This article is part of a series on Her Campus Kenyon called “What Empowers Me.” Keep checking our site to read more articles about what makes our staff writers feel empowered!
I started running the summer before seventh grade, and I’ve been hooked ever since. While I most certainly did not love the physical exertion from the very beginning, running made me feel accomplished in a way I had never experienced. I had never been what you might call the “sporty” type of kid; often, my sense of accomplishment came from finishing a book or writing a poem. I had always utilized my mental ability, but this was the first time I really put my physical strength to the test. I discovered an entirely new side of myself.
Running is exhausting. Anyone who has ever run for any length of time will tell you this. However, it’s a different kind of exhaustion than that which you experience after an all-nighter of studying or partying. The best way that I can describe it is as a satisfied form of exhaustion. You’re sweaty, your legs hurt, and breathing has become difficult, but in that moment you are entirely content. Maybe it’s partially because you’re finally done and can get a drink of water, or because you can go eat a giant helping of pasta, but it’s also because you know the most grueling part of your day has ended. Everything else is a piece of cake.
Workouts may not always happen exactly as I would like them to, but when they do, I feel like I can accomplish anything. There are days where I spend every second dreading the workout that I’ll do that afternoon. I know it’s going to hurt and be difficult, and I wonder why I purposefully put myself through an hour or more of physical pain every day. Then I have days where my workouts go smoothly, maybe even better than I ever would have expected. I live for those days. There’s nothing like crossing the line on your last interval and realizing you ran every single one faster than your goal time. Days where I feel lost and unhappy turn around just like that, and I feel like I can do anything.
At its core, distance running is about self-improvement. Yes, we race against other runners, but actual competition makes up a very small portion of any runner’s season. Most of the time between June and November is spent training, trying to reach a peak level of fitness at the time of the most important races. Even if you’re out on a long run with other people, you really aren’t racing anyone except yourself. You’re trying to run faster and further than you did the week before; the workout belongs to you, not anyone else. That’s what I truly find most empowering about running. I do it for myself, not anyone else. While I love my team and want to satisfy my coach, I’m only successful if I consider a workout or a race to be a success. I’m not trying to improve myself for other people. I run to get closer to the best version of myself, and I think that is the most empowering thing of all.
Image Credit: Elizabeth Heckler