The 40 Runner’s Commandments

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Running

I copied the following post from one of the runner’s blogs. I hope everybody will enjoy reading or maybe, following these commandments.

The 40 Runner’s Commandments
by Joe Kelly
1. Don’t be a whiner. Nobody likes a whiner, not even other whiners.
2. Walking out the door is often the toughest part of a run.
3. Don’t make running your life. Make it part of your life.
4. Keep promises, especially ones made to yourself.
5. The faster you are the less you should talk about your times.
6. Keep a quarter in your pocket. One day you’ll need to call for a ride.
7. Don’t compare yourself to other runners.
8. All runners are equal, some are just faster than others.
9. Keep in mind that the later in the day it gets, the more likely it is that you won’t run.
10. For a change of pace, get driven out and then run back.
11. If it was easy, everybody would be a runner.
12. When standing in starting lines, remind yourself how fortunate you are to be there.
13. Getting out of shape is much easier than getting into shape.
14. A bad day of running still beats a good day at work.
15. Don’t talk about your running injuries. People don’t want to hear about your sore knee or black toe.
16. Don’t always run alone.
17. Don’t always run with people.
18. Approach running as if the quality of your life depended on it.
19. No matter how slow, your run is still faster than someone sitting on a couch.
20. Keep in mind that the harder you run during training, the luckier you’ll get during racing.
21. Races aren’t just for those who can run fast.
22. There are no shortcuts to running excellence.
23. The best runs sometimes come on days when you didn’t feel like running.
24. There is nothing boring about running. There are, however, boring people who run.
25. Distance running is like cod liver oil. At first it makes you feel awful, then it makes you feel better.
26. Never throw away the instructions to your running watch.
27. Don’t try to outrun dogs.
28. Don’t wait for perfect weather. If you do, you won’t run very often.
29. When tempted to stop being a runner, make a list of the reasons you started.
30. Without goals, training has no purpose.
31. Go for broke, but be prepared to be broken.
32. Spend more time running on the roads than sitting on the couch.
33. Make progress in your training, but progress at your own rate.
34. “Winning” means different things to different people.
35. Unless you make your living as a runner, don’t take running too seriously.
36. Never tell a runner that he or she doesn’t look good in tights.
37. Never confuse the Ben-Gay tube with the toothpaste tube.
38. Preventing running injuries is easier than curing them.
39. Running is simple. Don’t make it complicated.
40. Running is always enjoyable. Sometimes, though, the joy doesn’t come until the end of the run.

10 thoughts on “The 40 Runner’s Commandments”

  2. ericssoc

    thanks sir Jovie for sharing these ‘commandments’. i like this one:
    18. Approach running as if the quality of your life depended on it.

    i live in Fairview and am on the look out for a smaller studio unit in downtown Manila, or anywhere in the metro and down south. but then i figured, heck, i’ll stay here in northern QC. i cannot give up Bulacan, Licao-Licao, Montalban, San Mateo Timberland and Tanay!! these boondocks are my backyard playgrounds. i just put on my old running shoes, step out of the house and head towards those waiting hills!

    oh yes, running is so part of my lifestyle. i even made it a rule that, my choice of dwelling should not compromise access to great (an understatement) running destinations!

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  5. runnerforchrist

    I Like 1 and 15 the most. I’m always responsible for myself and the outcome of the race depends on ‘myself’ alone. I must be prepared for any injury or blisters, and once I join any races, it’s already a given fact and no need to mention it. Sometimes, we just say it to justify our poor performance and not really to share our experience..

    Great post. A ‘MUST’ for all runners.

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  6. timmysebastian

    hi sir jovie!
    nice repost sir!

    can i just reiterate my favorite commandments below:

    5. The faster you are the less you should talk about your times.
    – i believe that one gets better at something, they shouldn’t be bragging about their accomplishments as the feat itself should speak for itself 🙂

    7. Don’t compare yourself to other runners.
    – i agree with this commandment, as we all know that we are all different 🙂

    14. A bad day of running still beats a good day at work.
    – this line i live by, i always look forward to running after work as it helps me release tension from work, and it also provides me time to think about things without the pressure from superiors 😉

    23. The best runs sometimes come on days when you didn’t feel like running.
    – in connection with commandment # 14, whenever i don’t feel like running yet i push through with the run, the good vibes that comes with running makes me forget the reason why i “wouldn’t want” to run,and i come out happier

    40. Running is always enjoyable. Sometimes, though, the joy doesn’t come until the end of the run.- no need to explain 🙂

    thanks again for reposting these commandments 🙂 see you around sir jovie!

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  7. idnod

    Ha ha ha — this is so true Mr B, specially item #1 — I’ve come across so many blogs who are whiners and too many excuses for not being able to run “as good” as they planned it to be. I guess one cannot say #34 is like #1

    Number 40 says it all 😀

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