The Top 10 Things I Enjoy About Running

Hey all!

Hope everyone's still staying cool during these hot summer months!

I've always been told to end stuff on a positive note, so in response to my previous top 10 lists, here are the top 10 things I enjoy about running (not racing - that's a whole different post) in no particular order:

10)  Being able to run and chase my son around without losing my breath.

9)  The various looks I get when people find out I run half-marathons and the occasional full marathon, and that my week-end training runs are crazy-long.  These looks range from awe, to appreciative, to smell-the-fart face, to skeptism.  I'm not exactly the smallest person, and I was actually in the Clydesdale division when I did the Marine Corps Marathon back in 2009!  So I guess it's only natural people find it hard to believe I do such long distances.

8)  Buying cool new running shoes every 6 months or so!

7)  That feeling of tiredness and satisfaction after an afternoon week-day run.  I always sleep good on these nights.

6)  Hopefully inspiring others to think about their own fitness.

5)  Throwing a wave to the old guy out on his porch next to our church.  He's out just about every time I run by, and and he throws me an emphatic wave and smile in return.

4)  Being able to run around (notice I did not say WITH) the Cross Country team I coach with some sort of level of respectability (at least, for myself).  Yeah, those kids pretty much leave me in the dust but at least I'm out there with them.

3)  Being able to clear my head of the day's clutter and issues.

2)  The RUNNERS' HIGH.  I can't explain this, but I'm sure most of y'all have experienced it.

1)  Being able to bust out a 10-mile run or a half-marathon in the morning, going somewhere in the afternoon, and being able to say "I did a half-marathon this morning!  What did YOU do?"  Not trying to brag or be cocky or anything, but I just enjoy the sense of accomplishment this brings to me!

But anyway...  Congrats to Mush for losing that 30 pounds.  Awesome job, brother!  Keep it up!  As for my weight loss, I really haven't lost much at all since late March.  Still at around 185-ish, so you can say I've plateaued.  Some days I'm close to 190, other days I'm at around 184 or so.  It's pretty much all on me, though.  I haven't been eating as well during the day, and my soda intake started increasing again over the past couple months.  I'm going to re-dedicate myself next week to see if I can get down below 180 by the end of August.

Does anyone know if beer is better to drink than soda??

My Tip for the Day:  Always remember your form.  Not just on the uphills, but on the downhills and flats as well.  Having good form will make you run faster, naturally.  Always good to practice good form.  If you haven't, work on it.  It might take some time, but eventually it'll become natural.

Until next time...