I run to feel accomplished
On my Friday afternoon run, I thought “Why I am out here running for a second time today, struggling up these hills? What. Is. The. Point. Of. This.”
I love to run. I love getting out of the house and exploring new routes and places entirely on foot. I like seeing how far I can run from my house and get back. Do I have to do an out-and-back or can I do a giant loop? Can I take a little different route today to see something new?!
But geesh. I am NOT fast. And I am not even working on speed right now. I am just trying to survive the heat of this summer without declaring “I HATE RUNNING!” when it’s over (so far, so good).
So when I am feeling groggy, running hills in the heat, I start to question myself.
Then it came to me.
I run to feel accomplished.
(Only “almost” because I have not yet crossed the finish line in this photo!)
Again – not in a sense of “I am an accomplished, speedy runner” but in the sense of “I set out to do that run and I did it. I accomplished it.”
Is that a bit of a stretch? I hope not, because these days, running and working out is one of the only things that makes me feel accomplished. Or maybe I want to say, that I accomplished something.
I don’t always feel that way at work (but when I do, it’s a great work day). I don’t always feel that way at home (I cannot cook, I am a slob). And I don’t even always feel that way in my relationships (I am sometimes often very selfish).
But anytime I do any sort of physical activity, no matter how well it goes, I feel like “Damn. I got that done. I didn’t sit on the couch. I accomplished something.” And then I feel energized to do more in the other areas of my life.
And that feels good.
Tell me what makes you feel accomplished!
Themocracy
This is great! You are absolutely accomplishing something with your runs. (and you should remove the “almost” from your photo above because finishing a marathon is an accomplishment!)
In getting to your marathon finish, you accomplished training, overcoming setbacks, and whatever other stuff could get in the way. You surely accomplished a lot that day 🙂
I also might run to feel like I accomplished something. Running is the only thing I can put time into and see a tangible result from my labors. No one else can do the race for me. It’s just me against the clock.
And any distance I finish, slow or fast always leaves me feeling like I did something epic 😉
I should have been more clear with my “almost” – I was just saying almost, because in the pic I have not crossed the finish line yet. LOL. I will put a note on the post 🙂
That is a good point that only WE can put in the effort to see results from our training. Maybe that is why it feels so good! Even when I get encouragement from my friends, and run with them, it is still my legs 🙂
It’s not a stretch at all! I think feeling accomplished is what can be so addicting. Like swearing up and down you will never run a race again and then agreeing to sign up for another race the next day!
PS, if you are not fast, than I am really, really, really, really not fast.
Ha ha ha. Who does that?!
We are both slow. Let’s be slow together! There’s really nothing wrong with being a slow runner. It’s a lot better than running 0 mph. And I think running slow in the summer is crucial to my survival as a runner 🙂
So true, my friend!
There is nothing better than crossing a finish line. I agree. I may not always PR. It may be a shitty race. But crossing that finish line? Epic. Always.
I feel most accomplished when one of my kids gets what I’m trying to say. 🙂
I hope that happens more often than not 🙂
I understood your “almost” in the photo and thought it was pretty funny even before I read your disclaimer. haha.
I do feel accomplished when I run.. even when I set out to do 10 miles and end up only doing 8.
Great post! I totally run to feel accomplished, and I think a lot of people do too. I can completely relate to what you said about sometimes running is the only place in my life where I feel accomplishment. Especially now for me. Running is like the only thing I have to feel good about and I’m clinging onto it desperately! (sorry if that sounds a little depressing…) but I don’t agree with you on one point. You are in no way selfish. I don’t have to know you in real life to realize that!
Not depressing – I feel the same way. I thought this post might come off a bit that way too 😉
Ha ha. Thanks! I think I am most selfish around my husband. Maybe that is common for marriages? 🙂
Yes, running makes me feel accomplished. I definitely do better with training plans because I like to check off a box every day.
I love finishing things. That always makes me feel so accomplished. Whether it’s a run, a bike ride, a strength workout, or project or report at work.
I think at the basis of all my running I do it because I just feel good about myself. I love the feeling after a super tough workout! I love the high I get from running races and enjoying them.
I like your outlook. Even when I’ve had a really horrible run, I try to remind myself that I could have just done nothing, so bad run or not, at least I did it. I think that’s more important than speed, or distance or any of that.
I never thought about it this way, but I think that is part of what actually makes my job satisfying (even though I complain a lot). I can very clearly say, “I filled x number of jobs this month!”
I think back to when I hired a woman who was a single mom with two kids who had recently been laid off from her previous job. And she was so grateful, and always smiles and greets me enthusiastically when I run into her in the building.
I also had this conversation with someone at the animal shelter the other day–about what a difference spending one hour with these babies who would have no attention otherwise makes a huge difference in their little lives. One hour with one bunny on a Sunday makes me feel accomplished!
(note that nothing relating to exercise makes me feel accomplished–whoops)
It doesn’t have to be exercise related! It’s good just to have something! Or a few somethings! 🙂
One time I made a suggestion in a work meeting and people listened to me and we used my idea and it made me feel so good (sort of accomplished) – I wish I had that more at work! It’s great you get that from filling jobs 🙂
I feel accomplished when I finish a book, especially if it is like a history book or a long novel.
Another reason I should read more! I started a book on the 14th and am almost finished. That is a lot for me. LOL.
I feel like I’ve accomplished something after a hot muggy summer run, for reasons similar to what you mentioned: At least I didn’t sit on the couch in the air conditioning complaining about the heat (which I love to do).
I totally agree with the accomplished feeling after the run! Unlike you, I actually don’t enjoy the process of running too much. It might have something to do with the fact that I don’t run in nice views, or that I get too bored too easily, or that I just don’t like pushing too hard and feeling tired. But at the end, it all changes! I just feel like I did something good to myself and I accomplished something that others don’t, and then I like running again. I hope it makes sense. Lately, I feel accomplished when my code doesn’t produce segmentation faults. Yes, I am this accomplished!
Totally agree with you on the feeling of accomplishment after a run. Even if my run is craptastic, it is still better than sitting around on the couch eating potato chips!
Something that makes me feel accomplishment these days is completing my FULL PT routine, LOL.
Craptastic is my new word for not so good runs..love it!
Oh yeah! I feel so accomplished whenever I just remember to FOAM ROLL! So to do your full routine? Whew!
I was definitely having those negative feelings on my pathetic 3-miler (probably shorter) around a tiny playground track in my homestay apartment complex. I guess I feel more accomplished now that I’m finished, but while I was doing it, I was wondering if I would feel better for having done it. II think it’s good to check in with ourselves when running (or whatever) is really tough and ask whether it will make us feel accomplished in the end. If not, it might not be worth it!
There have been times when I have forced myself to run because it was “the thing to do” and those runs did not make me feel happy. They made me feel annoyed that I felt like I should be running. I go through phases like that each year. I kind of hate it. It makes me miss when running makes me feel good!
oh wow. yes. I totally agree. I bike to work 15 miles round trip every day and I sometimes think, “Um, I could be driving in a pretty dress.” The heat has been tough this summer,and all the bike adjustments, planning ahead, packing clothes & lunch, and then putting already-sweated-on-clothes back on again in the afternoon for my ride home. Febreeze can only do so much 🙂 But then I remember when I ride up my driveway feeling spent, that I accomplished something and that makes me feel kinda badass! I could have been cute in a dress, but I found something better. This motivates me to do recreational riding on the weekends, go faster, longer and harder. Thanks so much for sharing this!!
I think it is SO awesome that you do this! And besides making you feel great, it is so good for you. And I bet you always look cute, with dress or not 🙂