~ Runfessions ~
A collection of statements admitting
that one is guilty of a variety of running crimes…
It’s time again to join in on the fun and clear my conscience of recent running, biking, fitness, nutrition, and life in general faux pas. I know I’ll feel better when I’m done, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll give you a laugh or two in the process!
I runfess: I only ran two times in 2025: 1 mile on Global Running Day and a 1K in the local turkey trot on Thanksgiving Day, and I haven’t missed running at all. I do miss the competitiveness of the sport – believe me I’m not good enough to be competitive in cycling – and I miss seeing my running friends on a regular basis, but other than that, I don’t miss running after contributing over 52 years to the sport. And not missing it is the most shocking thing of all for me.
I bikefess: Our new Peloton has a completely different clip-in method than our cycling shoes and for the past almost two weeks I’ve been making do with wearing sneakers while riding; however, the pedal’s flip side is a tiny square (not like the larger flat size on a typical flip pedal) that cuts into my foot whenever I stand to pedal. Not wanting to injure my foot, I’ve ordered new shoes with the appropriate cleats which are scheduled to arrive on Sunday.
I bikefess: After trying several different types of chamois creams to prevent hot spots (and eventually saddle sores) on my upper legs when cycling, my dermatologist suggested I try petroleum jelly. It has worked better than any of the specialty products I tried and is far less expensive. Sometimes I overlook the simplest things.
I Stravafess: I have been so busy that I haven’t checked Strava in days. In fact, I’d not edited (added titles, pictures, and made public) my own workouts in several days either, but got caught up this morning.
I sleepfess: I had planned to sleep in this morning and had my alarm set for 7 AM. I woke up on my own at 5:26 AM, couldn’t go back to sleep, so I got up and started my day.
There you have it, my most recent fessions; and you can bet that it feels good to get another set off of my chest!
- Questions:
- • If you’ve had to stop running (or any other sport) due to injury, do you miss it? ~ surprisingly, no
- • What are your runfessions?
Not missing running after 52 years is huge – and honestly refreshing to read. I completely get what you mean about missing the community and the competitive edge, though. Cycling really is a different beast: far more category-based and much less age-group focused than running. That said, I think you are stronger on the bike than plenty of women in your age group!
Yes, the big difference is that in running, plenty of people in my age group show up for the MANY races that are available and I can see how I place compared to average women in my age group. With cycling, there are very FEW races (most here are just rides without timing chips and age group placing) and for those few races, the average woman in my age group doesn’t compete.
As you know, after 13()) years of winter run streaking, I took a pass this year. I have not missed it, either. Crazy how something that was a big end-of-year finale for me wasn’t such a big deal after all. (I even forgot to runfess about it, LOL).
Yes, your Thanksgiving to New Year’s running streak was such am important thing for you so you get it! And I’ve forgotten to make a note for next time about whatever the runfession was taht we talked about this morning. Do you remember?
I did not plan it at all, but I have not run since end of June when t got really hot. We were then traveling a lot and I just took a break. I’ve realized how good my body feels with no aches and pains on the daily. Strength training and walking and cycling seem to be what my body likes more right now. We’ll see but for now I don’t’ miss it either. Yes, getting the right shoes for the Peloton clips is key!
I hear you, it’s amazing how much better my body feels now that I no longer run.
Well, your RUNfession makes me feel better about my (outdoor) BIKEfession, although I do miss it!
I actually switched out the Peloton pedals to shimanos so I could wear my Tiems — if you don’t like the new set up, give that a try. 😉
We might switch out the pedals, but will try the new shoes first. We use the mountain biking type cleats which is what my Life Fitness bike has on the flip side of the flats.
That’s a lot of yeas running…I’m only a little over 15, I think.
I don’t miss tennis which I stopped due to the time commitment when I started running.
I don’t miss it but I do miss my friends and it’s much more competitive than running. That’s what I love about running. Winning is not a score.
It’s great that you enjoy biking and you can do it with your hubby.
Will you continue to hike?
Yes, we’ll continue to hike when we visit places that have good hiking trails. we both prefer cycling over hiking, so it just depends on where we travel.
I do miss getting out on the trails for an hour or so. I do not miss tracking my mileage and pace or racing. When i finished the London Marathon back in 2019, I’d had enough of racing for myself. I do still love coaching others though. I’m hoping to sleep in tomorrow. Let’s see what the dogs think about that.
Hope your pups let you sleep in!
when I broke my ankle, I did miss running. A lot. All the time. I think if I had to switch out, I would miss it. Cycling isn’t my jam at all and there really isn’t another long cardio option (besides swimming, I guess). I’m so glad you’re not missing it and have been able to find something you enjoy!
Had I needed to stop running when I was younger like you did during your injury, I think it would have been a different story. I’m so glad you were able to get back to running once your ankle healed.