Runners are a rare breed. We get up early, endure extreme temperatures, and pound our feet into the ground for miles on end… all at our own choosing. Almost all of us are asked, on a pretty consistent basis, what our reasoning is. Each person has their own motivations so I thought I would share mine.
Living takes on new meaning
Anyone who has had a near-death experience will tell you that after that moment they began to see life in a whole new light. Colors are more vibrant, moods perk up, relationships get stronger, and the entire cosmic universe somehow seems to make sense. They realize that the purpose of life is simply to live. Nothing more, nothing less. Since the alternative doesn’t sound too pleasurable you learn to embrace every second you have as a human being, no matter how short or insignificant it may seem in the grand scheme of time.
I, like most runners, can tell you that I have had a near-death experience. It is called pushing yourself to the limit. It is reaching the point where you feel as if one more step could tip you over the edge. Your lungs are about to collapse, legs cripple from beneath you, and all of your bodily organs give up in a collective mutiny. None of that is actually going happen, of course, but at the time you don’t know that. And that is the beauty.
Minutes after stopping I am able to regain my breath, have a sip of water, and realize that everything is going to be alright. No, it is going to be better. I have been awakened.
Unprecedented serenity
We all live fast paced lives. It’s often hard to find the time to simply stop and focus. Even though I’m a plugged-in, realtime, next new thing type of guy, I value time for mindfulness. When our brains are allowed to concentrate for longer durations they develop more robust concepts. Ideas begin to bubble. Critical analysis takes place. Running provides this for me.
At the onset of each run my body does a systems check: Breathing okay? Heart rate? Any pains? Alight, lets get going. From that point on my mind is allowed to run wild. My neurons are firing, looking for a topic to concentrate on. Could be that issue at work that I’d like to crack. Sometimes it is my relationships. Or world issues, my next blog post, you name it.
Meanwhile I’m on running cruise control. One foot in front of the other, pacing through each mile. System checks keeps happening, rerouting takes place, goals are reevaluated (hopefully upward).
By the time I stop I feel refreshed and wholesome. Problems were resolved, concepts were developed, and my body pushed to its limits.
Oh, the places I see
I’m an adventurer at heart. I’m endlessly exploring, wanting to discover new things. This happens online, around my town, and out in the wide blue yonder.
I’ve had the pleasure of running races in some of the most beautiful locations known to man: along the pristine Monterey Bay, through towering redwoods in Big Sur, and across the Golden Gate Bridge, just to name a few.
But that doesn’t mean that my everyday runs around town aren’t just as exciting. Each neighborhood I go through exposes me to different cultures, landmarks, smells, and sounds. Each time I lace up my running shoes I make it a point to get myself lost and go somewhere I’ve never been.
Since my time in a given location is always very brief I have to soak in as much as possible. My jaunts can expose me to the very affluent and the very poor in only a matter of minutes. I hear snippets of great conversations, find hidden gems, and generally get a perspective of the world that I could never get any other way.
Simply put, running makes me a better person. Because of it I am stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally. It is an integral part of my life that I cannot believe I ever lived without.
So tell me, why do you run?
Hi Kyle,
I was what you might call a ‘late bloomer’ for going to college since I was in my late forties when I enrolled for core classes. During college, Physical Eduction was required so I took an ‘Aerobic Walking’ class. I discovered that walking was good for nearly every part of my body. And have discovered that walking can help you even if you aren’t feeling well, such as having a headache. One day recently, I wasn’t feeling well, and I went for my walk anyway which includes climbing a steep hill. I got to feeling better. My sister was suffering from severe depression, and I would make her walk too…she would get to feeling better. That is so powerful!
So, I can relate to your description of being stronger physically, mentally and emotionally!!