Defn: a human male displaying evidence of devolution - exhibits distinctive "caveman-like" tendencies. This man often dribbles in public places; cannot drink a beverage without spilling it on himself, the floor or someone else; may also run into objects like lampposts & bushes; has a definite "sloopish & short legged" running style that is slow and low to the ground, often resulting in the dragging of knuckles.

These throwback neanderthals, along with their questionable diet, should clearly be avoided.

Friday, April 13, 2012

My Mother in Law Running Complex

As far as I know, anything and everything is allowed in the Bloggy world.  You write about what you do, what is going on, what you think, whatever and whenever you like.

And so with that - my Mother in law is what I am about to write about.

She left this morning, my wife took her to the airport at 4:30 am.  Upon my wife's return - as I was about to leave for my day, I asked her what she is going to do all by herself all day, with me out of the house at work, the kids off to school.

The reply: "whatever I like cause my shadow won't be with me every waking minute of the day".

With that being said, (and just in case my wife - or God forbid - Mother in Law ever read this),  I replied back - "then, have fun!"

Got me thinking while I was driving - I know, amazing that he can think and drive at the same time - too bad everyone else on I-25 can't do the same - anyhow...... why do we act different when others are around us?

Which then soon lead to running thoughts - why do we run different when we run with others?  Maybe some people don't.  I do - especially when in a race, but even when out for a run on a trail and I come up alongside someone, or vice versa, or when someone comes by the other way - I find myself trying to look like I am running better, stronger, faster than when no-one is around and I am by myself.

I can be (trying) to run up Barr Trail - particularly on the W's which really cause a hurting on me - and I look around and don't see anyone around, then I hear voices or turn a corner and see someone and immediately start moving at a quicker pace - sometimes from a walk to a jog, other times from a jog to a slightly faster jog.  Admittedly - I try to put on a better impression of (my) reality.

I usually like to run by myself.  When running with others I find I run a little different - be it slower, faster, with better form (less knuckledragging), with people I know, or around people I don't know.  Does it have to be that way?  Why does it happen?  Why different?

It's not that I really care (too much) about what other people's reactions are to me when I am running.  I know when I am out driving around and pass another runner I often times will think or say something about them or their style.  "Wow, he is speedy", or, "wow, she could probably do with running a few more miles". 

So, if I am responding to other runners - then they are possibly responding to me - therefore I am likely to run differently when seen by another runner.

I finish a race and look at the results - first area I look is what place I came in.  Should I really care?  I guess I do, because I do enter races (the likelihood of me ever winning anything ain't gonna happen - but if it did I would care about 1st place).

It's probably not wrong, or right - or maybe just a little of each.   I would love to say that from now on - I will run no differently with or without a shirt on people watching me.  But I probably will, or won't - or something, now I'm getting myself confused - must have been the text I just got from the wife saying that her Mom will be coming back for another visit this Summer.

I guess what I am saying / writing - is that I have a Mother in law running complex.  Could be worse I guess.   I could have a complex about the way I smell during or after a run and I really don't care about that at all.

2 comments:

  1. I wish some of the guys I ran with ran differently when I ran with them. They have no problem ripping tail as if they were alone.

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  2. The human condition dictates that we live in reference to other people. Unfortunately, you'd be declared to have a "complex" if you acted the same whether people were watching or not.

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