How to use running to conquer your limitations, get some stress relief, and inspire others.
By Pamela Davenport — Written on Feb 05, 2016
Most health benefits from exercise are accrued when moderation rules: not too intense, not too long and not too often. Many health professionals caution against excessive exercise because the stress it creates can do more harm than good to the body. Why then do marathons sell out in hours and every triathlete secretly hopes to finish an Ironman someday? I’ve done two myself and coach other athletes on their way to a very long, arduous and often painful day. Our motivation has more to do with conquering our mental limitations than it does from believing this Herculean effort will boost our health.
Most of us realize that less is more when it comes to fitness training and that over training comes with a price. But we will still line up for the next marathon or even ultra distance event. Tanya Basu says we do it for what she calls flow. She says, “ That’s the essence of flow: taking on something a little intimidating, conquering it, and relishing in the unbeatable reward of being able to do what was just a short while ago seemingly impossible. And if someone wants to chase that feeling for 50-plus miles, well, who can blame them?"
Jesse Owens once said: ""In the end, it’s extra effort that separates a winner from second place. But winning takes a lot more than that, too. It starts with complete command of the fundamentals. Then it takes desire, determination, discipline, and self-sacrifice. And finally, it takes a great deal of love, fairness and respect for your fellow man. Put all these together, and even if you don’t win, how can you lose?” Going long requires the runner to dig deep into their reserves and fight every temptation to quit. They then thrive on the feelings that perseverance and discipline produce. Conquering the miles helps us to conquer the previous limitations we have set for ourselves. Basically, it makes us feel like a bit of a superhero.
So the first weird way running can make you a happier person is found in what the challenge does for your spirit and self image. A challenge appeals to the human spirit; so much so that you can even get someone to join the armed forces by singing “Be all that you can be.” Even while long distance training may wreak havoc on our joints and hormones, our spirits will feel a surge of stress relieving happiness.
The marathon runner isn’t the only one who can find happiness by lacing up their running shoes. Someone new to exercise can find a suitable running challenge, too. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that adults get 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week and will allow it to be broken down to even 10 minute sessions. They caution that "Gradual progression of exercise time, frequency and intensity is recommended for best adherence and least injury risk.” Though the marathoner and his Ironman pal might say ho hum to these guidelines, the person sitting on their coach knows 150 minutes is a worthy goal. They might smile and say “challenge accepted”.
The second weird way running can make you a happier person is that it will relieve the stress created from the rest of your life. Arnold Schwarzenegger once said : “Training gives us an outlet for suppressed energies created by stress and thus tones the spirit just as exercise conditions the body.” Running has a meditative quality that allows us to tune out our other cares. It allows time for brainstorming solutions to life’s problems. Endorphins, those happy hormones, are released and we feel less overwhelmed by the stress in our lives.
The third weird way that running can make you a happier person occurs when the two worlds of the experienced and newby runners collide. When the person who longs for the soul satisfaction of the long distance event pauses long enough to notice the newby, an amazing synergy can occur. Not too many sedentary people want to follow the marathoner to sign up for their next race. But they can be inspired to walk and run around the block when the seasoned athlete invites them to join them in a short run.
The experienced runner, who has accomplished their heroic effort and has the medal to prove it lying in a drawer somewhere, now notices the newby trying to get in that first 10 minute run. Happiness comes from realizing they now have the power to inspire others to get moving and a few anecdotes and tips to share. Happiness comes to the new runner,also, because they have been welcomed into the world of the fit.
Though a long distance endurance event is indeed a challenge that will impress your friends, helping those friends get active may be an even greater challenge. It will call on all of the "love, fairness and respect for your fellow man" that Jesse Owens extolled Once you’ve conquered the miles, consider reaching back and helping someone else on the journey to conquering their limitations. Get someone else off the coach and become a true superhero to them. Conquer your limitations, get some stress relief, and help someone else follow you on this path to fitness and you will be happy. The best part is you will have made someone else happy, too.