Saturday, February 2, 2008

(Myth #1) “You never see runners smile.”

I guess this statement is supposed to mean that running isn’t fun. Apparently, some people think that people should be smiling all the time; to them, if you’re not smiling, you’re not having a good time. But who would want to live in a world where everyone is always smiling? Sounds too much like Brave New World, filled with happy idiots. More important, these people are just plain wrong. How often do they see runners? Do they see me out running with my friends, talking away for an hour, cracking jokes, telling stories, and sometimes even having to slow down a little because we’re laughing so hard? Look around the next time you see people running together. Watch them long enough, and I guarantee you’ll see some smiles.

The non-smiling runner Uncle Zeke has seen is probably on a solo run. Where does it say that the only sign of enjoying yourself is a smile? I bet that Uncle Zeke doesn’t grin his way through dinner or sex, but he’d probably like to repeat those experiences.

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