Different Types of Fun?

I didn’t know there were different types of fun, I just thought you either had fun or you didn’t. I’ve had plenty of runs and races where I had fun running them, laughing along the way with friends, playing aeroplanes going down the hills or just soaking up the atmosphere as the crowds shout out your name.

I’ve also had runs that have been awful whilst running them, really hard work, runs that have challenged me where I’ve just wanted to stop, sit on the curb, cry and wait for my husband, Jamie, to come and pick me up. And he has done that before! Only once, he has many times refused point blank to come and get me. I remember running in France one Christmas with my Dad, the weather was perfect when we started but then, just like that it changed and we were in a full scale blizzard! we phoned Jamie thinking that he would come and rescue us, but he said no; it was quite early on in my running journey and boy did that teach me about resilience, running uncomfortably and sometimes you’ve just got to put one foot in front of the other as there is no other choice.

And then of course when I’m up on the trails and there is no phone signal there is no other choice but to carry on running, it’s longer to head back to the start plus there’s no fun in the “run of shame” passing other runners on the run back. So, you dig deep and carry on; it doesn’t feel like fun at the time but looking back you can reflect on how you pushed through the pain/discomfort and enjoyed the run in the end.

But what about the runs that are brutal, the runs that can result in injury or even worse St John’s Ambulance, there’s no fun in that at all. I watched runners collapse over the finish line, I watched runners puking over the finish line, I witnessed runners puking in a plastic bag all the way home.  I’ve rubbed runners backs as they puke, and I’ve hugged runners as they sob, and cry big sobbing snot filled tears on my shoulder (not pleasant). Where is the fun in that?  I finished Dublin Marathon in pain and leant on a lamppost and just sobbed and sobbed; a very kind fellow runner rubbed my back for me, I’ve never forgotten that kindness from a kindred spirit.

In fact, there have been quite a few finishes where I’ve sat on the curb and cried, it would seem if you weren’t a runner that running isn’t fun at all, but once you’ve had a warm shower, a cup of tea and some toast the pain is forgotten, and you remember that it was fun after all!

I was running with Dan, we were doing a hard 15 mile run and had just climbed a very steep incline, there were 2 ladies at the top of this hill, sat on a bench, drinking coffee watching up. Dan obviously got up there first and waited for me, I was huffing and puffing like I still smoked 20 a day but the view at the top was amazing. And this is where I learnt about the different types of fun!

See below and see if you can relate!