Inspired by Mizuno's current marketing campaign, I've been toying with the thought "what if everybody ran." Mizuno commissioned a statistical study to examine this question and compiled a number of figures: 48 million fewer cigarettes smoked per day, 20 million more great grandmothers, 7 billion more hours spent outdoors, etc.
I love this sentiment and the fact that Mizuno took time to actually study it. I always say that the world would be a better place if there were more runners, especially mother runners. All runners are amazing, but mother runners (or BAMRs, as we like to be called) are a special subset of this special group. They know how to work hard, make sacrifices, and persevere until the job is done. BAMRs pass these lessons on to their children, who learn by example that discipline, consistency, and persistence pay off; that strengthening one's body also strengthens the spirit; that faced with failure, we can shake off our disappointment and try again. How radically different would our society be if these were the messages we handed down to our future leaders?!
Ok, deep breath. I'll step off my soapbox now. I intended to take a more comic approach to this question, so let's move on to the lighthearted part. If everybody ran:
- well-stocked and perfectly clean restrooms would be available on every corner.
- you would find Gu and Nuun in grocery checkouts as impulse-buy items.
- last season's running shoes would be perfectly acceptable footwear for any social occasion.
- yoga for runners and basics of foam rolling would be a required component of high school PE programs.
- tax refunds would be given in the form of race entries.
- compression gear would be considered work - and date night - appropriate.
If everybody ran, the world would be full of healthy, balanced people working to better themselves and their environment one step at a time. What do you think the world would be like if everybody ran? Both serious and silly responses welcome :)
