There are levels to this stuff. I wasn’t as far down the road, in my past, as the author of this article, but I was on that track.
That is why I can recognise the fact that some of the commenters on this board are also on the slippery slope, some just starting, others well on the way.
Exercise addiction is a “thing”, and like any addiction, it is not a positive.
'Cause it makes me feel like I'm a man When I put a spike into my vein And I'll tell ya, things aren't quite the same When I'm rushing on my run And I feel just like Jesus' son
In addition to dope, this seems like a pretty good lyrical description of shooting PEDs.
After injury I dropped down to around 4 hours of running per week and dropped the long run. Slowed my workout. Now fitter than I've ever been and looking at sub 17.
Yes…yes I am. And do you know what? I really don’t care. Because after pulling back from the abyss of exercise addiction, I realised that there are far more important priorities in life.
I realised that apart from myself, and a few other acquaintances that also exercised / competed, no one and I mean no one else cared about what I had done or achieved. And I’m 100% convinced that that is the same for practically every other poster in this group. Unlike some, I don’t validate my worth as a person based on my ability to run a set distance in a certain time. I might have used to be like that, but looking back, I now see that was largely a sad place to be. Running / exercise should have ( and now is) been a small part of my life and not the centre of it.
The article was somewhat interesting. I wish that the author viewed her experience differently, though. She seems to regret it. I prefer to think of these things as finding a level you are comfortable with, and maybe comfortable is the wrong word here (?). For a while, she over-did it but adjusted, adapted, and pulled-back to a level she feels is better for her. The confidence she now has in her level of commitment is surely better grounded and stronger because she did push her boundaries, and that is valuable and not to be under appreciated.
The article was somewhat interesting. I wish that the author viewed her experience differently, though. She seems to regret it. I prefer to think of these things as finding a level you are comfortable with, and maybe comfortable is the wrong word here (?). For a while, she over-did it but adjusted, adapted, and pulled-back to a level she feels is better for her. The confidence she now has in her level of commitment is surely better grounded and stronger because she did push her boundaries, and that is valuable and not to be under appreciated.
Thanks for the ( unlike some) sensible reply. The only caveat I have to what you are saying is that there are some addicts, in whatever addiction, who can recognise and pull back from the abyss…but also a good few who can’t or won’t.
HS competition- I get it. You are young, you are racing your peers, everyone is trying to carve out their niche, find an identity (The Runner), This stuff is all still new, super exciting. I see why kids (and some adults) put too much into it. It seems super big and super important because.. everything at that age feels super big and super important. It's an age of exaggerated expectations, feelings, and emotions.
College- for the vast majority of us this is as high of a level of competition that we will ever see. A paper thin percentage of us go on to post collegiate running. THIS is where it is VERY real. This is where you are the age, you have the support, and you have the competition to truly see what you can do. Go all in?? HELL yeah. Be disappointed with a bad performance- YES!
Unless you are getting paid, everything after that is trivia. If you think anyone will think any more or less of you because you did or didn't his that time at Boston, or BQ, or whatever... you aren't thinking clearly. You have lost the ball.
Believe me, I would get super juiced up over my goal for the Fall, or some big race etc.. but, I did keep it in perspective.
The article was somewhat interesting. I wish that the author viewed her experience differently, though. She seems to regret it. I prefer to think of these things as finding a level you are comfortable with, and maybe comfortable is the wrong word here (?). For a while, she over-did it but adjusted, adapted, and pulled-back to a level she feels is better for her. The confidence she now has in her level of commitment is surely better grounded and stronger because she did push her boundaries, and that is valuable and not to be under appreciated.
Thanks for the ( unlike some) sensible reply. The only caveat I have to what you are saying is that there are some addicts, in whatever addiction, who can recognise and pull back from the abyss…but also a good few who can’t or won’t.
You raise some important questions, and probably ones that are too involved to fully explore here. But suffice it to say that we each need to find a level that suits our current needs, commitment level, and available resources.
In a general sense, I'd say it is beneficial for even a mildly serious athlete to over-do it at least for a period, just to know. If that lifestyle is worth it for them, have at it.
Determining that level is a very personal decision, and I frankly think that terms like 'addiction' are not useful, though it is useful to question one's level of commitment and what is necessary to give up in order to attain that.
Thanks for the ( unlike some) sensible reply. The only caveat I have to what you are saying is that there are some addicts, in whatever addiction, who can recognise and pull back from the abyss…but also a good few who can’t or won’t.
Determining that level is a very personal decision, and I frankly think that terms like 'addiction' are not useful
I would argue that terms like addiction are very useful indeed…and I’d wonder if anyone, trying to deny the existence of exercise addiction, might already be in the throws of such. Addicts are often in denial.
If exercise is the only thing in your life, then maybe you can live with such an addiction and not have it as a negative influence. However many addicts are such at the expense of others ( family, friends etc).
I'm all for live and let live…as long as your choices don’t affect others…
Where’s the line between dedication and addiction? Trying to realize one’s potential as a runner is a noble pursuit that will inherently require some trade offs. Who’s to judge?
Where’s the line between dedication and addiction? Trying to realize one’s potential as a runner is a noble pursuit that will inherently require some trade offs. Who’s to judge?
When you are not getting paid to train or race, and when there are other priorities in your life ( family, friends career etc) I would say that many cross that line sooner than they would care to admit.
Where’s the line between dedication and addiction? Trying to realize one’s potential as a runner is a noble pursuit that will inherently require some trade offs. Who’s to judge?
I dont like the use of "addiction" either. It sounds like day time talk show pop psychology. "Next up we're going to have on a woman that is ADDICTED to shopping/exercise/tv/video games..."
I would say you have a compulsion to do these things, but you will not have a physical withdrawal like a drug addict will. It just cheapens the word "addiction".
Just about anything, even positive things can be taken so far that it leads to problems at home, at work, with friends. You name it, going to church, working out, reading books... browsing LetsRun..
When you are not getting paid to train or race, and when there are other priorities in your life ( family, friends career etc) I would say that many cross that line sooner than they would care to admit.
Why is financial pay a factor? Most of us were not fortunate enough to hit the genetic lottery which is required to run professionally. Training for the love of it and other inherent non monetary rewards of being one’s best is every bit as valid as doing it for money.
When you are not getting paid to train or race, and when there are other priorities in your life ( family, friends career etc) I would say that many cross that line sooner than they would care to admit.
Why is financial pay a factor? Most of us were not fortunate enough to hit the genetic lottery which is required to run professionally. Training for the love of it and other inherent non monetary rewards of being one’s best is every bit as valid as doing it for money.
At the expense of other areas of your life? Really?
I bring financial recompense into it, because such laser like focus might be understandable if the activity were your means of making an income…but as a hobby? Where 80 - 100 mile weeks take the place of family time etc? Really?
Where’s the line between dedication and addiction? Trying to realize one’s potential as a runner is a noble pursuit that will inherently require some trade offs. Who’s to judge?
I dont like the use of "addiction" either. It sounds like day time talk show pop psychology. "Next up we're going to have on a woman that is ADDICTED to shopping/exercise/tv/video games..."
I would say you have a compulsion to do these things, but you will not have a physical withdrawal like a drug addict will. It just cheapens the word "addiction".
Just about anything, even positive things can be taken so far that it leads to problems at home, at work, with friends. You name it, going to church, working out, reading books... browsing LetsRun..
But exercise addiction is a thing. Maybe not as widely accepted, appreciated or understood by the mainstream as other addictions like drugs, gambling or alcohol perhaps, but it is clinically recognised.
At the expense of other areas of your life? Really?
I bring financial recompense into it, because such laser like focus might be understandable if the activity were your means of making an income…but as a hobby? Where 80 - 100 mile weeks take the place of family time etc? Really?
100 miles per week at 7 minutes per mile is 700 minutes per week. That’s only 100 minutes a day. Less than 2 hours. Still plenty of time for work and family. You’re making much ado about nothing.
I dont like the use of "addiction" either. It sounds like day time talk show pop psychology. "Next up we're going to have on a woman that is ADDICTED to shopping/exercise/tv/video games..."
I would say you have a compulsion to do these things, but you will not have a physical withdrawal like a drug addict will. It just cheapens the word "addiction".
Just about anything, even positive things can be taken so far that it leads to problems at home, at work, with friends. You name it, going to church, working out, reading books... browsing LetsRun..
But exercise addiction is a thing. Maybe not as widely accepted, appreciated or understood by the mainstream as other addictions like drugs, gambling or alcohol perhaps, but it is clinically recognised.
Yeah, and I am saying it should not be. If you told a real addict that your addiction was running they would laugh you out of the building.
