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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Addicted to Running

Before my run this afternoon, I started getting headaches and I wasn't feeling that well at all.  I needed a run. For the first mile, I still had that headache, but after that mile, my pounding headache went away and I was able to run my 5.96 miles in 51:29 (8:37 min/mile).  I haven't run in a long time so this felt really good.  After the run, I was slightly exhausted, but it felt so good.  The headache was gone, and I couldn't wait to go out again.

I'm addicted to running... or am I?

When you religiously do something every day, you get 'addicted' to it.  You might be psychologically addicted, or even physically addicted.  The thing is, when you do something every day, it becomes somewhat addicting.  When you miss out on it, you feel the difference, and you long for it.

There are so many things that we can get addicted to, and not all of them are good.  Once we get used to it, we just keep on doing it habitually and eventually, our body begins to need it.  I remember reading in the paper about how an individual from UK was addicted to chicken nuggets.  At age 2 she was introduced to them, and since then, her main course was chicken nuggets for 15 years.  Looking at that, it seems awful that she was in that situation, and I couldn't imagine anyone actually allowing that to happen... but the thing is, we get addicted to a lot of things.  Watching movies, eating junk foods, smoking, working out, running, drinking, and a lot more.

In the beginning, we choose whether or not we want to go on that path, and as we walk down the paths we choose, we might lose control.  My advice, make the right choices and choose to help yourself rather than hurt yourself.  I love running, but I'm not addicted to it.  Running is part of my life, but it doesn't control me.  I want to live a healthy lifestyle, and work towards encouraging others to take steps towards that kind of life, but I don't sacrifice everything around me in order to run and try to make the whole world a world of runners.

It's important to know who's really in control.  Are you in control?  Or is it the thing you like doing?  Who really wields the power?  I look at myself and I see that I am in control over my running, and not letting running take control over me.  Let's make sure to be in control and don't let anything else control you.

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