Running; Causing Your Own Accomplishment

I think I might be a runner.

I know, I could hear your gasp of shock all the way down here in Houston, Texas. But, the last week or so I've been trying to run a little bit. I'm certainly not covering any great distances or going as fast as lightning. But I am getting out there and running.

I can't say that I enjoy it yet. It starts out painful. Yesterday it took 20 minutes for my right calf to stop cramping and then my left calf started up. But somewhere around 35 minutes they didn't hurt anymore and I was shocked to realize that the pain was gone. It didn't feel good, but it didn't hurt.

One of my main gripes about running is that there is no momentum. On a bike, you get moving and it feels good. There is always this forward momentum. But with running...well, you are constantly striving to create that momentum, and if you stop, even for a second, that momentum is out the window.

I read an article today called The Grossman Motivation Series, Part I: Dismiss Distractions.
The author said what I am trying to say but in a much better way;

Running is difficult mainly because, "You have to cause your run."

This rings so true to me. You have to cause everything, not just putting on your shoes and getting out the door...but every step you have to cause it.


But for some reason, instead of swaying me, realizing that little fact makes me want to get out there and push myself, to cause that run to happen. Because when I do there is such pride in me. I feel more accomplished going for a 2 mile run than I do a 25 mile bike ride. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the cycling more. There is just something about pushing yourself, and the only person you have to compete with out there is yourself.

I still don't like running.

It is going to be really hard for me to make myself get out the door this evening.

But I am really starting to suspect that, if I stick with this, I might become a runner.