Running Term of the Week - Running
What is running?
I have had this idea for awhile to have a running term of the week. My friend and running buddy, Stan The Wine Man, has a wine term of the day, that he posts on www.blucid.com.By reading his definitions you can really develop an understanding of wine.One thing I do know is that Stan The Wine Man knows his wine.
I know running. Been running for, well, let’s say a while. I have run on the track, trails, roads and every distance up to 50 miles. I coached others as well.My life’s passion is running. Pure and simple.
In honor of my love and knowledge I bring to you “Running Term of the Week”.Ta-da!
This week our term will be “Running”.
My definition of running is pretty simple - its the motion produced by the rapid movement of the feet. Not be be confused with the Fox Trot or the East Coast Swing, where rapid feet movement is a requirement. In order to really run one does need feet. Most mammals and lizards qualify. Slugs do not. Birds and frogs may hop. Snakes, well they slither.
Rapid movement of ones feet is purely speculative and personal. Some people, like my old, dear friend Steve. Steve considered himself a runner even though he was slow, by his own omission,as sin. He, in my mind, was more of a plodder. After running with Steve a few times I realized that speed had no bearing on if one was really running or not. Like I said it’s personal. Steve considered himself a runner. I was always honored to run with him. Slow speeds and all. Steve is now dead. Lost the battle with prostate cancer.Long may you run, Steve.Long may you run.
It’s like the old saying “as you think you shall become” or as the Bible says, “ For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” . If you (man or woman) think you are a runner and are spending time every day running, then you are a runner. No mater how fast or how slow. One foot in front of the of the other in rapid motion is running. Pure and simple.
People tell me that they could never be runners. I tell them if they had something very big chasing them they would become runners pretty quick. They agree. Granted, they would still be lunch or dinner depending on the time of day they were being chased. They would at least be runners giving running the good ole college try. For at least a block or two.
Next week we will explore the difference between running and jogging.
