An Exercise in Ridiculousness

A certain running shoe company (which shall remain nameless lest we give them even MORE press) recently began an ad campain entitled "We are not Joggers". If you Google it, you will find an 11 page internet spread claiming that those of us who run a little slower are "half-assing it", and are not "real runners". I just got done writing a very strongly worded letter to the company (a la Marmie from Little Women when Amy gets the switch for taking limes to school). I ran into a similar attitude when I first told people I was going to do the Marathon: "You're doing a marathon??", they said, incredulously. "Yes, I'm doing a marathon." "Wait you're RUNNING a marathon?" "No, I'm walking." "Oh, well, okay then." As if the fact that I was walking makes any difference. When's the last time they did ANY sort of activity for 4 hours at a stretch??

The one thing I have learned from this training adventure is that it doesn't matter how fast or slow you go, just that you show up and do it. Thirteen point one miles is still thirteen point one miles, whether it takes you 2 hours or 4. Your shoes are still worn, your feet still hurt, and your spirits soar just as much as anyone else.

So boo-hiss to that running company, from which I will NEVER purchase any products. They say that when you have a bad experience with something, you are likely to tell 10 people. Well, I just told the entire internet. So there.

~Sara

Addendum: In the same vein, kudos to Reebok, who are marketing a brilliant strategy of late:

So I'll echo the words of the great John Bingham, "The Penguin", and my new idol: "The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is I had the courage to start."