Why I Run

This morning, while I was putzing around my apartment getting ready to attempt 6 miles, I thought "Why am I doing this?". I've read why others run. Katie downright needs running as an outlet for many things, including her seemingly endless supply of energy. Lauren runs because it makes/keeps her strong and healthy. More importantly, they both seem to actually enjoy running.

I don't. I really don't like running. The activities I enjoy are riding and climbing and being in the water, but running? No way. So why do I do it? Nothing about my body screams "runner" and most of the scrawny girls passing me on the trail have thighs the size of my bicep (how do they run so fast with so little muscle?!). And I'm certainly not fast. So why bother?

I have Katie to blame for why I started. She convinced me to start and, three years later, I'm finally running on my own since I so carelessly moved 1200 miles away from her and that makes for one heck of a long run to meet up. Each year I try to do something new and this year, it is the SF half (sidenote: while watching a movie set in SF last night, they showed a long shot of the bay bridge and I thought "well, shoot, that looks long").

I think I run because of runs like today. After skipping my last two long runs and a full week of training (whoops!) I decided to just keep on the training schedule and go for 6 miles today. Every time I run, I seem to forget that the first two miles are hell. Everything hurts, I can't get enough air, and I always think its going to be the worst run of my life. But after those 2 miles, today was the day where, when I'm coming back from one of my many forays away from running, I feel strong again. Thanks to Eminem and Muse on my ipod, I ditched my idea to run/walk miles 2-4.5, which would be around Wash Park. I felt like my legs could carry me around for miles. Then, the last 0.5, I was tired, got a sidestitch, foot pain, and two uphills - but I put "Lose Yourself" on repeat and pushed it out.

I'm not busting out century rides or contending for an Ironman, but running pushes me daily. The feeling of accomplishment, of feeling strong and pushing through, is why I run. And I (almost) like it.