Another running thought

Short run today, just 6.2 miles, so short thought.

A few years back I had this running calender where I logged my miles and it had these little inspirational quotes in it to keep me from giving up on running or sawing my own leg off, or any other running related psychotic break. Well one of my favorites was this one...

"The first 20 or 30 minutes are your gift for your body, and the next 20 or 30 minutes are your gift for yourself."

And it had an explanation which I will now provide.

The first 20 or 30 minutes are the most beneficial in terms of cardiovascular health. After 20 or 30 minutes you reach a point of diminishing returns in terms of the good you do for your cardio - I wouldn't say a point of NO returns, because I truly believe someone who can run 20 miles is more fit than someone who runs only 3, but certainly you get a much bigger bang for your buck for those first 3. Which means that...

The next 20 or 30 minutes aren't for health - they're for the joy of running. Your time for yourself, for achievement, or whatever.

Beautiful, really, and right on. And actually inspirational for me, in a small way, as few things are. Except for the part they left out of the quote.

"And the next 2.5 HOURS are ...."

They didn't include that part. How do we account for the 20, 22, 26 mile runs? Here are some possibilities.

"The next 2.5 HOURS are your punishment for all the evil you've done in your past lives."

"The next 2.5 hours are because you never were all that bright, were you?"

"The next 2.5 hours are because that grizzly bear STILL hasn't stopped chasing you"

"The next 2.5 hours are for Ugho, the God of Sweat"

That's all I could come up with on my 1 hour run today. I'll have more the next time I have to run 3.5 hours.