
1. Some type of chronic pain that includes, but is not limited to the hips, shins, heels, or lower back.
Yep, this is the nagging, always happening, annoying AF type of pain that will creep up on you, no matter how long or how far you run. Shin splints, plantar fasciitis, hip bursitisâyou name it, we probably have it. But no matter how it debilitates us, no matter how much ice and stretching and menthol patches and pain killers we consume, youâll still see us lacing up our running shoes. We canât help it.
2. The sweaty (and I mean sweaty) face.
Ah yes, the embarrassing, dripping, needs-a-sweat-band face. For some ungodly reason, humans have been graced with sweat glands. On our faces. Why? Why? Why? But us runners know that looking like we just came out of the shower is a part of life. So we embrace it. âNo, no, this is my natural glow.â
3. The 29710284 brands of shoes and each of them fitting and feeling completely different.
Okay, first of all thereâs running, cross-training, walking, aerobic, tennisâŚand those are just the types. Then thereâs brands. And design features, like ârocker solesâ or custom arch supports. And if that isnât bad enough, they all fit and feel different. Some are super light, some are heavy, some are filled with this cushiony stuff and some just feel like thereâs nothing there. So until we find the pair that fits and feels amazing, weâre usually all over the place with our shoe selection.
4. The good-days-bad-days and continual ups and downs.
Running isnât easy. You might have an amazing three mile run on Monday, then cramp after two minutes on Tuesday. You could easily do a fifteen mile jog, but struggle through an interval sprint. It changes, almost continually. Youâll feel strong, then weak. Tired, then rejuvenated, then sore again. But itâs the ups and downs that keep you coming back, keep you motivated to get better every single day. (And yeah, you might be a little crazy.)
5. The crawling up shorts. No matter what you do.
On a treadmill, for a run around town, sh*t even on the ellipticalâyour gym shorts ride up. AKA continual wedgie. Unfortunately this is just a part of the runnerâs life. Sucks to suck I guess.
6. Those uncomfortable, âActually Iâd prefer to run aloneâ conversations.
You have a pace, a rhythm, and a passion for runningâŚalone. That doesnât mean you canât run with other peopleâŚyouâd just prefer not to, like, 90% of the timeâŚwhich, unfortunately makes you look like a b*tch. Oh well.
7. Always having to remove the soles of your shoes and replacing them with sole inserts.
If youâre an avid runner, chances are youâve had some heel or arch pain. (Itâs almost inevitable.) ButâŚif youâre lucky (or I guess unlucky enough for it to be this serious) youâve invested in one of those fancy sole inserts. And you now rock them in pretty much every pair of shoes you ownâŚyes, including some heels.
8. The âNo-Iâm-not-an-a$$hole-I-just-donât-want-to-be-interruptedâ awkward moments.
I donât get it. If I have my headphones in, and Iâm going at a pretty decent pace, WHY WOULD YOU TRY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ME?! I mean seriouslyâŚdonât I look a little busy? Some people just donât get it.
9. Having to explain, for the 20802375th time, that Yes, I actually enjoy this.
Yes, running is my passion. Yes, I run for fun. No, Iâm not forced to do this. Jeeezzz. You think theyâd get it the first time.