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Are You Running Away?

I received this comment from Wonderwall on one of my most popular posts: Date a Girl Who Runs…

I always feel like runners are running away from something- don’t like this article at all. Blah.

No worries if Wonderwall didn’t like the post; each one is entitled to his/her opinion.  But, I think his/her first line is worth discussing.  It’s a question I’ve asked myself in the past (hey, you never know what goes on in our subconscious, right?) and raised with friends a couple of times.  Have you asked yourself the same?

“Do I run because I’m running away from something?”

My answer: Every time I hit the road, I’m almost beaming with joy.  There’s no doubt that I run simply because I want to.  Most of the time, I am running TOWARDS something and not away from anything at all.  I run towards a goal: a race I’ve targeted months in advance with a training program that I follow to a tee, a new PR, or a specific distance to achieve that day.  Sometimes I run for what others may think are more mundane reasons but are important to me just the same: to be with friends or even to enjoy the breakfast and great conversation after.  And, yes, there are times when I also run to burn off the Cheetos I munched on the previous night and, if possible, to flush out the guilty feeling that comes with it.

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Admittedly, sometimes I do run to get away.  To escape.  To unburden myself of the loads of life.  It’s no different from an artist painting on a blank canvass to express his despair or a musician banging on his drums to ease the pain.  It’s simply a way to cope.

When my dad had his surgery, I ran like there was no tomorrow and, when he passed away, I ran even harder.  I run when there’s too much work, when there’s conflict with a relationship, or when I’m just fed up with something or someone.  I run hoping to leave behind all these issues and problems and hope to the high heavens they can never catch up with me.  Is this wrong?  Not at all.  For some reason, I end the run feeling empowered, energized, and ready to take on the world.  Eat my dust, I usually say to all of life’s challenges.

I guess the only way to really know if you’re running TOWARDS or AWAY from something is to look at where you’re standing now.  Ask yourself: Has running taken me farther than I could have ever imagined?  Or has it driven me to isolation and cowardice? Has running made me stronger, fitter, and better?  Or has it made me more arrogant, obnoxious and self-centered? Has running transformed me into a better person?  Or has it taken me further away from who I really should be?

So, what’s your answer?

Posted on 06.22.11 to 01 Bullish Insights. Tags: . Subscribe to follow comments on this post. 27 comments. Add your thoughts or trackback from your own site.

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27 Responses to “Are You Running Away?”

  1. Well said Jaymie! When I was younger, running helped me face all my problems, it wasn’t just a way to get fit, it also became my refuge. I don’t agree that it’s the coward’s way because after every run, I find myself stronger at confronting whatever challenge I faced. It sure aided in shaping me to be the person that I am today.

    I’m very grateful for people like you who have helped made running the most well known sport in the country today which was just neglected back then.

    ed said on Jun 22 11 at 9:09 PM Reply

  2. nice…

    pjong said on Jun 22 11 at 10:04 PM Reply

  3. My answer is Yes. I do run away when I run. I remember when I started running, I was a nursing a broken heart. I cannot move on with my past as if my heart stops beating but when I began running, my heart starts to pound again as my feet pound the road and there’s this indescribable joy after finishing a distance. That joy overcome the negative emotions and I started to have a goal and became an accomplished TBR alumni. (yey!) so running away wasn’t so bad afterall…

    Noah said on Jun 22 11 at 11:01 PM Reply

    • nice one… same reason as mine… in addition to that, running really saved me from wallowing into my problems and gave me a new and more exciting life… a more healthy life… :-)

      gaea said on Jun 24 11 at 5:49 PM Reply

  4. Well said Jaymie!

    Edwin E. said on Jun 22 11 at 11:22 PM Reply

  5. Runners are always running away from something – true indeed!

    Running away from late nights… running away from being couch potatoes, running away from vices,
    running away from obesity,
    running away from not reflecting about one’s life during runs …. etc.

    Gej said on Jun 23 11 at 7:59 AM Reply

    • My sentiment exactly, Gej! Nothing wrong with running to run away from something if it makes someone feel better, physically and/or emotionally (even mentally! haha). Well said also jaymie!

      kish said on Jun 23 11 at 11:07 AM Reply

  6. Yes. I started running after my mom passed away. But now I can’t stop running even now on rainy days. If not physically, my mind is thinking of running everyday. Thank you Jaymie for being an inspiration. Hope you are ok now.

    Vic Q said on Jun 23 11 at 8:02 AM Reply

  7. The beauty of running is that there are no wrong or right reasons for doing it. I hate the feeling of not being able to run. Thank you Jaymie for another inspiring post. God bless.

    LGDUA said on Jun 23 11 at 9:01 AM Reply

  8. For me, running for me first & foremost is for my health & to maintain an active lifestyle. It is a shift from playing basketball & badminton. The only things I am running away from are bad eating habits & bad sleeping habits. Well said Jaymie

    Francis Chua said on Jun 23 11 at 9:59 AM Reply

  9. **SUPER LIKE**
    There maybe millions of reasons why we run. It may differ from person to person. Good read. Thanks Jaymie :)

    blanche said on Jun 23 11 at 11:14 AM Reply

  10. well said.. well, i think up to now, i run because i need to.. for training and racing. it’s only at the start of this year, when I ran in the Cebu Marathon, that i had a newfound love for purely running. it made me enjoy it more, even just the thought of running. i’m into some kind of a slump with training and running. but having read your post, i’m gonna hit the tomorro and run, rain or shine. :)

    tj isla said on Jun 23 11 at 12:17 PM Reply

  11. Totally agree with you Jaymie… I can relate on both ways:)(towards or away)! Makes me love running even more – thanks for a very inspiring post!!!

    Jigs said on Jun 23 11 at 2:08 PM Reply

  12. I started running because I wanted to ran away from life’s stressors. I wanted brief escape from the daily grind. Running provided me that, more!

    Now, I’m also running away from obesity, hypertension, stress…Not bad, right? :D

    running warrior said on Jun 23 11 at 5:29 PM Reply

  13. You don’t wake up 3:30am in the morning just to run away from something. Running is about hard work and perseverance too. Nice post Jaymie. Again, thank you for inspiring us.

    Lito C said on Jun 23 11 at 8:05 PM Reply

  14. Nice one Jaime. When I started running I wanted to run away from OBESITY. A year ago I weigh 171lbs and now I’m 134lbs. I ran 2 3K’s, 4 5K’s, 7 10K’s, 1 15K and my next run is a 21K. Running made me fitter, healthier, stronger & a better person. Hoping to run my 1st marathon by 2012.

    Plebe said on Jun 24 11 at 1:55 PM Reply

  15. Back then in high school, we were obliged to run in order to prepare us for an upcoming Scouting Jamboree. It did gave us the strength to last a whole day of hiking in camps.In college, running was more than an obligation, it was a commitment.It gave me a routine cardio workout & strength to face the adversities which I never thought would happen.You see, I was never a top student in college & med school despite my toil,but running gave me an edge to endure the adversities given to me. Do I run away?Not at all because the person interested in success has to view failure as an inevitable part of getting to the top.

    John Paul I. Sepe said on Jun 24 11 at 4:45 PM Reply

  16. Running away from something is HEALTHY. To cope with stress by doing something constructive – we psychiatist (me and my wife) call that sublimation. Its one of the most mature defenses known to man. And so many depressed or anxious patients will tell us how much they have improved (even without medications) when they took up running. So in the end the question will always be – for whatever reason, are you happier after a run?

    Nelson Mallillin said on Jun 25 11 at 7:00 AM Reply

  17. my running life started like “running away from my demons” as they say. Today, i’d rather say, im RUNNING FOR SOMETHING, OR TO SOMETHING….NOT AWAY FROM IT. May sound a bit cheeky and arrogant, but heck, running has become as natural as breathing to us runners!

    abet ocampo said on Jun 25 11 at 5:22 PM Reply

  18. Running for me as an escape…escape from a 45 hour work week, a 2 hour daily commute to and from the office and all the stress that comes along with it….an escape even just for while, a 30 min 5k or a 2 hr LSD on a weekend…but eventually we do have to return from the things we have ran away from…it’s like a weekend race you run away from the starting line but eventually you’ll just return on the same place you started from…the finish, but afterwards you feel good and fulfilled.

    Haste said on Jun 26 11 at 4:24 PM Reply

  19. Nice! Running allows us to get away from an unhealthy, negative and stressful lifestyle. A way be closer to people, nature and God.:)

    Nicky Tuason said on Jun 27 11 at 11:33 AM Reply

  20. nice post. very well said. =)

    i find bliss in running. it’s a workout and a relaxation. sometimes i really do run away from something. but that running away has taken me to a better place and transformed to a better individual. thanks for inspiring us. =)

    dache L said on Jun 27 11 at 5:38 PM Reply

  21. I always felt that I was running away from the worse version of me to the best possible version I could become. So yes, Jaymie, we all run away from one reason or another but always find ourselves running towards a resolve that we can take it on.

    JCo said on Jun 27 11 at 11:26 PM Reply

  22. I ran because of all the reasons above. :)

    Great, best post so far! :)

    Bryan said on Jun 28 11 at 1:44 AM Reply

  23. I run to run away from office stress, personal struggles. It helps. Anywhere between 11km to 25km (or 1hour to 150 minutes.

    Mercury said on Jul 03 11 at 6:12 PM Reply

  24. I run because I feel like I’m running towards something…

    JC said on Jul 05 11 at 9:06 AM Reply

  25. This is interesting. I used to think of running as an escape, but lately, what I’ve realized is that personally, it’s the complete opposite. I think running is a strong affirmation of the present, It is physical movement which inspires seeing the moment in front of you with utmost clarity.

    Pinoy Weekend Warrior said on Jul 06 11 at 7:18 AM Reply

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