Why I Love Running

I never thought of myself as a runner until I was seriously into it. On my run this morning I was thinking about why I like it so much now, but not so much earlier in my life. For one thing, I weighed a lot more ten years ago. I was able to lose about 35 pounds and that in it self made it easier to run. Running is not fun when you are in bad shape. It hurts and is hard to stick with. Once I got that weight off, it was so much easier to run a mile and then build upon that.

Once I had built a base, I found that running was an excellent stress reliever. Countless times I have come home after a crappy day at work and told my husband I'll see you in twenty minutes, I have to go for a run. When I come back after such a run I feel a thousand times better.

Another aspect I like is the outcome of my success sits fully on my shoulders. I have had a lot of disappointment with different things over the years. For example, I had one main goal when I was playing softball and that was to make the all-star team. The one year I should have made it, I didn't. It was very political and it was all the coaches daughters who made it whether they were good enough or not. There are no politics when it comes to running. If you don't train hard enough to make it to Boston, then you have no one to blame but yourself.

Finally running is a great way to explore a new place. I love to run when I am on vacation. You never know what you're going to see. One day when we were camping in Santa Cruz, I was running along the beach and stumbled across a seal that was on the shore sunning its self. If I hadn't been running I would have missed it. Running also helps you find things in your own neighborhood. I know every "back way" in town. Whenever there is road construction or something like that, I never sit in traffic because I know a way around it. Bottom line is running rules!