Last week, I finished reading 50/50
Running is my passion, too. Yes, I have others, but the thing is, I love to run. Running can wipe me out, running can kick my butt, but I still love it.
Karnazes wrote about this "hard work" idea in the book and I wanted to share this passage because I thought it was so right-on:
Running teaches you that there's a difference between working hard and feeling bad. Consumer culture tries to teach us otherwise. How many television commercials talk about "making life easier"? If everything you knew about life came from TV, your goal would be to live the easiest, most comfortable and unchallenging life you possibly could. You would believe that the only good feelings are sensual pleasures such as the taste of a good soft drink and the fun of driving an expensive car and lying on the beach.When I enter a race, I know I am not going to win. The facts are the facts: I'll never run be a speedy 16-minute 5ker or sub-2:30 marathoner. Just not going to happen. But that doesn't mean I can't continue to enter races and challenge my body and my mind. I can train. I can run for fun. I can run tough workouts. I can work hard and enjoy every minute of it because running is my passion and working hard at your passion can be exhilarating.
But it's just not true. Challenging and testing your mind and body, even to the point of exhaustion, failure, and breakdown, can feel as wonderful as anything else life has to offer. I suppose the enjoyment of hard work is more of an acquired taste than the taste for pleasure and fun, but once you've acquired it, you're blessed with more ways to feel good, and life is better. Harder and better.-- Dean Karnazes, 50/50
Yes? No?
For me, it is a hearty, fist-in-the-air yes.
Run hard, everyone. Run happy!
~ Felice
PS: Don't forget to enter my Bondi Band giveaway over here. The giveaway ends tomorrow at midnight!
38 comments:
My dad always tells me - It's not about the results. It's all about the effort.
So true! I love Mander's dad's words of wisdom as well! :)
This was a great post! Thanks for the link and mini review on the book, headed to Amazon now to look it up ;)
I just read 50 50 too, it's so inspirational in so many ways...it's seriously helping my husband stop smoking, and that's huge.
Nice post. Glad you enjoyed the book. It is on my to-read list.
Amen, sister! I am finally (after getting married, having three kids) starting to appreciate that fact that running is a challenge. It is hard work and very rewarding mentally.
I was just reading an old issue of Runners World that featured that guy. (Yep, far behind on my magazine reading!) I am excited to know he has a book. Thanks for sharing - I will definitely check it out.
Yes!!!
Nice post, and I love the quote you included!
I give it a "yes," too!
Love that book!
He makes a good point - and so do you. Don't we often feel best after the hardest runs?
I only recently read Ultramarathon Man, I need to go pick up 50/50
I got the book for Christmas...probably won't get around to it until the semester is over though!
Thanks for sharing that! I need add that to my reading list...
Great post, Felice! Everytime I train for a race, I know it's going to be hard (and often painful) work. It's the feeling of accomplishment after you finish an especially gruelling workout that makes it all worth it!
The book sounds great--I'll have to go pick up a copy.
Oh, yes, running is so much more rewarding when it's challenging.
Couldn't agree more! Passion and challenge all wraped into one makes running the best feat I can take on and make my life that much fuller. Thanks for sharing, I will get around to reading that one day! :)
I totally agree. I liked that passage in his book too.
That book is on my "to read list." I've wanted to read it for a while now. Sounds so good!
I have never read that book but I just gave it to my friend for her bday. It sounds so good! I love that passage. The good things in life do not always feel "easy"!
I won this book in a Giveaway cant wait to read it..
Oh no need to tell more people about the Bondiband ;)
THIS.
...is exactly what I needed to see before a 6 mile tempo that I was a little meh about.
Pumping my fist in the air with you and heading out the door. THANK YOU!
It was a great book, and I don't register for races to win either ;)
What a great concept to have learned. I'm still getting there, but finding that working hard definately feels good!
This was such a great post! Last week I had read a few blogs that really preached FUN and happiness while running, which I agree is where our running stems from BUT...challenging and testing our mind and body is pretty wonderful! Life is better when it's harder, it's all about over coming and feeling confident. Thanks for this Felice!
YOUR words are inspiring!
Excellent post! I loved that book and you picked out some great sections.
Sounds like a great book-will have to put it on the to read list :)
I could not have said it better myself! Great post ;)
I am back to say that I thought about this post A LOT during my tempo today. I wanted to give up but I didn't and hit my pace. Again, thank you, I needed this today.
When i read that book I LOVED IT! Totally worth it and I know that I wont be running 50 marathons in 50 days much less a marathon anytime soon.
Well said! we're not elite athletes but we can still challenge ourselves!
I love this post! I read Ultramarathon Man, but now I will put 50/50 on my list.
Amen to that!
So true! And so inspirational. Thank you for sharing.
that is what i love about running - the constant battle with yourself! granted, you are kind of racing other people in races, but ultimately you are chasing yourself and your pr's. can't do that with basketball and all! :)
Great post! I was inspired by the book too. That man is a machine!
agreed I so enjoyed reading this book! The one I just finished is Born to Run and that really ignites a passion for running!
GREAT post Felice. It is so true, that if we lived according to what the TV dictates, we would all be out of shape and miserable. "They" try and make everything more "Convenient". To challenge yourself is the essence of running, and to win every time because YOU KNOW that you gave it your all. This post was very inspiring and I needed it. thanks.
SO, I thought I posted you a comment yesterday, but I can't find it. Anyway, I appreciate your blog! It teaches me more about running each and everytime. Well, I stopped by to tell you that I entered your give-a-way for a thriv shirt a couple months back and WON! I received my shirt in the mail last night! I love it!!! Thank you!
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