Immersion...running?

I haven't gone for a run in several days. I was at a writing conference all weekend. That's a good excuse, right?

And, let's be honest, I am not quite that dedicated yet to running--no matter what.

This year's topic was immersion. Some of the tactics the writers used were for reporting shorter news stories. Other speakers have spent years fully immersed in a story for a book. I'm just not that well-funded. I probably won't be moving to Hawaii to live with surfers (oh but I want to!). I'm not likely to get a job as a corrections officer just so I can get an inside look of a prison.

How does this have anything to do with running? I can immerse myself in running, right? Just go every day (or at least try to). Lesson learned. Well not quite. Running is a culture. It has its own jargon, community and attitudes. To some extent, running is becoming popular. It seems every nonprofit organization puts on some kind of walk or fun run. The Rock n Roll marathon series is a growing for-profit business. The Boston Marathon recently reduced its qualifying times, narrowing the potential field of runners accepted to the race each year. And within the larger running community, there are subcultures: barefoot runners, female runners, male runners, elderly runners, gluten free runners, professional runners, ultramarathoners, marathoners, sprinters, trail runners, and the list goes on.

I'm slowly learning some of the jargon in the running community. PR is a big one. In my writing and news world, I hear PR, and I think public relations. A runner hears PR and thinks personal record. Or PB: personal best. This is for those time obsessed racers seeking BQs: Boston qualifying times. I've learned what fartleks are. I know what speedwork is. Hill repeats. ITBS. Stress fractures. Gu. Butt kicks.

I'm still a beginner. I don't yet belong to a subculture of runners. I haven't fully immersed myself in this elite society of masochistic people. Mostly, I run by myself on some road near my apartment hoping to achieve the bliss I felt during my one perfect run. It was in Hawaii. I'm in Texas. Big difference. Occasionally I pass another runner. I nod. We share a quick wave and then go about our business.

Though I was sitting most of the weekend inside on overly air conditioned conference room, I was imagining how what I learned could be applied to running. Running keeps me writing. And writing keeps me running. Now I just need to take the next step and fully infiltrate this world I've only been visiting. It's time to join the subculture, go full immersion.

I'm going native.