Recently my sister Palmer and I signed up for the Nike Women's Marathon. One most likely trivial part of the registration was answering the question, 'why do you run'. Off the top of my head, I answered something so generic and boring I cannot even remember now what it was. Fortunately the powers that be at Nike didn't deem that answer too important in their decision making process as to who got in, and thus we for the first time made it into the run. Now the countdown is on until October.
My point actually being though that it got me thinking........why do I run? And now that I have the time to actually ponder this question, the answers come spilling out of my mind faster than I can seriously contemplate each of them. So here goes it.
I run......because I can. I do not want to be one of those people who have resorted to couch potato-ism. I do not want to wake up one day and decide I would like to go for a jog only to find it so excruciatingly difficult that I cannot muster one step. But also, I am fortunate to be in decent enough health, fit enough, and fully mobile. There are numerous people out there who could never and will never be able to run because of some physical handicap, and perhaps deep down a part of me runs for them.
I run......because I love how it makes me feel- during and after. Even now, as I struggle to get this post-child-bearing body back into its former shape, a body which if you ask me at any given time during the day I will tell you "I am working on" and sigh in frustration at in the mirror, I can still appreciate its beauty and strength when I run. When I run, those last ten pregnancy pounds seem to magically disappear. I recognize my body for the tough cookie it is, marvel at the actual strength it has, the ability to conquer just about anything. For that hour or so that I run, I forget about that bit of flab. And after I finish running, although deep down I know I'm not quite there, I feel about as beautiful and fit as a supermodel!
I run......to clear my head, to repress if only for a little bit those stresses and frustrations of the day. Perhaps I take those out on the pavement, or my poor knees, but I often find that when I am done running I may not be able to remember what I thought about while I was running, or what I talked to someone about during it, but either way I am a lot more carefree.
I run......for the camaraderie. My running partners have changed over the years, but I always feel that there is a bond established between runners that cannot be put into words, but that means a lot. No matter how trivial the conversation, your running partner is your 'brother/sister in arms', and every distance seems a lot easier, each hill a little smaller when you have someone matching you step for step. Oftentimes, we don't even need to say anything at all, our labored breathing reminding each other that we are there, we are not alone.
I run for social reasons. Running is perhaps my biggest thing in common with several of my friends anymore. They can understand your excitement at having a new PR at a 10K, or the thrill and exhaustion of finishing a punishing 20 mile training run. Names of races are dropped like celebrities amongst runners--- you want to run Boston, or just entered Owl's Roost............I have even made several temporary friends during races, striking up conversations with those runners who have been hovering near you the entire race, whose pace just seems to match up well with yours, who seem to be able to use a little friendly conversation to get them those last few miles.
And now I run for my daughter. I want to be there for her for as long as possible, and I know that my being healthy helps those chances. But I also want to show her that running can be fun. I remember growing up dreading the mile for the Physical Fitness tests, now a mile is just the start to my run, 1/26th of a marathon. If her watching me run can inspire her to take it up, wonderful, if not, then so be it. I will not force her to join me, but I relish the possibility that years down the road, maybe, just maybe she will lace up her running shoes and take to the pavement with me early in the morning, her youth and energy pushing my old body to go just a little faster, a little further. I eagerly look forward to those conversations we may have, and sharing many miles with her.
Needless to say, I think anymore I'd be lost without running. Nike: I run to run, and I will see you in San Francisco.
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