I recently commented on a New York Times article Running Hard at 66 and Living With the Consequences
Having just returned from a 24 Hour Bike Race in Florida I had both the time and occasion to ponder the issue of `motivation.' The wind and cold of this race made it an absolutely brutal experience for those participating.
I chose to stop racing after 14 hours and 212 miles. I confronted what is, for me, a simple logic: "What do I gain by persisting in the pain and misery of pushing through for 24 hours?!"
I have (we all have) the physical capacity to push on.
Is the decision to suffer on proof of `something?' In my case, it wasn't. I didn't need it for my ego. I didn't need it to prove to myself that I can endure pain. Been there. Done that. Old news. (Besides, the worst pain takes place between our ears.)
So, reading the NYT article the other day came at the right time.
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A common limiting factor/problem with running and many other bone/muscle pounding activities, as we get older, is that of this-or-that use-related injury. These injuries increase in frequency and take more time to heal.
While each use-related injury is healing you are typically sidelined for weeks or months at a time. If you're lucky it will just take a ridiculously long time to regain fitness. If you're not `lucky,' and get a serious injury that further pushes you toward inactivity ... so the spiral begins.
So, the `yo-yo' of on-again-off-again injury with these kinds of activities puts a big dent in one's motivation to be fit.
There is a dangerous `if it hurts I must be a stud' mentality that needs to be reconsidered by sincere athletes and fitness afficionados. (Or, as a friend stated recently: "There's too much masochism and suffering in this stuff -- for what?!!")
The `best' part of your body is from the neck up. Put it to better use so that you can continue to enjoy your body from the neck down.
Work at finding a way to enjoy and express yourself in a sport or activity that adds life, spring, bounce and years to your life. Don't look down the barrel of a gun and pull the trigger just to see "if it works."
