These are the topics that require a response even if protocol screams to remain silent. Popular opinion or not, a response must happen or you know the silence will gnaw at you until it is resolved. It may be the political battles of our day; the right to life or a right to choose, free speech or censorship, democrat or republican, give me a chance to give it a thumbs up on Facebook and I am in. In other cases, not quite as lofty; I am always on guard to defend rights; my right to a Starbucks coffee made just so, my right to be first in line at the red light and my right to exclaim why my team is going to win the playoffs and your team will fail. Then there is the internal defense; don't talk to me about my finances, don't question how I raise my kids, how I speak to my wife or spend my time. These topics are off limits unless you agree with me. I look at what I am defending a bit like running... yeah, stick with me for a moment, I have a point and I am sure this will offend some runners along the way. For some, this will be a twofer, get a new perspective and offend runners. A friend mentioned he doesn't do complex exercises due to marginal hand-eye coordination, so he just runs because it isn't complex. This conclusion works well if you run well, but the problem arises when the body is not ready to run and starts to break down and injury occurs. Chronic pain is not normal and the ability to run pain-free is the baseline for the human frame. If you sit hunched over a desk for eight hours, sit during the commute followed by collapsing on a big comfy couch each day, the muscles and tendons won't be ready for a five mile run after a 30 second warm up and cool down four times a week. You may be better off if you have had your walking and running gait evaluated to reduce stress on the body and ensure the stride is efficient. Proper form will keep you upright to ensure breathing isn't too laborious and the body is moving at top efficiency? Recently, an elderly runner was barely into his trip with a strong heel strike and with each footfall, his body shuddered from the impact, starting to hobble within 1/10th of a mile. A long-time runner may say "I know what I am doing, I just get out and run. I have been doing it for years, so don't question my experience". Welcome to the Department of Defense. The ability to listen and have a healthy debate while the heavy artillery remains in storage gives an opportunity to learn and grow. Just because you have a perspective doesn't mean you won't change. We must expect to grow and change; those that don't are in the embrace of atrophy and death.

What are your sacred cows? How are you easily offended? What topics require you roll out the heavy artillery? What topics has your position you softened? What topics are you more resolute about today? What question should I have asked?