At Halloween Season, do we run to eat or eat to run?

Non-runners look at me funny when I confess my love of running. It really is odd, considering that I hated it when I was a kid. I was the kind of runner as a kid who would make an all-out-mad-dash and then collapse in a heap of debilitating side-cramps-gasping-for-breath. I never understood running as fun. It was a means-to-an-ends. For instance: you are late for school and have to run to make it before the bell rings. Or, a bear is chasing you and you need to outrun the slowest person in your group. Or, there's only one slice of pepperoni pizza (or chocolate) left, and you are racing (and shoving) the competition, er, your husband, out of the way. Ahem, that last one wouldn't happen (often).

So, when I tell people that I love to run and it's my rather inexpensive therapy - understandably they assume I am hiding three extra heads somewhere. It just doesn't sound like the me of my youth. But thankfully we grow and develop new interests all the time. Speaking of growing - we grow even as adults. That was when I first discovered running. My 20's were a chance to finally get a job and be an adult. Little did I realize that job meant sitting for 8 hours a day, and there would no longer be the 2-5 miles of walking across campus to keep me in shape. I had struggled once with the freshman 15, and didn't want to repeat that with my new found career. So I gave running a whirl. It took awhile to realize that I needed to pace myself and breath. Funny how breathing comes so naturally, except when you really need it! I struggled through shin splints and side stitches, but eventually found my stride at a comfy 10 minute mile. Turns out all those guides on running are right. It takes about 500 miles to get your stride. Funny how you need to practice even something as simple as running.

So 20 years later I'm still running. Faster and longer now. Nothing beats a quiet fall morning run. Oddly enough I haven't really lost any weight in all the years of running. I am still about the same weight. I still struggle with the same 10 lbs. - just in different jiggling ways. If I were running to lose weight I would be really frustrated. Oh, right, I am frustrated that I can run 30 miles a week and not lose those 10 lbs. But the definition of insanity is to do the same thing and expect different results. Uhm, rats, I may have to rethink that conversation with my spouse about how I'm not crazy. Tonight I am going to try something new. Since I haven't lost those 10 lbs with all the running I am going to add weight lifting to my routine and see if that helps. I'll keep you posted.