QT: Running is Like a Box of Chocolates

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Running and Forrest Gump go together like peas and carrots.

The “run, Forrest, run” and “I just felt like running” lines are pretty obvious.

But I’m going to go in a slightly different direction today.

You Never Know What You’re Gonna Get

Running really is like a box of chocolates.

Once in a while, you get something that is amazing.

On occasion, it’s a disaster.

Most of the time, it’s somewhere in the middle.

But that’s just the beginning of this little comparison game we are about to play.

Let’s get into this a little further, shall we?

Discovery Phase

I don’t know when this happened for me, but at some point I went from understanding chocolate is something good in and of itself to realizing that chocolate can be a portal to new levels of deliciousness.

Peanut butter? Mint? Coconut? Caramel?

So many things go brilliantly with chocolate.

But that doesn’t mean that every option is perfect. Or even, edible.

Sometimes you take that first bite expecting good and end up spitting that joker out.

Lesson learned.

In the running world, there are so many avenues for discovery.

Solo running vs group running.

Roads vs trails.

Different race distances.

Speed workouts.

Running vs racing.

As your time in the sport increases, you start to figure out what you like and what you’d rather avoid if at all possible.

Lessons learned, either way.

A Refined Pallet

As we grow, sometimes our tastes change.

And when it comes to boxes of chocolates, that often means a step up in quality.

Would you rather get that cheap heart-shaped box of chocolates that you got on Valentine’s Day in 7th grade or a gourmet box that pairs well with a full-bodied red?

Exactly.

As you grow as a runner, odds are your tastes are going to change as well.

You used to be time-obsessed on race day, now you like to get full value for your race entry fee.

There was a time when a 5k was a distance event, now 3.1 miles is nothing but the first half of a solid warm up.

There are an infinite number of potential examples, but the point is that it’s ok for your expectations and desires to change overtime.

Bad Chocolate is Better Than No Chocolate

Stop me when this sounds familiar:

You open the box of chocolates and look at the cheat sheet.

After reading through the list of options, you pick your favorite.

Then your second favorite.

At some point, you come back to the box and realize that it’s either something you don’t really like or nothing at all.

Yeah, we’ve all been there.

While there still may be a strawberry cream or two that you’ll never be desperate enough to eat, sometimes we just have to take what we can get.

Running is exactly the same.

No runner I know really enjoys a bad run.

But a bad run is almost always better than no run at all.

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Running, just like life, is like a box of chocolates. #runchat Share on X

What is Your Favorite Box of Chocolates Treat?

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