Running is BAD!!!

[curiouser]

Do you all get this as much as I do? From my yoga instructor to my new boss, I seem to be a target for random people to impart their "wisdom" as to why running is bad for me and my body.

Yep, all that weight loss, increased muscle tone, improved energy levels, decreased stress levels.. all those must be bad if running is bad! The pain and injury some people experience couldn't have anything to do with improper training.

But seriously, how do you handle these downers in your life that seem to be hell-bent in converting you to the Church of Running Haters?

 

[laxdef69]

in the eye....

Seriously, ask them how they think olympic athletes train?

Or why your blood work suddenly improves with the dropped weight, not to mention a dramatically lower chance of heart attack?

Thats right, it must be the fitness pills that everyone in the country takes...

My Dad had the right advice for this situation:

"Arguing with an idiot is like trying to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig"

 

[Steffwalks]

How about: Studies have shown that people who run are seldom mugged, OR Studies have shown that people who run are 48% more intelligent than people who don't. And my personal favorite: Runners get to drink more beer and eat more pizza!

Okay, I am a walker, but it still works.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

Right here baby! I've got the answer although the non-believers will NEVER convert. I choose to just smile at them. I will often refer to the article from Runner's World in the link if it seems like they are half interested.

Otherwise, I simply "run away."

 

[bunnyfoo]

Hmm... do we have the same manager/team? My theory for my team (and I use that term very loosely) is that they like to be the so-called bearers of bad news or just like to be right. So anything they can do to bring you down makes them happy. I also suspect a part of that has to do with jealousy and wishing they had the motivation to start exercising.

When I first started, I had a lot of knee and hip problems which were related to using the wrong type of shoe, poor running form and using the TM. Things were better after I started seeing my chiro for A.R.T. and training with my PT. He taught me a lot of different core exercises which have helped me improved my posture and running form. In fact, I'm happy to say that I ran the Minnie last Sunday pain free!

I do know of two people who have had knee surgeries from running. I did ask my chiro about running being bad for me and he says sometimes there are people who have pre-existing conditions that are worsened by running (or any other sport).

My Dad had the right advice for this situation:

"Arguing with an idiot is like trying to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig"

I love it!

 

[deekaypee]

Love, love, love Connie's responses. I'm stealing them! I have a variety of responses that I've used.

1) I can raise one eyebrow, so I like to do the stop, pause, and stare with the eyebrow raised. Because I have a fairly Cro-Magnon brow, so most people stop what they're saying and look slightly scared. The eyebrow is the method I employ the most, probably because I'm inordinately proud of my ability to raise just one!

2) For someone who's persistent, is loaded with all those facts, and who just keeps talking. I just keep saying, "Yes, yes, you're right. Yes, of course you're right." Over and over again, like a loop. Somehow when I acknowledge a person's rightness, it takes the fun out of the argument.

3) When it's someone close to me, the subject is brought repeatedly, and I'm seriously annoyed I will say, "My body. My choice." The first time I said it was to my MIL when, after this year's Goofy, she started in on DOOD again. She said she really thought it was time for him to stop running marathons (at a minimum) because of his knee, all those studies, etc. We'd we'd been talking about his desire to do an ultra. So I said, "It's DOOD's body. It's his choice." And she was offended, saying she NEVER told her children what to do, that she supported him no matter what, and that she was just expressing her opinion. But the phrase worked--she's not told him to stop running again. (We'll see what this weekend holds.) And I've found it works for me, too.

4) And then there's my so-called sense of humor. If it's a fairly innocuous comment, I might say something like, "Yeah, I tried to kill myself quickly by drinking an entire bottle of Draino, but that didn't work." Or "Yeah, I know, but my doctor tells me that running helps me curb my impulse to make fun of uninformed people." Or "Yeah, running might hurt my knees eventually, but I figure the mafia's going to get a crack at 'em first. I have many addictions that I'm gonna have to pay for.

Seriously, people are going to keep saying things like that over our running careers. I don't really know why, don't really care. I just keep practicing my breathing exercising my breathing exercises and my mantra "all about me." As in, doing this is all about [taking care] of me and my needs.

 

[Big Vic]

I keep it simple. I just tell them to "Bite Me."

 

[Mooshu]

For all the haters...I simply show them all my Bling! LOL I have them proudly displayed in my office, people like to pick them up and look at them. Especially the 15th anniversary marathon medal!

After that they're very impressed and tell me they need to start exercising more.

 

[Cruella de mom]

I usually just smile.

I was once hell bent on destroying myself. I did so many truely dangerous things that it amazes me that I am alive, that I have all four limbs, and that I am not brain dead (I heard that) Big Vic would NOT have been my friend back then.

So when someone tells me that running is bad for me, I know that that hellraising teenager is still alive and well deep down inside of me and it makes me smile. Strange thing is, most people simply let it go when they see that smile.

Dh has another answer. He replies "yeah and sex is bad for your back but I am not giving that up either"

 

[goofyinohio]

If running is bad then I don't want to be good!!!

 

[Jen117]

I keep it simple. I just tell them to "Bite Me."

You know, I am not sure I would mess with Big Vic. Take him with you!!!!

 

[hoosmi]

Oh yeah, try running pregnant!

I've caught a lot of grief, which is really crazy because I'm barely shuffling along. I keep telling people that it is much easier for me to run slowly than to walk quickly, but only other runners understand what I'm talking about, and they're not the ones heckling me!

Jen in GA

 

[gatorphipps]

It feels so good to be bad.....I think it is jelousy.

Had a woman tell me my uterus (SP?) would fall out b/c of running. I told her Good, I don't need it anymore.

I tell people that I will let my 85 YO friend, Frank, know that running is bad...he is an ultra runner...like 50 mile races. He better stop. It will kill him one day.

 

[cryssi]

do people really say these things? I haven't heard that one yet...but I'd probably punch them in the nose...lol, well...maybe not, but I agree, I think they are just jealous that they don't have the drive to get out there and run themselves!

You go, Morgan! run your heart out!

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

...Had a woman tell me my uterus (SP?) would fall out b/c of running. I told her Good, I don't need it anymore.

I tell people that I will let my 85 YO friend, Frank, know that running is bad...he is an ultra runner...like 50 mile races. He better stop. It will kill him one day.

OMG! Christa
I'm so laughing right now. Loving the love.

 

[curiouser]

Oh my gosh I am laughing so hard at these!!

I'd love for someone to tell me my uterus would fall out if I ran.. I'd just explain to them that that's why women's running shorts have built in briefs

 

[SamSam]

Oh my gosh I am laughing so hard at these!!

I'd love for someone to tell me my uterus would fall out if I ran.. I'd just explain to them that that's why women's running shorts have built in briefs

Can't stop laughing!