I became a runner by elimination: I needed to do something for "cardiac hygiene". Swimming has a setup cost (you need to go to a pool). Cycling takes too long, so running it became. I run 40-50km/week, and honestly I do not like it. Anyway, I do enjoy the mental health side effects too.

I don't really like and never liked running; I mean, I don't like it as I like skateboarding, which makes me all butterfly hyped just thinking about riding a board and doing even the dumbest simplest tricks.

But I do like the effects of running, which I don't seem to be able to emulate any other way. I can't say it's torture - it should never be nor feel like torture otherwise you're doing it wrong - but it was certainly a learned taste of sorts.

It's more like this human body has been shaped to do this by aeons of evolution, and over time it feels immensely rewarding after the fact when done properly for a given fitness level.

You don't have to like running, your body does already (but might have forgotten)

>Why would you voluntarily practice a form of exercise that you actively dislike, when there are basically infinite options to get the same benefits in different ways?

If there are other, more enjoyable, ways to get a similarly cardo-intensive workout that are equally convenient I'd love to hear them.

I like cycling. But in practice it is difficult to get my heart rate as high in a sustained way - at least, where I live. A similar level of workout takes a lot longer.

So yeah, hit me with some of these infinite possibilities please.

I understand what you're saying on an intellectual level.