Running in 1975 vs Running in 2024
Give or take a few days, fifty years ago tomorrow, I ran my very first cross-country race.
I remember it well. Running in Converse tennis shoes, I placed 15th in the junior varsity race at the Douglas Invitational, taking home an orange ribbon that became my first running keepsake.
As amazing as it is that five decades have passed since that hot Saturday afternoon, what I find even more remarkable is how far we've come with running since 1975.
For example:
Shoes. Although I ran my first year of cross country in tennis shoes, that nonsense ended when I tried on a pair of Nike's Oregon Waffles. Those wafer-thin wonders became my default running shoes clear through my final days at Western Oregon State College (Go Wolves!) No matter that I could feel every rock, pebble or grain of sand. They were lightweight which helped me run faster and that was all I needed to know. Now, I race in shoes that have thick, comforting, responsive cushioning with about the same weight that also helps me run faster! On the downside, that increased comfort and speed does come with a much harsher bite on the budget. But hey, what's having a new roof compared to picking up a few seconds in your next half marathon?
Running Watches. Remember the days when we strained our ears to hear someone call out our mile splits. "Don't you dare cheer me on! I need to hear my time at the second mile!" Those stressful days are now distant memories courtesy of our all-knowing watches. My Garmin faithfully keeps me duly informed of mile splits, overall pace, heart rate, cadence, elevation, performance conditions and so on. And with the advent of AI, I'm guessing that it's only a matter of time until my Garmin will be able to mimic the nasal voiced sound of my old WOSC coach, calling out for me to "Stop sandbagging!"
Cell Phones. Back in 1975, I was convinced that it was just a matter of time before my mother accidently straggled me in that long cord from our wall phone as she maneuvered helter-skelter through the house. Jump forward 50 years and my phone goes running with me. Not because I may need to make a call, but because it has everything from tracking programs to texting to playing music to weather notifications to emergency communications to photos and videos. All lightweight enough to be held on an armband or belt. I strongly suspect that by the end of the next 50 years, we will be serving our Cell Phone Overlords.
Earbuds. When I was young, quality sound required either ginormous speakers blocking a car's rear window or stereo speakers that needed to be at least the size of an upright freezer. Now we have quality sound coming out of speakers that fit in your ears. What's more, you can take that music with you. So instead of listening to "Don't Fear the Reaper" a dozen times before a race to ensure that it was embedded in my head, I can actually hear the song when I run. And not hear Bon Jovi playing for the runner next to me. (If I ever have access to a time machine, I'm going back the mid-80's to knock Jon Bon Jovi unconscious before he composes "Living on a Prayer.")
Running Clothes. I used to go shirtless and wear shorts that would have gotten me arrested in some counties just to deal with the heat. I also used to bundle up in multiple layers so much to combat the cold that I looked like Ralph's little brother in "A Christmas Story." Nowadays, I have moisture-wicking feather-light tanks and shorts for the summer heat and humidity as well delightfully warm tops and tights to tackle our frigid winters. Although I confess to running shirtless once in the last year (just don't tell my wife!), I cannot recall the last time I wore one of those heavy sweatshirts running. Which is a good thing!
Stretching. Prior to my Nike's taking a step outside, I spend anywhere from 20-25 minutes with a series of stretches to warm up. When that run is in the books, several stretches are religiously completed before I hit the button on the coffee maker. And these stretches are periodically changed or revised. But back in the days when "Disco Duck" ruled the airwaves, I don't recall doing anything beyond a few pointless kicks and jumps, just to look cool before a race. Which it clearly didn't!
Diet. I can safely say that I’m okay with never seeing another deep fryer in my life. And while it was only a few years later than I first recall loading up on pasta at the coach’s place prior to a big meet, I find it amazing how much more we know about the proper nutrition for runners and racing. When I look back on my diet in those years compared to now, it’s frightening the amount of processed and greasy foods that I blissfully consumed - and without gaining a pound. Unfortunately, the downside to maintaining a healthy diet is that instead of scary monsters or having a test I haven't studied for, my nightmares now consist of me being chased at greasy spoon diners by giant deep-fried donuts and Tator Tots
What Hasn’t Changed From 1975
As significant as the preceding changes are, running still comes down to ... running.
Hard Work is Still Essential. No matter how nice the material I wear, how comfortable shoes on my feet or clear sounding the music in my earbuds, a hard workout remains a hard workout. It’s also no less essential to achieving your goals as a runner.
Weather is Still Weather. Improvements in running clothes definitely helps when it comes to running under various weather extremes. At the same time, ninety plus temps are and will always be as challenging as below zero temps. Hot is hot and cold is cold.
You’re Still on Your Own. As much as advancement has benefitted running, a race still comes down to what you can do on that particular day. The hard work needed to get there remains. The impact of the running conditions and temperature also remains. Meaning that I'm just as much on my own for a race in 2024 as I was at that race back in 1975.
Nor would I have it any other way.
Conclusion
What are your thoughts on those fifty years. Any memories to share? Anything to add
that I overlooked? Let me know below or on Facebook.
Comentários