five things I dislike about running – but somehow I keep going back for more

Disclaimer: I received pjuractive 2skin to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

When you really sit down and think about it, we put our lives and bodies through a lot to get that endorphin high from going for a run. Here are a few of my top dislikes about running…and yet, I still keep going back for more : )

5 things we dislike about running – but somehow we keep going back for more

time

This is a loaded topic.

Time.

The time to plan your training cycle. The time it takes to get ready to run. The time it takes to go on the actual run. Time on the road. Time on the trail. Time at the gym. The time it takes to wind down and/or recover from a run. The time it takes to drive to a running event. The time you spend away from your friends and family while you run. The training time. All of these things add up to a lot of time…

With some major life balancing acts, I find the time to get in my workouts, work a full 40-hour week, and spend as much time with family as I can! And yes, naps are typically required on the weekend : ) But it is still hard!

loose animals

There is nothing worse than seeing loose or wild animals on a run. While I am not as phased by a raccoon or opossum, it can still be startling on the run! Loose dogs are a little more unnerving. If you are out walking your dog, put a leash on it. I don’t care if it is a nice dog and wouldn’t hurt a fly – I don’t want or need to think about if your dog is going to turn on me.

It is SO much worse when I am out with my dog and/or kiddo (most of the time all 3 of us together). My kid wants to touch everything, especially your “nice puppy dog” and I don’t need any possibility of him getting bit. Also, my dog is a great family dog! But if she is on a leash on our walk or run, she thinks she is our ~~body guard~~ protector and isn’t going to know how to react when your off-leash dog charges at us. I am not above punching your dog in the face… Just sayin. Leash your dog.

cars and/or car drivers

There is hardly ever a run that I don’t have to deal with cars and inattentive drivers. I have had drivers look me in the eye as I am running on the crosswalk when I have the right-of-way, and then start to pull out into me. YOU WERE LOOKING RIGHT AT ME. Really?!

Cars are not the problem, it is the person behind the wheel. Just pay attention, stop behind the crosswalk when you have a red light or stop sign, and we will all get along fine.

weather

Another hazard to running outside is the ever changing weather. Sometimes it is bright and sunny, the next minutes there are storm clouds rolling in and you need to get home FAST.

Depending on the time of the year, my running schedule may change. In the winter, I would rather not run when it is too far below 0 – so I will opt for the treadmill at the gym or an afternoon run (when it is possibly warmer than the early morning). Inversely in the summer, I NEED to get out in the morning to get in the miles – because the heat of the day is nothing to mess with!

the c word

The worst part of running is the possible chafe that can get you anytime, anywhere. You might have an amazing, flying-in-the-clouds-with-rainbows-and-unicorns, magical run, but once you get in the shower and the lava water finds those spots you didn’t know chafed, it all goes out the window!

As a runner, there are a lot of body parts and clothes that move around and rub. Any two moving things rubbing against one another equals possible chafe :

hydration pack on my shoulders
sport bra around my circumference
waist band from my shorts
bicep against my side / arm pit area
thigh gap (lack thereof)
socks/shoes against my feet

Pick your poison!

With lots of miles on the road, trail and treadmill, I need to be sure to have some kind of lubricant in my workout bag to deter the dreaded chafe. I have tried several different name and off-brand varieties, but they all leave me desiring something better :

too chalky
too goopy
makes my hands all sticky
fades fast and leaves me chafing anyway…

I was recently given the opportunity to test pjuractive 2skin as a BibRave Pro. While I have not tested the product yet, I am super excited to try something new to keep the dreaded chafe away! Stay tuned for a full review in the coming weeks!