I’ve encountered more than a few raised eyebrows from well meaning friends when I tell them I recently ran a marathon. They knew me back when I was obsessed with running and suffering from and eating disorder. This list is how I explain to them that running really is a healthy activity for me today. That, combined with the fact that I’ve maintained a healthy weight for over five years usually convinces them. Running is my exercise of choice, maybe elliptical training or bike riding is yours. Feel free to substitute those things for running in the list that follows.
Here is my personal list of reasons not to run on any given day.
1. Today is my best friend’s birthday party. My friends are important to me. They are much more important than running. Back in the hay day of my exercise addiction I isolated myself and refused any invitation that could prevent me from getting in my daily run. Today, I know it’s much more fulfilling to be with friends who accept me the way I am, than run myself into the ground searching in vain for self acceptance.
2. I’ve run the last three days. Usually I take a day off after two consecutive days running, three is my max. Runs usually stop feeling good at that point and they start to feel like punishment. I’ve heard that your body cannot repair itself and get better without rest days, so I make it a priority to take them. Usually I don’t attempt cross training on these days, I just use the extra time to do something I enjoy, like shopping or cooking a nice dinner for the hubby.
3. Outdoor conditions are bad. If I had planned a long run outdoors, and I wake up to pouring rain, I use it as an excuse to take a rest day. Of course I live in Arizona where we never have two rainy days in a row. If weather conditions prevent outdoor running for more than a day, I don’t mind using the treadmill at the gym. During our boiling hot summers it’s my only option. In that case, its more punishing to try to run outside than use the treadmill.
4. My last run was bad. You know those days I’m talking about. The days, your usual route seems twice as hard as it usually does. Bad days happen in running. We all have them. If I have more than one unusually bad day, I take it as a sign from my body to get some rest. Listen to your body, it knows what it needs!
5. I’m sick, hurt, or really tired. I run because I enjoy it and if I don’t feel well enough to enjoy it, I don’t do it. Period. End of story. Sometimes if I’m not sure, I will run one mile to see if I just need to get going to feel good. If I don’t feel good after a mile, I walk back or get off the treadmill.
6. I’m really busy. Sometimes life gets in the way. If the only way to get my run in is to get up at 3 a.m., I’m not doing it, and I’m not feeling bad for it either. Life happens, life goes on. If I had gotten up at 3 am to get it in I’m going to be very tired by the afternoon and if I’ve got important things planned, it’s just not worth it. You early morning people may disagree but but personally, 5 am is the earliest I can wake up to run and still feel normal most of the day.
7. I ate too much. I admit this one can still be tough for me once in awhile. I have to make a point to separate eating from running in my head. Eating more does not equal having to run more. It is fine if I just happened to have a big pasta dinner one night and the next morning I feel so good I run a few more miles. It is NOT okay if the whole time I am eating that pasta dinner, I am swearing to myself that tomorrow morning I will run a long distance to “run it off”. I know my body can handle the extra calories if I eat a lot one night and don’t run the next day. I don’t wake up fat from one day of eating too much and not running. If I am generally keeping active and eating healthy most times, I don’t need worry about calories eaten and calories burned.
8. I have the opportunity to do another active activity that is enjoyable. Running is something I can do by myself whenever I want, but other activities need a little more planning. If I am lucky enough to be invited play sand volleyball, or go for a long walk with my husband, or hike a nearby mountain with a visiting friend or go for a bike ride with my dad then I count that as cross training for the day. Running is monotonous enough, why turn down fun activities to do the exact same thing you did yesterday? Mixing it up is better for your mind and your body.
9. I’m hungry. Another one of those things I don’t budge on. If I am hungry after work and its time for my daily run, I will eat a snack that fills me up, or go home and eat dinner. Back in the day, I ran many times on an empty stomach and the memory is enough for me. Its NOT fun, and like I said previously, I don’t worry about calories eaten and calories burned any more.
10. I’m on vacation and I need rest. The best vacation I can imagine is one that is the week after a marathon. I can lay by the beach and rest my sore muscles and enjoy being active in other ways. If its not the week after a marathon I try to get some good runs in the week before so my muscles will be tired and thus I am able to rest without being restless. I only get about one week of vacation a year (I work for a small company) and I NEED to get restoration during that week. I might be tempted though if there is a beautiful running path on the beach. Then I just go easy and enjoy the scenery.
Well there it is. My top 10 reasons for NOT running. I am curious to hear your reasons for not running, or going to the gym (what ever your exercise of choice is).