It has been said that runners have their best thoughts of the day while out running. Runner and writer
Michael Selman shares his
"Thoughts on Running" with us here at ontherunevents.com.
Whoever it was that said that slow and steady wins the race was
obviously not a runner. The story of the tortoise and the hare might be
some kind of good parable for some analogies in life, but running a 5K
race is not one of them. If you run three slow and steady 15-minute miles,
you're doing something great for yourself, but you aren't likely to win
too many races. It would be about as likely as the slow and steady turtle
coming out of its shell.
And speaking of shells, one of the great things I have always enjoyed
about being a writer is that it places me in a position where I can have a
profound impact on others while remaining totally anonymous. I can reach
out while remaining safely in my shell. This is an advantage writers have
over movie stars and professional athletes. While the rich and famous are
having their daily battles with the Paparazzi, people like me, the poor
and unidentifiable in a police lineup, can always walk down the street
without being bombarded with flashbulbs and autograph seekers. Actually,
someone did ask for my autograph once, but threw it away when they
discovered that I wasn't Jim Varney after all.
I always smile when I learn that someone has heard of me through my
column, but I haven't minded my virtual anonymity, either. I have always
been a private person, and my comfort level has always been with my
introversion. The Webster's definition of an introvert is To concentrate
(one's interests) upon oneself. I suspect that many runners lean towards
introversion. Being an introvert does not necessarily mean that one is
quiet, but it might mean that he or she prefers to remain uninvolved. I
know many people who fit the profile of an introvert who actually talk
excessively. They just hate every minute of it.
Running is the kind of activity that many participate in for the
purpose of energizing themselves from within. It is an individual sport,
but for quite a few of us, the loneliness of the long distance runner is
strictly myth. When we run, we concentrate upon ourselves, and it's often
pure entertainment. It's ironic how a nice easy three-hour run constitutes
downtime for some of us.
Every year, elections are held within the ranks of most running clubs,
and people are asked to represent the club in different capacities. It
creates somewhat of a paradox. In most cases, the few active and involved
members are probably pitching outward involvement to a group largely made
up of introverts, and so it's like pulling teeth to get volunteers.
But with urging, and begging, and pleading, and perhaps threats of
bodily harm, someone has always stepped forward (or maybe they just didn't
step far enough back). And as long as there are people willing to step up
to the plate and take on the challenge when it is apparent that nobody
else will, why should I be concerned? And besides, I hate politics, I hate
traffic, I hate being involved in decisions that may be unpopular to some,
and I live so far away from where all my club's activities take place.
For the last two years, I have been approached and asked to run for
president of my running club, and both times, I figured it was because
nobody else wanted it, and the gesture truly defined scraping the bottom
of the barrel. You see, I come from the Groucho Marx School of
self-depreciation, which states that I would not want to join a club that
would have me as a member. But a club that would consider me for president
must truly be on a self-destructive course. I have refused both times I
have been approached. It would take me too much out of my routine, and my
introversion.
But I love running, and I value the club I belong to. If everyone
continued to concentrate their interests upon themselves, who would be
left to concentrate their interests on the club? So it's time to crawl out
of that comfortable shell of introversion and run. After all, running is
what brought me here, and running is what I love to do. If asked, I will.
Who knows? Without that heavy shell, maybe I'll even win the race, if only
by a 'hare,' and my wife, just like almost every time she races, might
once again be the "first lady."
The Roads Scholar, Michael Selman runs and writes in Atlanta GA. He
would love to hear from you. Please e-mail him at TheRoadsScholar@aol.com
with any questions or comments.
?
email this page to a friend ! 
