Runner's Dilemma #5 — Please. Just Rain.

Image
   Morning Running Log | Runner's Dilemma No. 5 Please. Just Rain. Tomorrow's forecast: rain. "Alright." "Nothing I can do about that." "Guess I can't run tomorrow." The gift of a guilt-free rest day. I fell asleep feeling pretty good about the whole thing. · · · Early morning. Eyes crack open. First thing I do: listen. Is it raining...? I look out the window. Please. Come on. ... Oh no. A light drizzle. ... "Maybe if I take long enough putting on my running gear, it'll turn into a proper downpour..." ... · · · I wonder when the day will come when I actually want to run. When I'm so excited, so eager, so ready to go — that nothing could stop me.

Runner's Dilemma #3 — I Shouldn't Have Passed

 


Morning Running Log | Runner's Dilemma No. 3

I Shouldn't Have Passed

There's a strange moment that happens when you run.

You spot someone up ahead, running at roughly your pace.

And for no real reason — you want to catch them.

· · ·

The gap starts to close.

Should I go for it?

Not yet.

How are the legs?
Breathing okay?
Body check — still warming up.

Just a little closer.
Just a little more.



Here we go.

Drift left.
Keep the breathing quiet — can't let it show.
Arms easy, like this is totally normal.

Pass complete.

· · ·

But here's the thing.

I can't slow down now.

The moment I ease up, they'll know.

"He pushed to get past me."

So I keep going.
Running harder than I need to.
Much harder than I need to.


Face: falling apart.
Back: effortlessly cool.

"This is just my normal pace."

Running my own little performance.

· · ·

1km.

That should be enough.

I glance back. Casually.

...

Direct eye contact.

Still right there.

...oh no.


· · ·

Thinking about it now —

I'm exactly that kind of runner too.

The kind who, once passed,
finds a way to keep up anyway.

Of all people to pass.

Popular posts from this blog

Will I get faster just by running in Zone 2 ?

Image
Does Zone 2 Running Make You Faster? Zone 2 running alone will not dramatically increase your pace. However, it does steadily improve your endurance — your ability to run longer without fatigue. Today, I’ll summarize the core ideas of Zone 2 training explained by the YouTube channel Running Behind . Why You Should Train in Zone 2 If you're new to running, Zone 2 training is the best place to start. Pushing too hard early makes running feel burdensome — and eventually leads to quitting. Even slow running has powerful effects: increased mitochondrial density, more capillaries, heightened oxidative enzymes, and improved fat utilization. In short, Zone 2 turns your body into a more efficient “engine” built for endurance running. Understanding Zone 2 & Heart Rate Myths Many people say: “My heart rate shoots over 160 even when I jog…” Training zones (Zone 1–5) are simply a guideline. Zone 2 is often marked as 60–70% of max HR, but that’s only a loose ...
Read more

Am I Middle Class in Korea? The Standard vs Reality

Image
I. Accidentally Encountering the Middle-Class Standard I happened to come across a definition of what it means to be middle class. Owning a 30-pyeong apartment with no mortgage, earning 5 million KRW per month, owning a 2,000cc or larger car outright, holding at least 100 million KRW in cash, and taking one overseas trip per year. “Many people have worked hard all their lives, yet far more fail to reach this standard. The ‘wall of the middle class’ we experience is higher than we expect.” I managed to own a 30-pyeong apartment only at the age of 52 . With dual income, we barely finished paying off the loan. Now I survive running a small business on my own. My income fluctuates, my car is a compact one, I have almost no cash, and while I traveled once last year and once this year, it has become difficult now that we rely on a single income. ...
Read more

Why I Went From Running to Marathon _My Body Endured, So I Started Enduring Life

Image
    “At the end of the day, running is running. So what makes a marathon any different?” That’s what I used to think. Usually, running up to 10km is just “running,” 10–20km is “training toward a marathon,” and completing your first full marathon makes you a “beginner marathoner.” I’m somewhere around that level. But while preparing for a full marathon, I realized something: The difference between running and a marathon isn’t just the distance.   I. Starting to Run In my early thirties, I barely took care of my health. Even brushing my skin lightly would cause redness, I felt exhausted no matter how much I slept on weekends, And colds lingered for more than two months. So I decided to start exercising. I began by jogging around my kids’ schoolyard.   II. Running 3km On winter nights, I used to “pretend to run” while circling a dark track. After about three weeks, the cold that bothered me every night completely disap...
Read more