Starling Fitness: Daily writings on Fitness, Diet, and Health

The Oatmeal is a great comic that has been around for a long time. He wrote about why he runs here:

• The Oatmeal – The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons I Run Long Distances

His most inspiring entry is about The Blerch:

He wrote:

Marathon runners often describe a phenomenon known as “hitting the wall.” They refer to ‘the wall” as the point in a race when they feel physically and emotionally defeated.

I do not believe in the wall. I believe in The Blerch. The Blerch is a fat little cherub who follows me when I run. He is a wretched, lazy beast. He tells me to slow down, to walk, to quit.

“Blerch” is the sound food makes when it is squeezed from a tube. “Blerch” is the shape of my tummy after a huge meal. If I am sedentary at a time when I have zero excuse for being sedentary, I call this “blerching.” The Blerch represents all forms of gluttony, apathy, and indifference that plague my life.

A wall is an obstinate, immovable object. You cannot silence it. You cannot outrun it and you cannot beat it. The Blerch, however, can be outrun. He can be silenced.

I run because it’s the only way I know how to quiet the monster. I run because, deep down, I AM The Blerch.

He goes on to talk about how running has affected his life for the positive and you should really read the entire comic. It’s brilliant!

• The Oatmeal – The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons I Run Long Distances