Screenshot
I received the above picture as a mail from my running app (Runkeeper) after my run on Saturday. While it certainly had a broadcast message feel, they didn't stray too far on my obsession with running faster over the course of recent months.
One quick general look at the situation and I realize am not alone in that regard. Those who run consistently as a hobby tend to seek improvements and for most their main focus is on how much faster they are able to go compared to previous times.
You go on the social media pages of some Amateur runners and you see their personal records running times being proudly displayed on their bio like it was some monument worthy of adulation.
I mean it is one thing for Professional runners who make a living off the sport to want to continually push themselves and run faster times, but when an amateur runner does it there is always the question of why we subject our bodies to such extremes for benefits that aren't fully visible.
And they really can be extreme in a sense, especially when it comes to distance running. What then prompts many of us who run for fun to continually want to run faster? Based on my observation and as someone who is a consistent fun runner, I'll attribute such desires to a few reasons:
Personal Development
Despite its relative difficulty, it only takes a few races to come to the actual realization of the benefits attached to being a runner. There's the instant emotional benefit as running lifts moods due to Dopamine and serotonin secretions. Then there's also medium to long term psychological as well as physiological changes which the body and mind goes through. Seeing what is available from stressing the body a bit, it is only natural that we extend it further in the hope of even further development whether consciously or unconsciously.
Running faster has long been associated with improvement, and there is a strong correlation supporting that observation.
Other Things on Offer
Even though a large part of amateur running is largely for fun, there are certain merits that can come with being very good at it. A good example is the Boston Marathon (along with other major marathons) eligibility time which requires amateurs to have run a certain recognized time in other to participate. Certainly some people take this running thing a lot more seriously than others and look for every avenue to compete and improve.
Stepping Back
While we are encouraged to push ourselves and get better, in the same vein it is also important to step back and listen to our bodies form time to time. Many times, enjoying a run is simply based on the ability to finish, and those who do manage to recognize that will more likely be satisfied runners. As someone rightly put it, we must respect the distance. We can take small, incremental benefits aimed at making progress but it must never be to the detriment of what progress we've struggled to achieve by being consistent.