Question for runners: Are some people just not capable of running?

[yogabear]

I ran from 4th-12th grade. In high school, I won 8 varsity letters running, along with other awards. In college, I ran some, but just for fun. It helped me to clear my head, connect to my inner wisdom, and to get grounded.

I had some blocks related to things I believed that others told me, ie., limiting beliefs ("girls can't run as fast as guys," etc.). I also was super thin until my sophomore year of high school--I got my curves and so many people told me I'd never be fast again. What hogwash to put it politely. My physique is perfect for running actually

I took up bicycling in 1995 with mtn. biking and then, mtn. bike and road racing on and off since then. I have to say that it wasn't until I raced and trained that I learned what it truly was to push myself physically.

So, yes, I'm a natural runner...I'm making a slow return to it after a many year hiatus. I'm going to cross-train with my cycling disciplines and well, yoga too

I'd consider myself a Zen Jogger now though...I focus entirely on my breath when jogging. It's one of my many forms of meditation

[OakLeaf]

I talk up Chi Running so much, people must think I work for them, but really, I'm not even a real runner, and they would be embarrassed to have me working for them.

I'm with many of the rest of you. I run because * I want a different workout one or two days a week, * I like the challenge, and most of all, * because it's a cardio workout I can take with me wherever I go, and running ONLY once or twice a year on vacations just hurt too much. But I will never be a real runner. Probably just because I'm not committed enough to it to improve - in three years I've taken a whole three minutes off my 5-mile time.

But because I'm interested in technique in whatever I do, even if I'm not serious about the activity, I signed up for a Chi Running workshop this spring, and it totally changed my life Problems I had with my body mechanics that affected me doing aerobics and cycling - and even standing and walking - are improving. I can see in the mirror the difference in the muscle balance in my quads.

And while my time hasn't noticeably improved, my heart rate for the same pace has dropped by 5-10 bpm.

(I've read many places, BTW, that your max running heart rate is *supposed* to be higher than cycling. And cycling is higher than swimming. It's just that way.)

So check out Chi Running, maybe it will change your life too

[northstar]

But I will never be a real runner.

If you run, you're a runner!

I think a lot of us hear this voice in our head that says we're not legitimate at something (running, cycling, writing, playing music, cooking, whatever!) unless we're up to some standard we assume others are imposing.

Enough! Give yourself some credit!

[annie]

If I tried to be a "legitimate" runner, I'd never run. I'd always be comparing myself to someone better. It took me years to get away from that in cycling. I won't let it happen in running. That's why I mostly run alone. And so far, don't track my time. I just go out and run. Eventually, I hope to be comfortable enough to run with other people, and maybe even enter a few races - not to be competitive, but as a motivation to train. I want to feel good about running, not stressed out. So far, so good. And it surely helps to read these threads about how other women feel about running. I don't feel so alone. Thanks, all.

Annie

[indigoiis]

Really important to keep up with the shoes. Use your shoes only for running.

Shoes wear out fairly quickly and can cause running to be painful and uncomfortable.