Running has been an integral part of my life since seventh grade. I can’t even remember how it happened, it feels like overnight my runs went from something I forced myself to do to something I can’t live without. I remember as an elementary age kid I absolutely despised running- hated how it made me feel, and the seemingly pointlessness of it. I couldn’t even run a mile. Its now four years later and I run nearly everyday. What once felt impossible feels like a breeze- eight miles is no longer a scary challenge but an unnoteworthy feat.
Running is often viewed in a negative light; many other sports use running purely as way of conditioning, or as a punishment. For those reasons, running gets a lot of hate. Tell a non-runner you like running and you’ll likely get “why” or “I can’t imagine liking that”. Tell them you ran a half marathon and they’ll call you crazy. So what really makes a runner run? Some think its pure discipline or that runners are simply a special breed of person- none of that’s the truth. The truth is simple- we run because we need to. The human body adapts over time to accommodate the needs of the person. After a time of consistent running, the body becomes reliant on it- running is then no longer a want but a need. I run to feel my heart pumping, my legs alive with energy, my lungs on fire.
Of course, like any athlete, I have hard days- days when I don’t want to run, when my legs are heavy and my heart tired. Those runs that I do despite my unwillingness is what really makes a good runner- not the times raced or miles ran, but the consistency, even in the face of adversity. So many people think running long-distance is so hard- but its really just the opposite. Its so simple- one foot in front of the the other- mile after mile, step after step. It’s literally one of the first things we learn how to do- run.
I like initially started Cross country because I didn’t make the volleyball team. At the time I was devastated, and cross country was the only sport that basically anyone can make the team for. Then I won my very first middle school race- felt the adrenaline rush as I crossed the finish line and the runners high as I collapsed on the ground. Looking back now, not making that volleyball team was the best thing that could have happened to me.
I run for the times, the wins, the people, the culture, the experience- but most of all I run for the feeling.
