Running useful? It's about as useful as deadlifts. When was the last time you had to pick up something over 25kgs to mid thigh other than in the gym?
Um. Lemme see. Do I ever bend over and pick something up but not push it above my head. Um. Hmmmmm. Lemme see. Lemme see. Ah.
Yes.
Every day. My equipment cases that I put into the car every day get picked up and lifted to waist height. A couple of those would be over 20kg, maybe 30kg. I pick up groceries (ok, not 25kg but still a weight that some would complain about. A bag with 3 big chickens plus half a sheep is no laughing matter. Drool.), putting the lawn mower into the boot of the car, putting the old dog in the back of the ute, damn near everything I need to pick up off the ground gets deadlifted.
How many times a day do I have to run 10km? Never. 100m? Almost never. 10m? Maybe if there is a promise of food or sex at the end.
When you think about it, we get very little activity in an average western lifestyle. I'm ruling out entertainment, such as sports and recreation here. Even farmers use bikes or utes or tractors to get around. Maybe firefighters need it now and then, police need to be able to cope with running on occasion. Plumbers? Ha! Brickies? Not on your life. We are a pretty sedentary bunch.
If I had a choice of being able to run 10km, or a marathon, or being strong enough to pick up my woman and carry her to safety, I would pick being strong any day.
Gotta tell you this story. It got me going to the gym when I first started. I'm at the Big Day Out and its hot as hell. So I go over to the water taps to fill my bottle and they are against a fence, behind which you have an enclosed area where you can have alcohol. There are a line of toilets nearby and the ground is wet and muddy all around from the taps and toilets and such. So a skinny guy with a nice looking girl are standing near me on the other side of the fence when the heat, booze and ecstasy kick in and the girl passes out, flop, right on the ground in the mud and squelch and shit. He doesn't even try to catch her and just stands there all whiney and weepy until the paramedics rush up. She's OK, but I could not help but realise what a total waste of penis that shithead was. All eager to go the beaver but had absolutely no "manly" characteristics about him. Could not even drag her out of the shit.
So, if you can't pick up your woman and take her to safety, you may as well just take some scissors and snip off your nuts cos you aint gonna need them. Then run 10km for help.