Running service

I’ve been running regularly almost three years. I’ve managed to run 3 to 5 times almost every week, about 10 km. per run. It’s been fun. I’ve made friends thanks to running. I’ve participated in marathons and half-marathons, and have loved discovering cities that way.

There is one negative aspect to all this: you become something of a role model for the many people who would like to be doing more sports. For some reason, people feel a stigma about running in particular. Sure, you hear complaints about not going often enough to the swimming pool, or having neglected tennis. But people don’t just tell me about their failure to run regularly. They want some sort of absolution.

Guilt runners make for selfish run companions. Increasingly, I don’t take it kindly when people ask to run with me out of a sense of obligation, or a desire to slim down. In contrast, people who enjoy running are thoughtful towards other runners, mindful of differences in speed or habits or preferences. Cheers to them!