Why I Love Running

This is the first post in what I expect to become a regular feature, which I will call "Why I love blank." The blank will change. I think you get that. Anyway.

I have had a decently long relationship with running. I ran distance in junior high, which was the best of times and worst of times. Mostly the best. I grew up going to countless track and cross country meets and marathons and Ragnar relays and half marathons and I've seen the very best and the very worst of times in the faces and bodies of others. I left running for a while, meeting up again only on the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving mornings to run spontaneous 5Ks and 5 mile runs after which I usually threw up. I've been running and wanted to throw myself in front of a car (or at least onto the ground to never move again) and I've finished running feeling the incredible and surprising runner's high after which I feel like I want to run forever for the rest of my life. And I'm just now getting back into it, inspired by a fresh start with new goals and a desire to be as healthy as can be.

And honestly, some people might say "You're doing it wrong." But the great thing is: I don't care.

I've decided to apply something I learned in yoga to running: One of the instructors I had last semester told us to use yoga as a time to let go of all expectations we had and just be. Almost everything else in our lives is structured and outlined with expectations and goals, which of course is a good thing in a lot of cases, but it is really great to have an outlet with none of that (sitting on the couch and watching a season of Community also fits that category, but with a decidedly different type of satisfaction). Maybe this is how most people do it anyway, but I've decided not to count or plan the miles or time that I run. I just go out and run and see the world. I run up in the Avenues until I don't want to anymore, and then I come back and run down South Temple until I don't want to anymore, and then I run home. And so far, I've just wanted to keep going—it's a great stress relief especially after sitting in classes all day. I don't go very fast or probably very far but the fact that it's hard, especially the uphill, makes me think that I've got to be getting at least some physical benefit from it.

The great thing about running is it is kind of infinitely personalizable. Which is not a word. But anyone that can physically run can call themselves a runner, in my opinion. You just do what you can and maybe each day you do a little more and if you keep at it there is really no way that you can not benefit from it. (Injuries aside. But that is a different story.)

I may not get a kick-a girl boxer body (my secret dream) or gain muscle like I want or ever lose weight with this approach, but it makes me happy and feeling good about life and myself so I think I'll just keep going with it as long as I can.

And maybe now it's time for that O-chem homework I've been putting off.