Activation Energy and Running Catalysts

I struggled to explain the difficulties I have getting to my training to my therapist this week as I laid out on the massage table. Jason humoured me by listening to my never-ending plight of hauling my butt out the door mornings, afternoons and evenings.

I recounted how nearly every workout, whether on track or trail, near or far, fast or slow, unfurls almost effortlessly once I’m moving. This pattern has played out countless times over the years. I know through experience that the run will be enjoyable and that I will undoubtedly feel much better for having ran. However, this doesn’t seem to diminish the frequency with which I battle myself to get out to door.

I told Jason, a Newfoundlander, “I know the run will be great. I know I’ll feel awesome for the rest of the day. You’d think I’d have learned by now to just go!”

Jason consoled, “Sometimes it’s just hard, b’y.”

As he torqued my leg I thought to myself: it’s not just hard sometimes. Getting after it takes concerted effort each time. And, just as I thought that, my mind immediately latched onto a concept I explored while studying chemistry (a decidedly strange occurrence for a social scientist…) – energy of activation.

In chemical reactions, reactants combine, split or otherwise transform to form products. This can result in a net release or consumption of energy. Either way, most reactions require a particular amount of energy to activate the process. For reactions that are exothermic, i.e. release heat energy once the energy of activation is supplied, the reaction ensues effortlessly.

Even though running is a whole mess of complicated organic systems, reactions and processes, maybe the whole of it can be viewed much like a chemical reaction pathway. My training kit, shoes and pre-workout banana or oatmeal are the reactants of my running. The route I trace through the city, trails, track or treadmill is the reaction path. The effort I give throughout my run is the energy provided into the system. The enhancement of my mental state, physiology and running capacity are the products I reap through this process.

So, if I find my running, even during difficult speed or interval workouts, to flow once initiated then running could take the shape of an exothermic chemical reaction. The difficulty I have, frequently, of getting out the door is what I’ll call my energy of activation (E_a).

Not every run requires the same E_a. Some days it is miniscule, especially when the reaction path is a stunning route past alpine lakes and meadows. Other days, when I face sideways sleet on a 400m outdoor hamster-wheel, or am feeling the effects of a hard workout or big mileage week, the E_a is palpable. Always, the energy I need to get the ball rolling is in the form of mental motivation. Often this motivation comes in inspiration from seeing what others share – photos, stories, and notes of their own time running. Other times, motivation comes from social bonds in the form of training with a partner – being accountable to another. A third way is commitment to future events. I urge myself on to my feet when I look forward in time and conceive of the body and ability needed to complete upcoming races and expeditions.