Keeping Pace with Change

Some 26 years ago I started running as a means of exercise. I fell off a bit while in graduate school. I got back on track and now The Streak is in its 18th year. That’s been a long time of consecutive days of exercise. Sure, a number of times I didn’t feel like running. As I have noted many times on this site, I am not a fan of running in the rain or the cold, and particularly the combination of the two. Nonetheless, I can’t recall a single occasion when I didn’t enjoy the run once I started. For me, that is what it’s all about, moving, thinking, seeing the places around me (even those time when I run on a treadmill), and then the euphoria to follow.

So the thing is, I just like running. I call myself a “purest” as I really have no interests whatsoever in running apparel (my Scottish friend, Kirsty, calls running costumes) or exercise gear. Where we used to live a neighbor regularly ridiculed me for running in dark socks. I’d hit the road as soon as I arrived home from work, and didn’t care to switch to white socks. Some say fads and trends change gradually. As I look back at the over the last 25 years a great number of things have changed in the running world.

As to socks, dark socks are acceptable to wear with shorts these days. I wonder if my neighbor would cling to her socially constructed reality and continue to mock me nonetheless. Along with dark socks bright colors have a place in the running costume. The stripped sock has made a comeback in some circles. Then there is the issue of length, ankle socks, crew socks pushed down or pulled all the way up over the calf. Calf warmers fit in here somewhere.

Shorts used to be fairly short. Now those are expensive specialty items, as the mainstream shorts tend to reach the knee, if not beyond. Women now have the option of the running skort (skirt/shots hybrid). The bright color thing includes shorts, shirts and shoes.  Marketers tout the colors as a benefit for running outside of daylight hours. Without question, safety is paramount. I have two reflective vests that have served nearly two decades and I anticipate many more years. 

Clearly in the last quarter decade running grew in popularity. Shoe types run a wide gamut where fashion seems nearly as important as function. The barefoot movement may have peaked (I subscribe to this one). Even with a saturated industry, Nike maintains a foothold on the industry.

Nearly all runners will agree a simple stop watch is essential. Perhaps one with a greater number of splits serves best if you are training. Active wear is our new term, not for clothes, but for wearable tech trinkets. This includes, music players, heart rate monitors, GPS access wristbands, Fitbits and smart watches. 

The constant in running is people do it. For a bevy of reasons, we run. It can be done with little more than shorts and shoes (both are optional, I guess).

Roll with the changes. Run.

Tom