How would your life be different if you never started running?

I'd probably have focused on/done a different sport or activity

Probably not worse just different, but running is the most fulfilling thing in my life rn

Would have continued pursuing soccer in college instead of running.

I would not have known who Suzy Favor is.

I would be an alcoholic but probably be happier somehow.

I would be even more overweight, unhappy, and unhealthy I think. Would probably still be drinking a good bit (I drink maybe a couple times a month these days, I'm boring.). Not sure about mental health since while running does help my depression and anxiety, it's also something I obsess over like everyone else here. Been running consistently now for about 2 and a half years, just ran 2:58:51 in Chicago in my 6th marathon. I'm definitely going to ride the running wave as a long as I can and my wife supports my rambling about it.

I probably would have focused on another sport, possibly cross country skiing. My parents took me to the track club as a child because I had a lot of extra energy.

My working career would be further along, much more lucrative, and I could retire as a relatively young man. I spent too much time chasing a dream and the OTQ while my university peers started working seriously. That five year span made a huge difference in our respective life stations. We're all middle aged now and no one gives a crap how fast you now run a 5K. They have more money and nicer things. I have boxes of medals and trophies boxed up in my attic. In all likelihood, despite my "healthier" lifestyle, we will all die in our 70's or 80's.

I have some great memories, good friends, and saw some cool places as an athlete. In hindsight, it wasn't worth it.

I sometimes think about this. My mental health before I started running (sophomore year of HS) was very bad. Throughout my running career, my mental health has been both improved because I found something that I truly have a passion for. However, my mental health has been pretty bad at times during my running career, but it from factors unrelated to running. Running gave and continues to give me an outlet to forget about things that might be bothering me. In some cases, I feel more confident addressing some of the issues that come up in my life after doing a run, since running helps to clear my head. I would suspect that my mental health would be consistently much worse than it was today because I wouldn't have the same outlet to clear my head.

Portland Hobby Jogger wrote:

My working career would be further along, much more lucrative, and I could retire as a relatively young man. I spent too much time chasing a dream and the OTQ while my university peers started working seriously. That five year span made a huge difference in our respective life stations. We're all middle aged now and no one gives a crap how fast you now run a 5K. They have more money and nicer things. I have boxes of medals and trophies boxed up in my attic. In all likelihood, despite my "healthier" lifestyle, we will all die in our 70's or 80's.

I have some great memories, good friends, and saw some cool places as an athlete. In hindsight, it wasn't worth it.

I had a similar path but different perspective.

I trained for an OTQ for years after college and postponed any professional career.

And I did get to run in the Olympic Trials.

So that gave me a view of setting, working towards and achieving goals that characterize how I go through life.

If I never started running and I think I would view things differently. I would be a very different person.

I think it helped me be more successful and happier.

I probably would have played soccer instead. Wouldn't have achieved the same level of success that I had in running, which probably would have resulted in my confidence being relatively stunted. May have had more drive in my career early on, and would be farther along if I gave running up post-collegiately. Alternatively, may have been miserable without it, which would have adversely affected work performance. Tough to say.

As much as I would like to say that I would have taken the energy and motivation I had as a runner and applied it towards school work, I know that's a lie. If anything I probably would have been and even worse student. I like learning but I was never a big fan of "school", running gave me a reason to enjoy going to school and at least work hard enough to stay eligible.

I probably would have skated through school, got a bad job in retail and I'd still be stuck there.

I got into running as an extension of getting into coaching. It has made me a far better coach. There's a possibility I wouldn't be doing it anymore, if I didn't run, and it's the most rewarding thing in my life.

I would probably be a little more overweight, but maybe not. I used to be more into lifting. I'd definitely have more muscle mass and be a lot stronger. Maybe I would have learned to control my diet in these last 10 years, if I'd had to.

I don't think I'd be as happy without running and coaching running. Can't imagine what could be a 1 to 1 replacement for it.

I'd also be a lot lighter in the pockets. Not too many other hobbies out there that pay a few thousand bucks every season.

I would be better at my job though. Mostly through the loss of coaching, not running.

illinoisjones wrote:

I sometimes think about this. My mental health before I started running (sophomore year of HS) was very bad. Throughout my running career, my mental health has been both improved because I found something that I truly have a passion for. However, my mental health has been pretty bad at times during my running career, but it from factors unrelated to running. Running gave and continues to give me an outlet to forget about things that might be bothering me. In some cases, I feel more confident addressing some of the issues that come up in my life after doing a run, since running helps to clear my head. I would suspect that my mental health would be consistently much worse than it was today because I wouldn't have the same outlet to clear my head.

+1

Same here.

Likely wouldn't be alive today to type this due to severe childhood heart disease.

I think maybe hapier, but I'm not too sure. I had severe depression and running helped. Before I was a runner, I was a drummer in DCI, so I would've continued that.

i would have almost certainly have had a lot more casual sex

The negative: I’d be somewhat soft and overweight.

The positive: I would not have known about Jamin.

I would have had been fat and unhappy... or dead.