Wondering if the UMD has any runners.

Been running 5 yrs. Ran my first marathon last month after training all summer. I find the running community has similarities to the WAM community (mostly chill people, open and accepting, tend to skew slightly nerdy in a good way, if I'm to generalize).

Congratulations on your first marathon! Best feeling ever.
(maybe second best. Heavy dump of double thick natrasol prob the best)

Started 2 years ago; I do parkruns, the occasional 10km and once in a while join in a local drinking club with a running problem.

Right now: I am injured, possibly to the point of no impact sport ever again (something which I have done for over 30 years)...a little worried but find out in the new year, in the meantime I volunteer at parkruns instead

I've read about the local drinking clubs with a running problem, love it. (And I'd fit right in.) Sucks about the injury. I've had plantar fasciitis which took about a year to get over but the one that plagued me, still does, is Achilles tendonitis. Mrs Bee patiently has to listen to my bellyaching, not to mention the boner killer that is watching me foam roll. Hope you get back to fighting shape, even if it takes time and PT.

I've been running 9 years. 10Ks, half marathons and marathons.

Ran my 6th marathon this October in York, England. Everyone was wet before crossing the start line, it rained non-stop and I was soaked through long before crossing the finish line. Part of the course was rural and there were puddles on route, so wide and deep that there was no option but to run through them

Well done on completing your first marathon. I love running in out-of-town areas. It sounds corny, but it does give me that glad-to-be-alive feeling. And if I get splattered with wet mud along the way - bonus

Runner here. Started seriously this past January and now run a 5k every other day and a 10k every Saturday or Sunday morning. Still don't think I'm anywhere near ready for a marathon or even half marathon.

Bigshipper, New York Marathon?

Nah, I'd love that though. I wanted to try something smaller so I did one out here in the Midwest. I am in the lottery for Chicago next year and I see if I get in next week.

That's awesome, Stella. I started the same way (I did a Chase 5K here in Chicago). Then I built up and did a 1/2 marathon, got injured, more half marathons, then finally decided f*** it, and put in the time-miles. I'm a middle-of-the-packer, but I like it and I like the way it makes me feel during and after. Not to get too goopy, but I think running is very personal. Everyone has got their own reasons for doing so.

PS, your latest pics in the lingerie=top notch. Jayce did a good job of summing up: soft but with a little edge.

Remember back in the 80's when everyone wanted to date an aerobics instructor? Yeah, well I did and 36 years after the first date she's still in great shape and still working on me.

I'm 55 and been running about 20 years. I once had this feeling that WAM, roller skating, kink, flashing colored lights, and running were all related. I think Einstein was working on the GUF (Grand Unified Fetish) theory when he died and I've tried to pursue his research. Anyhow, I've got innumerable 5k's, many 10K, about 40 half marathons, and a couple of full ones behind me. As I've aged it's become vastly more difficult to find time and running interferes greatly with the sedentary lifestyle I'm trying to carry into retirement someday. The only remaining motivation I've got is the link between fitness and sex.

Great work and keep it going. Don't ever stop because it's hell to get going again.

THAT SUCKS!!! Losing something you love because of an injury can be soul crushing.

Running in of itself was never a big thing for me, and never anything more than a mile before my lungs felt like they were going to implode (thanks for 20 years of chain smoking mom and dad. Also for the genetic flat duck feet). I've had increasingly bad RA for the past 15 years or so that doesn't help either.
Mostly running involving sports. Also parkour as kids back before it had a name and parents called it 'playing in the woods'. But my brothers and I thought we were more bad ass than the kids in '3 ninjas'


The biggest thing I miss is the martial arts. I've been a junkie since I was 10. Never one thing for too long at first. Karate and some Tae Kwon Do early on. Changquan wushu, and Wing Chun became my obsession during my Bruce Lee teen years up until The Matrix came out. Old Japanese samurai budo style called koryu is my 20s, and then I hit the health wall.

Just started being able to hit the gym slowly again. The muscles are like "YAY" but my joints are like "GTFO". So for now it's Taichi and the e-bike.

But even just as far back as Vegas in May I was walking with a cane, and had such bad neuropathy I couldn't feel anything with my hands or feet.

So... it's not much but maybe that can inspire you to adapt to something similar that is enjoyable.

Grand Unified Fetish....might have to steal this.

You should run the Las Vegas Marathon next year!

Help yourself, friend. It's over the heads of most.

I run marathons competitively. I'm injured at the moment and trying to work back up to it but have done about 30 full marathons and loads of halfs. I've even won a few of them!
I'm hoping in the new year work gets less stressful and my hip improves enough so I can start running fast times again.

Well done on your fist marathon. I bet you said "never again" when you finished and then started planning your next one the next day - seems to be what always happens

That's absolutely amazing! It sounds so fantastical and surreal to me that anyone can run that far. My body aches just thinking about it. Even removing the impact of running, I don't think I could ever even cycle that far!

Ha, it was definitely a "never again" moment. The funniest sign I saw when doing it was "This was supposed to be a good idea 4 months ago". I did not start planning the next one the next day...it was more like a week.

I've been running for years and there's nothing like being done with your chores and responsibilities for the day, lacing up your shoes and tearing off through the neighborhood in the dark, no gym membership required!

My job involves a fair amount of heavy lifting and physical labor, so that's sorta my workout for now and I haven't been running as often as I should be. I should change that; back in the day I was mystified by the way my dad would work hard physical labor on the assembly lines at his job and still find time to jog several miles each morning.

Best of luck to those who are struggling through injuries or other health problems. You have all my respect.

Re: the Grand Unified Fetish theory...heck yeah! All those things are incredibly awesome and I think you're on to something; I'm a rink-rat myself and we quad skaters definitely skew slightly nerdy.

I've been running from the law for about the past 40 years.

That's what happens when you go running in quicksand.

Been running on and off for years. Just got myself injured, just as I start training for my next half. Have started to do some mud and obstacle races to indulge myself a bit. Just found one done on a beach next summer.

I have run 3 marathons very competitive. Almost qualified for the Olympic Trials 26 years ago. I ran in College as well. I also like running in muddy areas, trails which fuels my mud/quicksand fetish. Once I tried to jump over a real muddy area and accidentialy was stuck waist deep for quite a while. It was thrilling trying to get out and my big running shoes got me real stuck for quite a while. Anybody else had that situation?

Started running earlier this year, as of this NYE done 32 Parkruns + volunteering and am committed for life to it now, also 3 10k's, a 5k (which I won!), and the Great South. Want to start doing 1/2 marathons in 2019 and build up to a full marathon. Great community, and it's really not competitive. People take care of their own.

Excellent story. I agree re the community of runners. One of the things that got me into it were those first races. Strangers just come up and start talking to you. The competition is not to destroy another team, but it's more turned inward (you want to PR against your prior times). Definitely an interesting sub-culture.

Yep, and I say to a lot of people that parkrun is an almost ideal organisation in its ethos. It's fiercely free, friendly and accessible to all, run by volunteers with a tiny number of paid staff and no moves to monetise itself. There's now such a consistant wave of support for it that it will keep growing and growing around the world.

ah my other love "the hash house harriers" the drinking club with the running problem!

I think there is a lot of cross over between wam lovers and the hash

surely everyone commenting on this is into doing the muddy obstacle course races as well?

Yes, running is my biggest hobby besides WAM lol! I have run 12 marathons including the Boston Marathon 4 times, one 50K ultramarathon, and lots of other local races over the past 8 years. Good times!

Began roller skating when I was a little kid and loved Roller Derby. I was 16 by the time Roller Disco was in full swing but hated disco. However that's where the girls were and I could skate. Finally decided that if it was okay for Hef and James "Rollerball" Caan then it was okay for me. I've never gotten over the scene of three lady friends in designer jeans and Farrah styled hair trucking backwards in step out of the turn. Those were the days when girls were girls and dorks like me were damn glad of it.

Years went by and I took my daughter to the rink for a birthday party. Was she surprised to see her old man could still wear it out! (Kind of) I returned to skating with adult resources and spent a freaking fortune on skates and related paraphernalia. It's changed a lot though. The music sucks and there are lawyers limiting the fun at every turn. Kids dress like derelicts now too.

I'm still a derby fan though.

I was a runner when I was in the army..had to be!! I ran the Army ten mile qualifier twice while in Alaska and then I ran a half marathon when I was in Fort Bragg. The training was intense at times but I still got through it!

Since I left the Army, I have not been able to run like I want to. My ankles and knees can't take it anymore. For me running was a release...and I do miss it!

Since this popped back up I thought I'd do an update. Running is still killer on the knees, but I'm up to cycling 10 miles at my local Planet Fitness no problem. Maybe new shoes or knee braces are in order to get back to actual running, but it's a start that I'm pretty happy with!