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Why You Should Stop Running (It’s Not What You Think)
When I was fifteen years old, I started running for fun. By sixteen, my best friend encouraged me to beat my personal best. Bundled in mittens, a tightly woven scarf around my neck, a hat, and athletic apparel, I met her outside my High School’s track.
The wind whipped at us like Jack Frost as light snow began to shower from above. It was New Year’s Eve. We were both determined to break records and score new heights. Less than 8 minutes of trailing behind her later, I’d run a mile in under 8 minutes. 7:27 to be exact. After a warm-up run followed by a cool-down, I’d vowed to never run again. Not really. Just not in frigid below temperatures like it was that day.
How Fast Are You Running?
In college, the fastest I could run a mile was 6:27. I thought that was pretty impressive considering I wasn’t athletic, had never trained professionally, and didn’t competitively play any sports. Running was something I did for fun and enjoyment.
Flash forward to Thanksgiving 2023. My husband and I decided to run the yearly Turkey Trot on a whim. I’d always wanted to do it, and as an avid runner over the years, I was confident I could still run three miles even if it had been months since I’d run 3 consecutive miles. I was right and wrong.
Lacing our shoes, we made our way to the packed starting line. Over 800 runners surrounded us. I was nervous until a few familiar faces made their way towards us. My best friend and her husband were also running the race and agreed to keep us company. Did I mention my best friend runs marathons (insert slightly concerned smile emoji)?