, but I will say with some willpower and a little time, you can train yourself to not overeat and not to have those intense hunger cravings after runs.  Additionally, you can also un-train yourself to feel you need energy drinks and supplements with all workouts and re think how you use them, or if you need them at all.



Are you a runner like me who has had trouble in the past and actually gained weight while training for marathons or other races?

This could be a great week

So in two days, I find out if I only have 2 weeks left of slowly wearing the boot less and less over the next 2 weeks.  Additionally what my foot/ankles future will be for the next few months as far as physical therapy.

 

It will be sad to say goodbye to this beautiful accessory, I mean I can't tell you how many outfits this big beauty goes with.  Not to mention how fabulous it looks with my shoe(s) on my right foot.  It's not only absolutely fashionable, its also extremely comfortable!  Especially if you have to kneel down, or sit on the ground and try to get up. (You are jealous, I know:)

I have gotten a little used to it, and in the coming weeks I will miss waking up several times in the middle of the night to readjust it so it quits cutting off my circulation or untwist it all from my blankets and such:)

 

But seriously, although I am very much looking forward to my days without it.  I have to appreciate it, because it has allowed me to hopefully get through the healing process.
My only worries about my Dr. Appt are that my ankle has been swollen double in size since I put the boot on 6 weeks ago, additionally my toes have had that just fallen asleep tingly feeling for the entire time as well.  I called the doctor about it 5 weeks ago, and he told me not to worry about it, it was normal and would go away.  So the fact that it never did, has me slightly wondering....
But in all honesty, I think once I can start taking it off for a few hours here and there, I believe that should help get the swelling down.

So Wednesday morning, I guess we will see what the future holds.  No matter if I get news that I have a bit longer in this or I can start PT immediately I am excited for the news.  Because one thing I am fairly certain of, which is the main issue (the Achilles tendon part) I believe has healed, I have zero pain in that area anymore. (As far as I can tell in the 15 minutes a day I am not wearing this boot when I shower:)  The other issues, well are to be determined I guess:)

Additionally, I have been doing an evaluation on my life.  I have been inactive for about 6 weeks now and that has taken a huge toll on my fitness.  (Not that it was great the past few months before.)
I should lie and say I have been eating wonderfully and healthy. 
But I haven't been doing all that well with it.  That was until last week.
Last week, I began eating better I have been on the healthy Diet-To-Go meals, and I think that has given me a little jump start that I needed.
I have gained way too much weight, I don't want to admit this, but it might be better for me if I do.  Over the past 5 months I have gained 40 pounds....  Yeah, embarrassing!!!  I had a lot of success back in January and February when I tried out the DietBet games, so I have decided I am going to find one of those to enter in the next few weeks.
I have a long recovery process, and because I have been an idiot, I have just as long if not longer to get back to being healthy again! 
(10 months off regular fitness activity can seriously take its toll on your body!!)

I know once I can run again, that will be everything I need to get back into it all for good.  The only problem is I am likely still a month or two away from getting the okay to start doing that again.  So I really need to get on my own case and find some other motivation and get back into it!

Anyhow, that is a little update on my life.  Embarressing as it it!
Hope everyone else is having much better luck with staying healthy and acheiving their fitness goals!