Does Anyone Just Not Care? page

[john_solo]

You like running and will continue to do so? I ran a marathon (my sixth) last year and got burned out. Over the past few weeks I've reintroduced 3-4 miles a few times a week and am now thinking that a half-mary will be in my future. I am liking running again and the feeling I have after completing 3 or 4 miles - like I've worked hard and done something good for my body.

Anyone else on board with this mindset? I get a little turned-off by the 'THAT IS CHRONIC CARDIO' naysayers! Isn't part of Primal living finding activities that you enjoy doing and engaging in those?

[simplyryde]

Yes. Many of us are endurance athletes, because we enjoy it. There is a smarter approach to training, that eliminates the junk miles, and makes your cardio less chronic. If you enjoy running, run.

[iniQuity]

I have the exact opposite problem, I never ever want to run unless we give it some meaning by throwing a ball into the mix. I say if you enjoy it though go for it. Your body will tell if you if you're over-doing it, a few miles here and there can't be detrimental like that. I just don't jive with the daily "grind" know what I mean?

Also, endorphins are a way for your body to put you at ease when you're doing something stressful or dangerous, so looking for that high isn't necessarily healthy. Flirting with it from time to time though I actually think is beneficial, we can't adapt if we don't stress ourselves, so it's a fine line. (Endorphins: Natural Pain and Stress Fighters - Arthritis and Arthritic Conditions, Medications, Symptoms, and Treatment on MedicineNet.com)

[Goldsmith]

I like running too. I still do it regularly. Usually 5-10 miles twice a week.

I too get annoyed by the people who scream "Chronic Cardio" at the idea of running a 5k or something... I think most people who invoke the "Chronic Cardio" bogeyman don't really know what it is.

[Dr. Bork Bork]

I enjoy running, and the anti-runners can bite me... IF THEY CAN CATCH ME FIRST!
I'm not a fast runner, but I like to think I'm a good little sprinter

[PrimalBaker]

I think you hit the nail on the head when you wrote:

Isn't part of Primal living finding activities that you enjoy doing and engaging in those?

Mark has clarified his stance on Chronic Cardio recently, saying he meant that if you are pushing yourself to do an hour's worth of an aerobics class or running when you truly don't really don't enjoy those activities, then that's Chronic Cardio. If you enjoy what you are doing, then keep at it. I do one half marathon each year at a location I love. I meet up with friends who run (and truly, most of them are training and hating it, hoping to lose weight but nothing is changing). Once I changed my mindset after reading PB I began to enjoy the running that I choose to do. Ia m not fast but I do this for the FUN of it, and that's what Primal is about (sometimes).

[Blah]

To me, cronic cardio means an hour or more of high intensity activity. So when I was training for a half I set myself a limit of no more than an hour, try breathing though my nose (unless sprinting). Never run more than 10K as a time, or 20K in a week.

I've cut right back now, to mostly 2k, 2-3 times per week, but I may start doing 4k or 6k's with the occational 10K-12K. Anymore than that and it stops being fun and gets to be too hard on the body (in my opinion.)

[TigerLily]

I'm with you, john.

I despise running (I'm simply not built for it), but I do get your larger point about fill-in-the-blank fun (to me) movement.

[Diana Renata]

Sometimes I miss being a runner. I kind of enjoyed saying "Yeah, I ran 45 miles this week." I miss the way I felt after pounding out a "quick 7" before work. No way in hell I'm going to try getting a treadmill into this apartment though. That would be a disaster.

I just thought of something. If I DO decide to start running again... I don't suppose it would be chronic cardio if I set a time limit, and if I want to increase miles I have to go faster, not longer. Yes?

[Blah]

I just thought of something. If I DO decide to start running again... I don't suppose it would be chronic cardio if I set a time limit, and if I want to increase miles I have to go faster, not longer. Yes?

I guess so long as your time limit is less than an hour its not so bad. The human body is not built for extended periods of such high stress. I'm not sure what the best time limit would be, but I think shorter would be better such as 30 minute or less. Try to think of it as fight or flight, the body is not built to be in that state for more than a few minutes, let alone the hour plus many people take it to.