Filed under: Free

Runner or Product of Consumerism?

I will admit it.. I'm a wannabe runner. Meaning: I run at slow paces, while believing I am good at it or something. This also includes my false belief that I can live the way I do and be a good runner. If I would only cut out a few things in my lifestyle, I would be great. But I don't foresee that day coming any time soon. 

One weird day in December 2011, I came across this interactive film by Chris Milk featuring Arcade Fire's "We Used to Wait." This video is both amazing and inspiring. It actually made be believe I could run for days! On the site, you type in the address of the home where you grew up and it uses images from Google Earth to incorporate live footage of your home town. So, while remembering your long-forgotten youth and treasuring what it meant to be innocent and naive, you also have a strange desire to just...run. The site is called  The Wilderness Downtown, which is a line used in the Arcade Fire song, which makes sense as the lyrics of the song connect to the reaction you feel from the video. I now run to their recent album, The Suburbs, all the time because it often helps with restoring that motivartion to run- because Lords knows, I need it. 

C1

Moments after seeing The Wilderness Downtown, I immediately decided, "I must run a race!" Like any dedicated runner, I gave myself even more motivation to run...by buying new running shoes. Within seconds, I am sacrificing my credit card information to Nike and purchasing myself a brand new pair of Nike Free's. These shoes are quite brilliant. Extremely light-weight and flexible- they make me feel like I am running on air. A few more views of Wilderness Downtown, combined with a killer iPod playlist and my new kicks, and I'm on the trail! 

Free

This Nike Free Ad only further reinforces my purchase. 

 

After a few good runs, I tell myself I am ready for a race. I scan Active.com for something appealing and come across the Old Agoura 10k. According to the site, it is the top rated 10K in the US so obviously, I believe it and register right away. My training went pretty well, I think. I owe my motivation largely to shoes and music but I guess, to each their own, right? Here I am finishing the race- 3rd in my division. 

Greatrace

Let's just say, the last 2 miles of straight-up hill were neither expected or desired. Or fun. But I finished nonetheless, and am currently, half-assedly preparing for my next race. Here's my aunt and I after finishing the race. Can you believe they give every racer a medal? I even got a trophy in the mail for finishing 3rd- it went straight to the household wall of trinkets and is now collecting dust as I type. 

Greatrace2

My next race is the San Diego Rock N' Roll Half Marathon, and I am embarrassed to admit that I am not at all ready. It should be very interesting. I have 3 friends running with me and I pray every night that they are at my same level of suck. I have 2 weeks to go and have yet to even run 10 miles... or even 8!  I think I am gonna need to get me this pair of New Balance's or I am sh*& out of luck! 

Newsies

1 of 1


Posterous theme by Cory Watilo