I am not a runner.
When I was in the 8th grade, we ran the mile in PE class. I was huffing and puffing and struggling to complete a 13 minute mile. Most of that was walking. Running was uncomfortable, tiring and not at all pleasant.
In my mid-teens, as a young college student, I tried it again. Same effect – all of that thumping, pounding, grinding, burning and stabbing was painful, and far too much effort for the reward. I took to stair climbers and found that I could go all day and all night. I loved to sweat and loved the feel of a challenge, but I still could not run.
In my late teens, while working with a health-conscious software development company, I hopped on a treadmill for what I hoped would be the beginning of a newly found joy in running. I was older, more dedicated and more conscious of the benefits of running. Yet still, two miles at even a slow pace was grueling.
I was in what appeared to be peak health – a thin, trim and lean-muscled vegetarian. Why could I not run a mere two miles without feeling as if my knees were being pounded into my throat? Why did I find the challenge of running so disproportionate to all other forms of exercise?
Running is supposed to be simple. More advanced and skill-based movements came naturally, yet this most straight-forward, natural and primitive activity seemed beyond my grasp.
For years I avoided running. I was no good at it, didn’t seem to reap any health benefits, and heck, with 8 out of 10 runners suffering from injury, why in the world would I want to subject myself to the torture of such joint-pounding exercise? For cardiovascular health and endurance, I stuck with bikes and ellipticals.
Yet every now and again I’d give running another go – and walk away with an ever deepening commitment to avoid the sport entirely.
—-
Learn how The Barefoot Experiment began.
First time readers may find it helpful to read the original posts in order, by way of introduction.
Part 1 – I Am Not A Runner
Part 2 – Take It Off
Part 3 – Tentative First Steps
Part 4 – It’s All In What You (Don’t) Wear
Part 5 – Thirty Five at Thirty One
Part 6 - The Experiment
—-
