racing thoughts - or what I think about during long runs

Two questions I get a lot - "What the heck do you think about on your long runs?" and "Doesn't it get boring?"

The truth is, yes, sometimes it does get a little boring.  I have been known to listen to books or podcasts to help pass the time.  NPR Ted Radio Hour and Pace the Nation are two of my favorites.  I don't usually listen to music since my tastes tend towards hardcode groups such as Rage Against the Machine, 1000 foot Krutch, and Avenge Sevenfold. That type of music is great for short work outs, the gym, or the last 1/2 mile of a marathon, but not so much for a 3 hour run.

More often than not, I run without my ipod (yes, I still use an ipod vs. phone).  So what do I think about?  Honestly, I have absolutely no idea.  I would love to say that my running it is a type of a meditation.  I picture thoughts flowing freely into and out of my head like a palm tree bending before the wind.  However, in reality, I am more like that dog in the movie Up,<squirrel!>  then a mediating monk.

I usually run on trails versus pavement for many reasons, but one in particular is the scenery. Instead of gazing with envy at perfect yards, I enjoy seeing the mist rising off a pond, or dew dripping off a tree backlit by the sun.  There is a downside to all that nature.  Last week a bee mistook my bald spot for a flower and stung me.  Insulted and injured - a double whammy.


Aside from bee stings, there is one thing that is sure to pull my head out of the clouds - the smell of food.  More than once, the smell of bacon or a grill has tempted me to stop mid run and knock on a stranger's door.

So what do I think about during runs? I will leave you with a motivational poster" from Mark Remy that describes it pretty well.

Feel free add what your think about while running in the comments below.

About me ('cause at the end of the day, it is all about me, right =)

A little background to help you decide if this blog will be worth reading or not.  

First, I enjoy running, but that that wasn't always the case.  In fact, in high school, I had no interest in track. Instead I played football and lacrosse.  And the part of practices I hated more than anything else? Running. There was no chance I would sign up for a sport where running was the practice.  

However, as I got older, less graceful, and slower, running became the easiest, and probably safest, sport for me. So I started running.  More than a half dozen marathons, a couple of ultras, several half marathons and too many 5 and 10K to count I have found I actually enjoy it. 

Running can be a social sport, but not for me.  I get really nervous when someone asks me to join them on a run.  Runners seem to fall into two camps - those who run in a group and those that don't.  I most definately represent the latter.  Hence the title of my blog - Running to Escape.   Running is 'ME' time.  No wories about being slower or faster (okay, maybe just slower) than the rest of the group, or how far they are going, or worse, what to talk about. I view my run time as a cheaper and healthier version of therapy.  
  
While I do usually run alone, I do enjoy sharing stories, tips, and my passion with others.  I hope to fill this space with stories about the people I have met, places I have been, and things I have seen and learned.  I may also discuss topics such as: 
- The mix of pride / horror I felt the first time my son beat me in race; 
- What is the proper sock length? How about proper short length?
- Is Road or Trail running better?

FYI – for a sample of my writing, see the following race report 
http://french-family.blogspot.com/2009/02/going-30-for-turning-40.html