"Playing" for Adults

My last three workouts have been a mixed bag. One 10-mile run cut short around mile 7 because I was dehydrated and felt like I might keel over at any moment (my fault, I know). One half hour run that felt like an hour and a half. I was reluctant to do go out again – my last two attempts had been totally miserable and decidedly not fun. Could I find that spark again? And finally… a decent short run yesterday. Thankfully, the weather was cool and crisp, night was approaching, and kids were practicing soccer, tennis, and cheerleading on the fields along my route. My mind was in the right place. It was fun.

Apparently, other women are feeling the same way. Today I finally got around to reading the annual report on the “State of the Sport” by Running USA (runningusa.org). It was interesting to see the chart showing female runners’ “primary motivators for running.” According to the survey, the top motivators are (in order of priority): staying healthy, staying in shape, relieving stress, meeting a personal challenge, controlling my weight, achieving my goal, improving my state of mind… and finally… having fun.

This got me thinking: Are we forgetting that running is fun? Running is fun! Not all of the time, but it is definitely mostly fun! Right? This could start to explain why so many people have trouble staying with an exercise program, and why 64% of adults in the U.S. are obese. They aren't having fun.

The ability to run or walk is a real gift – no matter how fast or how slow we are. The ability to lace up our shoes, get outside, people watch as we zoom by, participate in races with friends, sleep well, just think, be alone for awhile, and be healthy is a good thing. Breathe in the crisp fall air. After all, running is really just playing for adults. Invite a friend to “play” with you, and inspire each other to run...for fun.