An Old and Tired Man went for a Reluctant Run and Came Back Young and Energized

It was a tiring week of work with long hours and meetings at night with a lot of driving. The pandemic felt like history and I was back on the hamster wheel going full speed at work. I was so tired both mentally and physically that I had taken an extra day off from my morning running routines.  As I woke that Friday morning, I was exhausted. In fact, I was not really awake, I was more in a walking stupor.  I looked at the clock and knew I had time to get in a good run before work but I was not feeling in the mood. I was contemplating taking another “rest” day.  What really seemed appealing to me was sitting in my chair with a cup of coffee scrolling through my phone. After all, I had put in a lot of hours this week, I deserved to do nothing at all. It was time to recharge my batteries. I not only did not want to run but I was not very enthusiastic about going to work either.

I however have an obsessive habit of charting my runs and hate to have too many blank days so I compromised with the two entities battling in my brain.  I would just do a short run of four miles. Even though this was a day, I should do at least twice that distance.  I reluctantly put on my running gear and headed out the front door.  I live at the top of the hill so the first three quarters of a mile is mostly downhill which should make for an easy start but I was not feeling it, but I trudged on. Not because I wanted to, but because I had to. I needed to get some miles in.

A strange and funny thing happened as I was running by the lake in my neighborhood at mile two.  Almost exactly at the moment my Garmin vibrated that I was at mile two I noticed that my lethargy was completely gone and my somewhat dour disposition was replaced with a more positive almost euphoric mindset. I continued on past the lake in which I was a member, and when I got to the turn to at which I would veer and start my return back home for a four mile run I flew by it and headed in the opposite direction which was the route up and downhills for my eight plus mile run.

As I came upon the end of the road with only a left turn to make that would take me back home for an eight and a half mile run I didn’t want to stop so I turned right.  That would leave me with an eleven mile run and barely enough time to get to work on time. I was okay with pushing it and leaving only minutes to get to work because I was no longer the same tired and unenthusiastic person who left my house.  I was energetic and actually looking forward to doing my work. That was until my cellphone rang and it was my boss so I had to take the call even though it was before I started work. (I will admit that I debated answering the phone and may not have answered it if I was only a mile from home but I still had almost four miles left so I answered it.) In any case I dealt with the issue and finished an eleven mile run.

Yet that eleven mile run did not tire me one bit. It actually energized me. I was also enthusiastic about my work and had a great day at work.  That run had changed my entire day. While I am an avid runner, to a small degree I had taken running for granted. It was just part of my fitness routine but this run reminded me that exercise and running provide more than just fitness they affect my mood and my energy. It actually makes me a better employee. (I am thinking of asking my association to fund my race entry fees as professional development! Which led to this humorous blog)

The following day my sister called and I knew that her work, like mine, was crazy and she was putting in long hours this month.  As she talked, I could not only feel her exhaustion over the phone but I also sensed that her goal was just to make it through the week. As we talked about our crazy work schedules, she admitted how tired she was. She finally said to me “I don’t know how you can do all those events (races and runs) with your work?”   I was going to respond that “I can do all those things because I run.” but just remained quiet and listened. That was my role in this conversation.

While to a nonrunner like my sister, who lives a busy life, adding in a running or any exercise routine into their schedule may seem exhausting.  It is actually the opposite.  It adds energy and positivity to your day.  You find a way to fit your run (It can be any exercise not just running.) because without it you are tired.

I realized that my exhaustion and tiredness that week was not physical in nature.    No, it was more a mental exhaustion. Though, it had definitely slowed me down physically. I had made a mistake earlier in the week by taking an “extra” rest day from my runs. I had acted like a nonrunner and sat on my butt mindlessly surfing the internet. The break from my running routine had only added to my weariness.

A few days later, I was at a meeting featuring a speaker on mental health and dealing with stress. During the presentation, she stressed the importance of self-care. Then to my surprise, she stated that she knew I was a good example of someone who practiced self-care through my running. I had never told her I was a runner but we were friends on Facebook so she saw my running posts. I had never looked at running as self-care but after that one morning run and the conversation with my sister, it made sense. There are numerous studies that confirm this but it is always better to experience things first hand than just read about them.

Despite knowing this is self-care, it is not always easy taking that first step out the door, especially on a cold day. Yet the man who comes back after a run is always a happier, more energetic and positive man than the one who took that first step. I am positive I am not the only runner who feels that way.