Is running an obsession you wish to own up to?
Is it a healthy pastime that has had unhealthy consequences because you pushed it too far? Have you come up to find your brother in bed with your Missus?
Do you get anxious if you're 5 seconds outside of your PB? Or suicidal because you've not been able to train for a week because ... oh no! ... you've been on holiday?
In short, has it completely taken you over and distorted your perspective? Are you a runner who finds a bit of time to have a life also, rather than vice versa?
Do you flounce off in a bitchy huff because people think you're "weird" and "obsessed"?
Let's have our own online version of Trisha? We need to, because some people on here are obsessed, methinks.
How seriously out of 10 do you take it?
For me, 3/10.
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Comments
I run to live not the other way round - sorry!
For me though one reason I do more cycling now is because it's more social - I was doing most of my running on my own whereas I do a lot of cycling with others. If I was in a job that involved a lot of people contact then the solitary nature of running (for me) wouldn't have been so much of a problem.
It's certainly not taking over my life, rather it has greatly enhanced it in terms of fitness, motivation, goal setting and social life.
I always try to get out at least twice a week and do feel a little annoyed with myself if I can't, because it's probably down to laziness rather than anything else. However, if I do miss a run for whatever reason, it's not a problem. But when I do run, I take it seriously. I try my best, I've got a training plan for up and coming half marathons and I try and push myself as hard as I can.
Not sure I can really give it a score. How about 10/10 for changing my life? Or 5/10 for how seriusly I take it, in terms of being obsessed with it.
:-)
"Obsessed" is a word used by the lazy to describe the dedicated
I'm not hell bent on becoming the next running superhero, and not overly competitive, but I'm up out of bed at all sorts of daft hours running in the dark at the moment, whatever the weather.
I do it to keep fit, control weight and get out of doors, I'm the outside type. The worse the weather is, the tougher my fell runs are, the more fun I am having.
Put me in a mental home.
If you think that is obsessive you should see the training I used to do when I was competing as a pro windsurfer (well, semi-pro - I did have a day job). Running is easy!
So...
Family 10/10
Career 10/10
Running 10/10
There are worse things to be obsessed about,smoking,sex,television,whether the mrs. is in bed with my sister (don't have a brother),food,television,the queen and the royal family,television etc.
I am an all or nothing person,won't start something if I am not going to give everything. This might be a bad thing,but hey,so is too much television )
"Obsessed" is a word used by the lazy to describe the dedicated
unquote
Can't agree with that.
"Dedication" relates, in my dictionary, to the unswerving pursuit of a worthy goal.
"Obsession" relates to an unhealthy prediliction to an activity to the exclusion of normal functioning.
The question is, what should recreational runners be dedicated to, beyond the pursuit of fitness and fun? The more the goal distends beyond these goals and morphs into the sort of serious attitude of professional sportsmen, the more I think it tends towards obsession; because the rewards and support structure differ vastly for the two different types of runner.
That original quote reminds me of some American infomercial thing. "Don't quit, man!"
"RUN THROUGH THE PAIN!"
Things growing and changing, not sure I like it .... go for a run
boyfriend dumped me .... go for a run
Mum and Dad said No.... go for a run
Pre wedding jitters .... go for a run
Divorce proceedings .... go for a run
Getting married again jitters .... go for a run
Marriage problems ... go for a run
Not saying I'm obsessed but I'd hate to think what would be left of me if I didn't have it to fall back on. Think I'd be on pills so 9/10 methinks.
I'd give myself a 9 or 10 out of 10, but would not letting running harm:
1. my family
2. me
3. doing my job well enough
Now if you were always out running and that caused the divorce, then that would be worth 9/10.
"It's the football or me?"
"OK, can you shut the door on your way out please"....
but running is just part of a lifestyle which also takes in triathlon, biking, skiing........and any other mad activity that takes my fancy
This year I'm back to plain old running with a bit of tri thrown in. Obsession starts again Nov 2006 - Can't wait!
Sorry kids.
although I may have to wait another year as I have pencilled in some other mad plans for 2007 already.............90km ski race and Ultratrail..............
I NEED new challenges - I guess that's obsessive
I also plan most things I do around races/training!
If obsessed means dreaming about trying on loads of different pairs of Asics 2100's in like I did last night then I suppose I am.
6/10