Rather than me trying to speak for everyone, why don’t I just answer why I run. This morning as I finished up the race I was thinking about it. I run for a lot of reasons. For this race I ran for the satisfaction, as a celebration of my training, the community and maybe the euphoria.
Satisfaction
The preparation for this run took a bit of time. I’m satisfied that I did the best I could. I took care of my body and was ready on this day to run. Running is a very healthy activity for my heart and body and it’s not easy. I run for the satisfaction.
Celebration
Training changes your life. I know that firsthand. I’ve seen people who run versus people who don’t run, and I can tell you that it’s healthy to run. Let’s rephrase that: it’s healthy to train and then run. See training is the concept of understanding your limits, and your time frame and finding a healthy way to improve within that time frame without surpassing your limits. If you surpass your your limits there lies injury or burnout. Training is work and I celebrate this work with a race.
Community
The money I spent to be able to participate in this community event went to a good cause. And on top of that, I got to participate in supporting that cause with a group of people who live in the same area. As a PT I always want to encourage others by showing them what the body is capable of. And sharing that with you is another way I connect with the community. I hope you see something in this that inspires you to chase your goals. I run for my community.
Euphoria
There is a moment; it is a small moment. When the training and the universe somehow have a perfect intersection. In this perfect intersection, I sometimes feel like I am floating. In that moment I’m reminded that I am alive. I feel very small but connected to a larger purpose. Then, as quickly as it came, its gone. Because of how small that instant is I can’t say that I run for that reason exactly. But the euphoria separates me from space and time and reminded of why I run.
The Big Why
Next year I hit a milestone in my life. As a kid I remember that number, that age. I know that I don’t have forever on this earth. I know that my running times will slow and my body will fail me. So today, as I reflect on my race, I remind myself. I run for the adventure of it all!
