Why I Run

Hi Everyone,  

I hope you all are having a good week. Sorry about the delay in posting between catching a cold this weekend, Wes’ business getting busy and the olympics being on TV it’s been hard for me to find time to sit down and write.  

But I thought I would go ahead and write about why I run. Honestly, I feel like, if you were to ask anyone who runs, they don’t run just for the exercise benefit.  There are plenty of other exercises out there that can get you the same benefits as running so you have to get something extra from it.  So I’m gonna list a few of the reasons why I run. 

It’s relaxing.  I do understand how crazy this sounds but it’s true. I found this quote and it’s so true and I think about it often.  I discovered this quote a couple of years ago when I first got into running, before James.  

I think what’s so relaxing about it is because you can almost tune out all the other thoughts in the run, especially if you are struggling.  A lot of the times when I run all I find myself thinking about is my foot placement and my breath. With those thoughts and my music/podcasts coming through my headphones, I find myself not thinking about all that I have to do in the day, what the hard parts might be, where I might struggle.  There just isn’t room for that when you are running.

There was just something so relaxing and freeing about getting up early in the morning and just running. And while I don’t run as early as I used to, I still find it just as relaxing and I really think James does too.  Most of our runs, he’ll just sit in the stroller and eat this snacks and just be chill.  He doesn’t make a lot of sounds, he doesn’t try to climb out of the stroller, he just sits and lets me run.  Which leads me to my next point.

Puts you in a good mood.  Again this is something that sounds strange to non runners but I can tell a total difference in my mood and my patience when I do get a run in and when I don’t. And I can kind of tell with James.  He’s not as fussy during the day or maybe I just have more patience for it. 

Not only does it put you in a good mood afterwards, it always makes me what to be super productive. Half of my kitchen and bathrooms have been organized post run.  I don’t know if it’s the extra energy you are supposed to get from the exercising but I find myself looking at a problem and instead of saying, I’ll deal with it later, I pull everything out and fix it right then and there. 

Feeling my body move. There is something powerful about feeling your body when you run.  Feeling your leg muscles stretch and contract and your lungs expand.  You almost feel like this is what your body is meant to do, it just feels natural.  I don’t talk about it often but in the past couple of years I’ve had pain around my lower back/ hip muscle.  It’s not bad enough that I have seek professional help but it does cause a little pain in the morning or after a long car ride.  But the thing that I find amazing about running is that when I run, I don’t feel it.  The pain and tightness that would cause me to walk strange and bend down to pick something up at a weird angle is gone when I put my body to the edge and run. 

I like to say that I’m a runner.  This one is kind of vain but I like being able to say it and even though I’m still in the beginning stages of running and can only run a few minutes at a time. I am still a runner and if anyone asks what I enjoy doing, I say runner.  There is some satisfying about saying that.  

I would highly recommend running to anyone and not just for people looking to lose weight.  If you are finding that your day is just full of stress and not any free time for yourself. Try running.  You don't have to go out and run a mile, just get out there.  I like the app 10k runner.  It a free app and it breaks down training for a 10k into 14 weeks. You start out small, 30 second runs and build up from there. And you might think to yourself, oh I can't run or I'll look so slow.  But who cares, the people out there who are running aren't judging you, they will give you a smile to say, keep going, you got this.  Unless you run like Phoebe or Captain Jack, then there might be a little judgement. 

What is your most relaxing part of your day? 

What is your favorite exercise? how did you start?