By Brandon Seymour
My Story
A couple of weeks before my first marathon I was talking to a friend about how excited I was to run my first race. He asked, "How long even is a marathon?", to which I told them that I would be running 26.2 miles. He responded, "Jeez I don't even like to drive that far!".
His hilarious response stook with me over the following months and it really put everything into perspective... As someone without any running experience, I never thought in a million years that I would run for 26.2 miles without stopping. In fact, if someone were to tell me that 5 years ago I would have laughed in their face! Throughout my life, I never enjoyed cardio, so why did I take on this challenge and how on earth did I fall in love with long distance running?
As someone that went from running 0 miles to 140 miles per month, this is the story of how I came to enjoy running and why I think you should give it a try.
The Starting Line
In late November of 2022, I had a sudden realization; I felt stagnant in life and that I wasn't challenging myself enough. I grew up as an athlete, but I felt unfulfilled not knowing what I was truly capable of. This marked the birth of my crazy idea of running my first race: running a marathon. I felt that if I could prove to myself that I could finish a marathon, then I figured I could do just about anything!
As a naturally athletic person and someone who frequented the gym 5 days out of the week, the first 2 weeks of my training were a total shock to me. Many of my runs consisted of stops and starts, walks and jogs, and ups and downs. In total honesty, the first 2 weeks of my training were hell. I had already signed up for my race (and paid the $100 or so bucks) so I was forcing myself to run in hopes that things would get easier.
Week 3 marked a turning point in both my mentality and physical ability. Finally after 2 grueling weeks of forcing myself to run, I was pleased that it was getting easier. My body had almost completely adapted to my weekly milage and it was utterly shocking to me. Oddly enough, I was actually beginning to enjoy running!
From there, my training progressed and I found myself looking forward to my run each day. Every day I was thinking, "Which route should I run? Should I run on the scenic country backroads today, or should I run through my old neighborhood where I grew up?". Running truly became a thrill for me. More importantly, it became a medicine that was fortifying my body and my mind.
The Finish Line
Finally after hundreds of miles of running, the day had come for me to finish what I started; it was finally race day. It felt surreal - everything that I had worked so hard for was finally on the line. All the hours, all the miles, and all the time sacrificed for my goal was coming to a conclusion.
I was appalled by the amount of runners when I arrived at the starting line. Everyone showed amazing positivity and helpfulness while staying focused for their race. This was when I finally understood the amazing sense of community that the runners embodied. Race day made me realize how special the running community is because everyone has a sense of shared suffering, will power, and accomplishment that helped everyone relate to one another.
Ultimately, after 4 exhausting hours, I crossed the finish line. I felt an intense wave of emotion flood my body, and I was overwhelmed with gratitude, accomplishment, and pride. I had completed what I set out to do and I had found my physical and mental limit.
The Pros
Throughout my entire life, I never understood why people chose to run for hours on end for "fun". I would drive past Saturday runners and see them wincing in pain, but still putting one foot in front of the other. I was shocked that no one had a gun to their head and I couldn't quite figure it out. Every painful expression on their face and every limp in their step told the whole world that they were in pain - so why were they doing this to themselves?
Here are just a few of the undeniable pros that help to explain why people love running:
- Runner's High: The runner's high is a release of endorphins into the blood stream that happens when you're running. These endorphins act as your body's natural pain relievers and mood regulators. Many runners experience runner's highs and feel a sense of euphoria and a heightened sense of well being. Sometimes I would get this feeling after running 1 mile, while sometimes it would take 7 miles. Either way, this feeling would sometimes last for hours and it left me feeling refreshed and de-stressed.
- Resting Heart Rate: This one was unexpected for me, but I got immense satisfaction from seeing my resting heart rate drop from 60bpm to around 40bpm during peak training. The more cardio you do, the more efficiently your heart pumps blood to your body. A low resting heart rate is an underrated feeling - you feel extremely healthy and relaxed throughout your day.
- Mental Health: When you think of running, you may only think of the physical health benefits that come along with it. However, the impact running has on your mental well-being is nothing short of profound. Research has proven that running decreases stress, improves mood, enhances cognitive function, and increases self-esteem. Personally, the mental health benefits that came to me from running outweighed any of the other pros that I experienced.
- Physical Health: Obviously, running has the power to transform your body and essentially turn you into a cardio-machine. Runners experience better weight management, higher bone density, joint health improvements, and enhanced lung function. You will be amazed at the way your body will transform from running and the amazing health benefits that will follow.
- The Challenge: Many people, such as myself, begin their running journey with a challenge in mind. There is no doubt that running, whether starting off or running ultra-marathons, will present some pretty daunting challenges that you will have to overcome. Ultimately, overcoming these obstacles rewards you with joy and self-esteem, making it well worth it.
The Cons
I would be lying if I said that running has no drawbacks. Just like any hobby or challenge that you pursue, you'll certainly run into some cons. Undoubtedly, the pros outweigh the cons, but here are a few of the drawbacks:
- It's Hard: Simply put, running is not easy. Running naturally presents physical and mental challenges that have to be overcome. Regardless of if you're a seasoned runner or a beginner, the act of running is not an easy task. The good news, however, is that it gets easier.
- Risk of Physical Injury: If you're a runner, you're always at risk of injuring yourself. However, there are ways to train smart and look out for your body. Exercise caution and find the balance of training hard and training smart.
- Time Commitment: Just like anything you take on in your life, there will be a time commitment. If you're training for a race, you may miss time with friends, parties, or dinners with family. On the bright side, the more time you invest into yourself, the more reward you'll get in the end.
My Training Supplements of Choice
I can shamelessly say that CON-CRĒT products made all the difference in my journey to 26.2. Many people don't know that creatine plays a vital role in muscle recovery. In fact, creatine and running go hand-in-hand. These products were game changers that kept me training hard and helped me recover from strenuous runs.
1). Muscle Recovery - I truly don't know what I would have done without this amazing product! I took 3 to 6 of these after my long runs and my soreness would be NOTICEABLY better. Muscle Recovery lives up to its name and worked wonders on my recovery between training sessions. This was a MUST HAVE!
2). Clean Hydration - This product was crucial in replacing my electrolytes during and after each run. I would take a water bottle on my runs with 1 packet of Clean Hydration. With a full serving of creatine, this product helped to refuel me during my training sessions.
3). Nitric Oxide - CON-CRĒT + Nitric Oxide serves as a testament that creatine and endurance are essential. This product tremendously enhanced my endurance because it contains beet root and Citrulline HCl in its formulation. CON-CRĒT + Nitric Oxide acts as a vasodilator, widening the body's blood vessels, to ensure optimal nutrient and blood flow to my muscles. This leads to enhanced cardio endurance and more optimal delivery of oxygen to my body's muscles.
Conclusion
Coming from someone who hated running and frankly didn't understand it, running has transformed my life and my physical and mental well-being. My testament, like many others, is one of hurdled challenges, ups and downs, and transformational self improvement. Through my experience I have found that running presents a multitude of benefits that far outweigh the drawbacks.
Additionally, there's no doubt that CON-CRĒT was a game-changer in my marathon training. CON-CRĒT products equipped me with the energy, endurance, and recovery that my body needed to overcome my challenge of 26.2 miles, and it can do the same for you. Creatine was an essential on my runs and helped give me the energy to push through every mile.
So I urge you, give running a try! The joy of your life is right around the corner waiting to be discovered. Find out what you're made of and begin your new lifestyle today. Now go out there and crush it!