Exercise-Induced Tourettes

I think I may be in trouble . . . .

During my runs I have been known to make a variety of utterances, including loud grunts and moans. On occasion, I might even try to motivate myself by yelling phrases such as 'Get Going!', or 'Move it, Bob!', On particularly strenuous routes, I have even been known to utter an occasional monosyllabic expletive.

One of my running partners, Kimball, has coined a phrase for this - - 'Exercise Induced Tourette's Syndrome,' after the psychiatric illness of the same name. At first I thought it was just something he made up as a topic of humorous discussion to describe something common to many runners. However, recently my daughter informed me that she can always tell when I'm coming home from my run - - because she can hear me grunting and snorting as I come up the street. It makes me think that I'm not so normal after all.

Please tell me that there are other runners out there that do this too!

R. Walter, CA

When I first started running, my daughter refused to run with me because I made so much noise, and of course was so slow. Now she won't run with me because I want to run further than she does

Recently my wife informed me that she can always tell when I'm coming home from work - - because she can hear me grunting and snorting as I come up the street.

You make me think that I'm not so abnormal after all.

I did the old 'self talk' to myself during all my races and long runs. Usually it's 'Head up, relax the shoulders, smooth form, quiet feet, spin up the hill' or what ever seems appropriate at the time. I talk to myself more as the race gets tougher.

Mark