It never ceases to amaze me that people that have no desire to run, or exercise in any manner at all, often feel compelled to ridicule running. I do not ask for their opinion, yet some of them feel obliged express it. I admit that at one time I was part of that group - I did not exercise at all - yet I never once felt obligated to insult or ridicule those that did. Alas - not everyone can keep their unwanted opinions to themselves.
A case in point.
This week I had occasion to run outside on my 4 mile training run. I usually enjoy this run - yet on this day a crew of workers that were suppose to be doing work on the road surface felt compelled to stop their activity and comment on my activity. They began talking loudly while staring in in my direction. All were puffing on cigarettes - one was coughing in great wheezing gasps as his cigarette dangled from the corner of his mouth. All were watching me as I labored slowly up the long, steep hill.
One of the group smugly proclaimed in my direction, "you'd never see ME running!" Another announced between puffs on his cigarette, "What kind of fool runs UP a hill!" They all laughed scornfully. "Yeah," the third one added, " must be some kind of health nut." Finally one of them yelled out, "What are you doing...training for the Olympics or something?" With that they all bellowed heartily at their clever put down.
I'd had enough! I slowed down a bit as I got closer to them. Well - since they asked, I'd tell them! "Actually I 'm in the middle of training for something all right...a marathon...you know"" I continued sarcastically... "a 26 mile race."
The man with the dangling cigarette spoke next. "A Marathon. You think you're gonna run a marathon?" He laughed at how utterly absurd the idea was.
I answered, with feigned sweetness dripping in my voice. "Well, actually I have already ran a marathon a few months back . Right now I'm in training for my second one."
Not willing to let the conversation end like that, he snorted sarcastically, "You call that fun? That ain't what I'd call it! I can think of a lotta more ways to have fun."
Yeah, I thought, "I just bet he could."
I continued to run and played my trump card. "Well, I'd say it's a lot more fun than dropping dead from a heart attack, dying of lung cancer from smoking too much or wheezing my way through the rest of my life."
