Why I Stubbornly Run Only Three Times Per Week

If you follow my blog, you probably know that I have some fairly ambitious running goals, including a sub-20 5k and a 50 mile ultra-marathon.  The logical way to ensure that I reach those goals would be to move away from my three-runs-per-week schedule and run five or six times instead. My 5k times are around 20:30 right now, so adding in a couple more days of running per week might be all I need to put me under 20.

So why don’t I do it?  The short answer is: I like to keep my life in balance. I’ve learned to know myself pretty well in the past four decades, and I’ve learned that my hobbies can quickly become addictions.  Just ask my family; they’ll confirm this. I very much enjoy running, and if I was only looking out for myself, I’d be running 5 or 6 days a week.  But doing so would be at the expense of my family, and quite possibly, I’d eventually learn to hate this hobby just like I’ve eventually lost interest in many other ones. Running and getting fit has had a positive impact on my life, and I want to keep it that way.

Maybe in another season of life, it will make sense to run more than three times a week, but for now it doesn’t. I will probably never be able to qualify for the Boston Marathon on three runs a week. Maybe I won’t even run a 50-miler or get a sub-20 5k. If that is the price I have to pay for family/running balance, I’m OK with that.