Pickin' Wildflowers

Whatcha say we go pickin' wildflowers?
Got a spot way back in the woods.
Sneak away for a couple of hours,
You and me, pickin' wildflowers.

Trying to convince beginning runners what they need to do to be successful and injury-free in the sport is a difficult proposition. I’m not defining success here as winning races or age group awards. I define success in running by having an active, healthy running life where you get both mental and physical satisfaction from running day-in and day-out, where is becomes part of your lifestyle and a welcomed one, not one of drudgery. I also define success by what one can take from running and apply to life.

So many beginners want to go out and run too fast, too far, and sometimes just too much. When the runs aren’t fast enough, far enough or just plain “enough”, they get frustrated and end up stopping without ever giving it a chance. Sometimes I hear about the little aches and pains – well this hurts and that hurts. Truly, what hurts more is a sedentary lifestyle. Sitting in my chair is worse on my back than running. Yes, runners do need to listen to their bodies for more serious injuries or fatigue that can lead to injuries. However, for me, running cures all ills. If I have a backache, headache, foot ache, depressed, or stressed running stops it – sometimes for just that short time while running and sometimes for good or until the next time.

So what’s my point in all this? Just go out and move – run a little, walk a little, run some more and stop and pick some wildflowers, talk to a horse then run a little more and enjoy the body in motion and exploring both nature and yourself. For beginners and veterans alike, take the time to enjoy the experience. A few entries ago I spoke of stopping to pet and talk to a horse. I smile at deer and rabbits, I jump so I don’t step on a snake, I pick a wildflower that I have never seen, and I smell the newly blossomed honeysuckle – all of these things on my runs.

All said, I am serious about my running also. I like to compete (mostly against my own times) so I do train and do focus and work hard when I need to. Not every runner has to do this. To be a runner, you just need to run and sometimes go pickin’ wildflowers.