Oatmeal and the Blerch

As part of my newfound enthusiasm for running, this weekend I’ve tried to find which corners of the internet runners tend to frequent, so I can properly integrate myself into their society. In so doing, I discovered this wonderful series of webcomics by The Oatmeal, who it turns out is an ultra runner. I was particularly inspired by the Blerch, and there is undoubtedly a part of my brain that I can freely associate with it (incidentally, I’ve previously come to think of it as Jerry, the catastrophically uninspiring father from Rick and Morty). During my brief foray into the crossroads between online and running culture, it seems distance runners in particular seem to revel in a particularly bizzare masochism-induced euphoria that comes from pushing your body to its limits. The feeling of achievement after completing a run has been a big motivator for me so far - it really is blissful. It makes me feel more confident about myself, even though nothing has changed. It feels good to push myself and consistently find that I have a lot more to give, and I’m excited to see how far I can take that.