Continuing With The Running Theme

Since I began this blog with running in the title, I believe I should keep that theme as I post. It seems odd to talk about dogs or houses or travel when the word “runner” is staring you in the eye. So, as I perused Narratively’s nonfiction entries, I was pleased to find an entire section written about running.

There were stories of record-breaking, mountain-climbing, and even donkey-running marathoners. All interesting to be sure. However, I was most struck by the article written by Aaron Yoden, I’m A World Champion in Backwards Running. After reading the article, I’ve decided I may have been doing it all wrong; running that is. Apparently, running, and running well, can be done backwards. Not forwards, like the I’ve been doing since I was on the high school track team.

Yoder came from a running family and was a forward-facing runner until his doctor told him to quit running. As a runner, that’s like hearing you have to give up breathing. Running is breath to one who loves to run. His knees were giving out on him. Newly named head track coach, Yoder writes, “That’s when I had an epiphany. It was as if a voice said to me, “Just turn it around and make good of the bad.”” From that point Yoder ran backwards; seeing where he had been instead of where he was going. Yoder took what he loved doing, and turned it around.

The entry that was less compelling is about runners as well. These Crazy-Determined Runners Have Each Finished Fifty Marathons in Fifty States by Jack Williams is, like the title implies, an article about running marathons in every state. I’ve never finished a marathon, only halfs. I understand crossing the finish line after 26.2 miles is exhilarating. In some of the halfs I have finished, I have run beside men and women that are members of this running club. This article is an excellent infomercial for joining the club if you like to do that sort of thing. I don’t dispute that running a marathon in every state is an accomplishment, but you have to admit that running backwards is a lot harder.