Distance Running for confidence building

[Belmar2010]

Not sure if some of you would agree with me, but nothing is more grueling, challenging and so un fun as running a distance of alteast two miles WITHOUT stopping.

I ran my first 5K since hs X-Country and it was the "hell on earth". It was also 90F and humid.

Nothing gives you a greater sense of accomplishment than completing that run when your mind and body wanted you to quit one mile or so back.

I will never understand that distance running does not get the respect it deserves.

Weightlifting is considered MORE MACHO than running, but running is 5X harder than Weightlifting.

X-Country practice to me was more grueling than wrestling practice ("high schools toughest sport).

You want to increase confidence in life and push your limits, go out and start running.

 

[Julius_Seizeher]

I ran cross country is hs too, and it IS the hardest sport in primary education. But I gave my wrestling buddies credit, I went to one of the best wrestling schools in the country and those guys trained their guts out.

The football players would josh with us, while all they did at practice was stand around with their thumbs up their fat a$$es. I'm glad they didn't join the CC team though, our practices would have killed them!

I run a little now, between CC and the Marines I got all the fvcking running I ever wanted!

The reason we see an aversion to distance running is that no one wants to end up looking like a distance runner/cyclist. Go to the H&F Forum and all you hear is "Don't run! Don't do it!" Give me a break, running is 150% more healthy than lifting weights. I don't lose my gains when I run, I'm 6'2" 185 and nearly shredded.

So yes, distance running is good, regardless of what Ahnold the iron-pumping tree stump over at H&F sais. Lift AND run like me.

 

[Jules Verne]

Every man should complete a marathon at least once.

 

[jocca]

+ 1 rep for Julius_Seizeher. Couldnt agree more. Middle distance running and weightlifting aren't Counterintuitive to each other. Both should be done to acheive maximum fitness and anyone who thinks its a waste of time is a waste of time themselves.

 

[EA Gold]

I ran cross country from 7th grade to 11th grade and yes it did help me lose weight but no did not help me with the ladies...lol

But i guarantee if I was football or a bodybuilder, ladies would be in abundance

 

[comic_relief]

If you want to add in stuff that every man should do at least once in their life. They should do a bicycle tour cross country.

I did one throughout NE PA two years ago and now I am doing one from Niagara Falls to New Orleans starting June 18th.

Nothing compares to the freedom and finding out what you are made of when one does a bicycle tour. One day it is freezing and the next day it is burning up and humid.

- comic_relief

 

[runner83]

Good post all, and considering my nick I had to post in this one.

As someone who's previously ran 2 marathons (no more planned!), it is a rewarding experience.

TO compare running and lifting weights is not right, since they are for different purposes. Lifting weights is to build your muscular system, while running (or any cardio) is to to benefit basically everything else.

If I had to choose, I'd stick to the cardio, but both are valuable in their own ways.

Keep it up!

 

[Quiksilver]

I'd argue that squatting 405lbs is a bigger confidence builder than distance running.

There's nothing like the giddyness and confidence you feel after hitting a milestone PR on a main lift.

 

[sageproduct]

What about sprints/interval training? Personally, I think going "one more sprint" is more grueling than going "one more mile", but only if you're really busting your @$$ 100%.

I ran cross country is hs too, and it IS the hardest sport in primary education. But I gave my wrestling buddies credit, I went to one of the best wrestling schools in the country and those guys trained their guts out.

The football players would josh with us, while all they did at practice was stand around with their thumbs up their fat a$$es. I'm glad they didn't join the CC team though, our practices would have killed them!.

I also disagree that cross country practices are harder than football practices. At least at my school, football practice was like sucking a huge d1ck every day. The guys that you see standing around on the sidelines are the second-teamers and scout teamers. The starters are always out there in the drills. If you fwcked up, you'd get cussed at so you were always paying attention. Practice never finished until at least four and a half hours after the time we got out of school. It was a b1tch every day.

Conditioning days were brutal, especially the two-a-days at the end of the summer. If you've never worn pads before, they make sprints suck so much more than they already do. And since there are so many fwcking coaches, someone's gonna see you if you're dogging it and they're gonna call you out.

Cross country and track...at my school I'd see guys fwcking around not running, and everyone else just kind of jogging and chatting at the same time. Although I'm sure some of the top guys were constantly busting their a$$es, they were never out there for over two hours.




Football didn't just wear you down physically...you're always surrounded by tough guys who want to call you out, you're competing for spots on the team, you're being barked at by coaches all the time...not to mention having to hit/block people and get hit every fwcking day had to toughen you up mentally.

 

[EA Gold]

I also disagree that cross country practices are harder than football practices. At least at my school, football practice was like sucking a huge d1ck every day. The guys that you see standing around on the sidelines are the second-teamers and scout teamers. The starters are always out there in the drills. If you fwcked up, you'd get cussed at so you were always paying attention. Practice never finished until at least four and a half hours after the time we got out of school. It was a b1tch every day.

Conditioning days were brutal, especially the two-a-days at the end of the summer. If you've never worn pads before, they make sprints suck so much more than they already do. And since there are so many fwcking coaches, someone's gonna see you if you're dogging it and they're gonna call you out.

Football didn't just wear you down physically...you're always surrounded by tough guys who want to call you out, you're competing for spots on the team, you're being barked at by coaches all the time...not to mention having to hit/block people and get hit every fwcking day had to toughen you up mentally.

It seems like football is a harder sport then cross country because everyone helped each other including the coach with running. There was no first team or second team everyone ran. So all you had to do was to deal with the pain and suffering that came with the sport.

On the other hand, not only you have to deal with the pain and suffering in football but the frustration and stress from your team mates as well as your coaches.

 

[Mr. Bond]

Quit arguing over what sport is "the best" workout. It's pointless. All the activities everyone has mentioned have two things in common. You're getting in better physical shape and you're working toward a goal. These are all great for your mind and body.

Nuff said.