My Top 10 Lame Reasons to Avoid Running

aka High Fives for Runners, Joggers, Walkers, Movers, Shakers and Jigglers
I was recently reminded me that I ran a couple of 5ks about 7 or 8 years ago and I  don’t really remember why I stopped.  I felt motivated to pick up this hobby again, and set a goal to run 5ks within eight weeks.  “Run” might be a stretch; I am inclined to call it my “Grandma jog”, but hey, at least I’m out there doing something.  I am happy to report that I have met my goal!  Still, that reluctance to “Just Do It” lingers more often than not.  Here are some of the lame excuses my ego has come up with.

10.  It hurts.  
I’m a little worried about my knees, being of a certain age, so I bought some stretchy knee protector thingies, run on the ground or pavement instead of cement when possible and trust that running is good for me so my body can take it.  I also visualize Archangel Raphael holding each knee with his healing green hands, soothing and protecting them while I run.  Seriously!

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9.  I’m too old.  
Last year, a 100 year old man named Fauja Singh ran a marathon in Toronto.  So this excuse just doesn’t cut it.  I might as well say I’m too young!

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8.  I can't find my shoes.

Okay, lame-o, unless these are your shoes hanging from the power line, just look in the closet and then get outside.

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7.   The weather sucks.  
Yes, sometimes it does.  This week, for the first time in my life, I went running in the rain.  Twice.  I got a little wet but I am not made of sugar; I didn’t melt.  And the lower temperature actually felt good once I warmed up.  I even took off my jacket.  I’m not sure how this will play out in January, but I’ll cross that icy bridge when I come to it!

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6.  My neighbourhood is too hilly.

I live in a very hilly city.  Think San Francisco.  In fact, they were going to film that old tv show here but “The Streets of Kamloops” just didn’t sound right.  I have never felt good about driving to the flats so I could run, although occasionally I do.  Instead, I have discovered that if I weave through the grid of streets and alleys, the amount of uphill climb is doable, even on a low-energy day.  On a high energy day, I just run straight up, and know the worst is over within the first ten minutes, and it’s all downhill from there.  In a good way.

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5.  I can't get anyone to run with me.

What a blessing that turned out to be.  This way, I can go at my own pace and have some really great solo thinking time.  In fact, my running time is turning out to be a time for generating creative thought and inspiration.

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4.  I'm tired.

I’ve spent a lot of time feeling tired, whether I'm running or just sitting around.  I’ve been told that exercising will give me more energy, and I have recently started to believe that this may hold some truth.

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3.  It's too hard.  

Does anyone else find that the first five minutes are the worst?  My feet feel like cement and then that feeling is gone and I’m fine for thirty minutes or more.  What’s up with that?

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2.  It's boring.

Some days I run with my iPod, and listen to affirmations by Louise Hay, or angel meditations by Doreen Virtue.  Other days, no extraneous gear, and I smell the flowers.  Literally.  Sometimes I make a game of trying to spot items in my neighbourhood that are chakra coloured.  Find something red, then orange, etc.  Or I write poetry in my head.   

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And the #1 lame excuse I try to use to avoid running:  I don’t feel like it. Another HUGE ego ploy!  It’s true:  sometimes, I don’t feel like running, or getting out of bed, or working, or cleaning the toilet, or... well, you get the picture.  What I really feel like doing is not a good basis for decision-making, or all I’d do is eat chocolate all day.  I have given up what I feel like doing in favour of what I could do that would be good for me.  Sometimes chocolate-eating wins out and rightfully so, but running still gets the vote a few times a week. 

So if you see someone jogging by, with green knees and an angel trailing behind awkwardly hanging on, it’s probably me!

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