use it or lose it
"When are you going to quit running marathons?" I am frequently asked. My own mother used to say "You are getting too old to run like that!"
My answer is "Only when I can't". My friend Suzanne and I talked about this on Friday morning when I went in to work late and we ran 13 miles - about 1/2 of it uphill. She shares my fear that, if you quit, or even take a while off, you might never be able to do it again. The longer runs take more out of you, the older you get and the recovery is longer. It would be easy to give it up and take up something less taxing on the knees - like bicycling or maybe aerobics (yuck).
I think sometimes old people get old because they think they should. "I am getting too old for that", they tell themselves. And then, all of a sudden, they are. I don't want to be like that.
I want to have goals that I work towards. Maybe the goal will be doing a 1/2 marathon, or a 10k, instead of a marathon , but it probably will be a marathon as long as I am healthy and can do it. I can accept the wrinkles where I didn't use to have them, and the slower pace and finishing times. I don't want to accept "you're too old" as an excuse for not living. I think it will keep me going to keep going.
My mom gave up on things after she reached a certain age. She may have had her reasons - she had secrets she never told us and pain she never talked about and all of those died with her. She said she was happy sitting in her chair with her kitty and reading or watching TV and I hope she was but I am not sure. She lost so much and maybe part of that was her will to keep going.
I will keep going because I am afraid of what will happen if I stop. Also because I love running through the changing season, the sound of birds, the feel of snow, and the happiness of my dog running beside me. I like the look on the young folks I work with when I tell them "I ran 13 miles today". I love how it helps me handle my sadness, solve my problems, and appreciate what I have - not focus on what I have lost.
My answer is "Only when I can't". My friend Suzanne and I talked about this on Friday morning when I went in to work late and we ran 13 miles - about 1/2 of it uphill. She shares my fear that, if you quit, or even take a while off, you might never be able to do it again. The longer runs take more out of you, the older you get and the recovery is longer. It would be easy to give it up and take up something less taxing on the knees - like bicycling or maybe aerobics (yuck).
I think sometimes old people get old because they think they should. "I am getting too old for that", they tell themselves. And then, all of a sudden, they are. I don't want to be like that.
I want to have goals that I work towards. Maybe the goal will be doing a 1/2 marathon, or a 10k, instead of a marathon , but it probably will be a marathon as long as I am healthy and can do it. I can accept the wrinkles where I didn't use to have them, and the slower pace and finishing times. I don't want to accept "you're too old" as an excuse for not living. I think it will keep me going to keep going.
My mom gave up on things after she reached a certain age. She may have had her reasons - she had secrets she never told us and pain she never talked about and all of those died with her. She said she was happy sitting in her chair with her kitty and reading or watching TV and I hope she was but I am not sure. She lost so much and maybe part of that was her will to keep going.
I will keep going because I am afraid of what will happen if I stop. Also because I love running through the changing season, the sound of birds, the feel of snow, and the happiness of my dog running beside me. I like the look on the young folks I work with when I tell them "I ran 13 miles today". I love how it helps me handle my sadness, solve my problems, and appreciate what I have - not focus on what I have lost.
Comments
Also, I bought a new sportsbra and some running shoes and went on my first run in 8 years with Billy last night. We ran/walked 3.1 miles in 35 minutes. I think my last timed mile (P.E. 8th grade) was 13 minutes, so I felt really proud of myself. Hopefully, I can work up to running one mile without any walking!
Anyhow, I'd love to talk to you when I see you again about some tips. My friends all say glucosamine...good or bad idea?
Also, Scarlett turns out to be a really good runner. She could for sure do a mile without walking and could definitely run circles around Sid!