In an insightful e-mail discussion, two runners, New York Times health columnist Gina Kolata and NPR radio host Peter Sagal, debate the possibility that the pain of long-distance competition is really the attraction. Sagal says yes: pain is the point. Kolata says no: the draw for her is the euphoria. Then comes a digression into the mean of the word "pain," and a scientific explanation of two distinct types of pain -the pain of fatigue– and the pain of injury– that runners are likely to feel. Wait, there's more: Where, asks Kolata, does discomfort end and pain begin? Do you know? Click on the "comments" link and tell us.
Health, fitness and lifestyle tips for people over 50 who still like to play hard
Sunday, June 1, 2025
It’s the pain that drives me. If I’m not feeling pain every day, I don’t feel alive. Sick? Perhaps.
no no no no no ….. when I am in that endurance event i feel no pain…. exhaustion, maybe, and nausea, and soon after stopping, euphoria and glee, and exhilleration … but that pain does not kick in until hours and hours later… sometimes not until the next day…….with the cessation of the trembling muscles…
Discomfort is common. It can be overcome. Pain may feel like discomfort early on, but progressively worsens until it forces you to stop.
Love the pain…cuz it feels so good when it quits!
I have always had a dislike for running for no reason. Football, yes. Basketball yes. But just running for pain, no. I don’t like pain and I don’t like running without a purpose. I am not afraid of pain I just will not induce it. I bid Godspeed to all the runners that enjoy it. Have at it.
Learning to run requires some effort. With any sport you must strengthen the muscles that you use for that sport. This may take some time depending on your health and physical condition. Along with strengthening you must learn to run with the correct form in order to avoid injury. You should not start with a marathon. Start with 5K and then 10K and then a half marathon or 2 before you attempt to run a full marathon. With this method you may be winded and possibly have some aches, but this should not last very long. You eventually get to a point where you are addicted to running and love every minute of it.
Probably Howard E is close to the true; I used to run about 12 miles over hills and mountains for many years since I was 16, I started walking to the top of the hills, then as I progressed it was full running and going down for about 3 miles tu full speed non stop, I had pain associated with the musculat effort, but also it was almost like an orgasm. So, I became an athlete.
I enjoyed it a lot, the pain is not the same, running is a joy;the pain is indeed one of the rewards. again, it was a good pain.