Friday, August 24, 2012

Common Questions

It has been a while, but please don't confuse my absence from blog writing with an absence from WANTING to write! Lots of great things going on in my world, unfortunately they all require time which subsequently eats into time I had set aside for other things. Ehh, that's life, right?

It is 4am as I am sitting here writing this. Yes, I said 4am.  You're probably thinking that I had a hard time sleeping and am just using my new found time to get caught up.  You couldn't be more wrong.  Nope, I was sleeping just fine.  In fact, I was a bit confused when my alarm went off at 3. Yep, 3am on a Friday morning.  Shouldn't we at least get to sleep in as the week comes to a close? If you are most people then that answer would be a resounding "YES!" As the week draws to an end and the weekend is peeking around the corner most people let out a sigh of relief as they are dreaming of a long, comfy night in their bed. Or maybe even a few nights in a row! Ok, enough of the ramble.. why am I up so darn early? Why, for goodness sake, will I get up far earlier on the weekend than I will during the 'work week'? Easy answer.  I'm a runner and I am training for a race. Period. If you 're a runner you understand.  If you're not, you think I'm nuts.  I'm ok with that.

This blog has been swirling in my head during my runs. Now it is time to bring it to life.  As I am running I often think of the questions that people often ask me when they find out that I run ultra marathons:

1. You run all that way (30 or 40 or 50 miles) all at one time?? How long does that take?
2. Don't you get bored?
3. Do your knees hurt?
4. Why in the world would you do that?
5. What do you think about?
6. What do you eat when you do that?

Sure there are others, but those are the most common.  Generally even after those questions are answered I get another "you're nuts" comment.  I don't mind.  I just smile. Lately I have been smiling even more. And giggling, on the inside, when people ask these things.  I can't overlook the parallel in confusion- you see these are the SAME questions I'd like to ask a non- runner.  Someone that sits on the couch all day doing nothing.

1. You sit all that time? Watching reality show after reality show? How long does that take?
2. Don't you get bored?
3. Do your knees (and your back, and every other joint in your body) hurt?
4. Why in the world do you do that?
5. What do you think about?
6. What do you eat when you do that?

We are both 'confused' about what the other does on a normal basis. Funny though, I welcome the questions and use them as an opportunity to enlighten people about the wonderful experiences I have had during my races and my training.  This is more than I can say for the outcome of MY asking these questions to a couch dweller.

Just something to think about...




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