Running Hurts...Stop B*tching

When I was at my cousin's place on the weekend of my friend's wedding, I saw a Pearl Izumi ad that was hanging on his fridge. The headline caught my eye right away: "IF YOU RAN WITHOUT SACRIFICE, CONGRATULATIONS. YOU JUST JOGGED." That really intrigued me and I went over to read the rest of the text:

Running hurts. It always has. Woolly mammoths didn't just roll over onto a plate and serve themselves up to prehistoric man with fries and a shake. They had to be caught - and running down woolly mammoths was a bitch. Guess what? Running is still a bitch. But one with a purpose. It teaches us that good things do not come easy. It teaches us that we are capable of more than we think. It teaches us that hard work will be rewarded and laziness will be punished. Don't expect to learn those life lessons from running's shiftless stepchild, jogging. Next time you suffer on the roads or trails, suffer proudly. It means you run like an animal. ~ Pearl Izumi

Needless to say, I now run with this in my head. Running does hurt. Oh man, does it hurt. Whether you're cramping, getting hotspots, getting a side stitch, getting shin splints, or a combination of those, running is not fun and games. But every since reading this, I now press on through the pain. I used to slow down when I start to get a side stitch. I used to walk when it really starts to hurt. But now I just think of sacrifice.

Last night, I went to the gym to run. It was night time, so I was not going to run in my neighborhood. That's too much of a sacrifice. But anyway, I warmed up for about 6 minutes, then I started my run. Not sure if it was because I didn't wait long enough after dinner or if I didn't have enough water, but I started cramping about 8 minutes in. I had planned for 30 minutes of running, a very long time to go. It was a right side stitch, so I knew controlling my breathing would stop it, but I've never really succeeded in stopping a side stitch without slowing down to a walk. But I thought of sacrifice. So for the next six minutes, I only thought of my breathing. Exhale, 2, 3, 4. Exhale, 2, 3, 4. Always on the left foot. Let me tell you, those six minutes really tested my resolve. I really, really, REALLY wanted to walk. I fought to stay in good posture. I fought to keep my breathing regular. And before I knew it, the cramp was gone, and I was running free.

I did pretty well. Not including my warm up/cool down, I ran 3.1 miles - a 5K. I started at under a 10 minute mile (9.40 min/mile or 6.2 mph) and ended with around a 9.13 min/mi (6.6 mph) pace. That brought my 3.1 mile time to 29 minutes. Not bad. I was pretty pleased. I even forgot about my side stitch episode for a while. And since I got my new Sauconys, I haven't had any issue with blisters or hotspots. Nice. If only I can fix the sweating issue...puddles...