Man in ‘Purely Physical’ Relationship with Running Finds Self Getting Emotionally Attached
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A local man who has described his relationship to running as “purely physical” is finding himself growing emotionally attached, Dumb Runner has learned—a development that he’s struggling to navigate.
“It’s weird and unexpected,” Oliver Newton-John, 38, said in a phone interview. “It’s like, where did these feelings come from, you know?”
Newton-John said he took up running about a year ago, when he quit smoking.
“It was purely physical, a means to an end,” he said. “A few times a week, I’d do it—sometimes hard and fast, sometimes nice and slow—and then forget about it till the next time.”
But somewhere along the way, he said, things got more complicated.
“I found myself thinking about running at odd times, like while brushing my teeth or in a work meeting,” he said. “I would see or hear things that reminded me of running, and I’d catch myself smiling.”
In essence, Newton-John said, he began to feel like he was falling in love.
“I’ll admit, that realization was a little scary,” he said. “I wasn’t looking for intimacy or a long-term thing.”
“I’ve been hurt before,” he added.
Newton-John said he’s still figuring out what comes next, but that he might be ready for a long-term relationship.
“I’m not getting any younger,” he said. “Maybe it is time to make a commitment.”
