As someone who loves running, I am both amused and confused by those people (and there are lots of them) that openly HATE running. These people are always filled with disbelief when I tell them that they too could run and maybe even like it. For running to be enjoyable, it takes practice, just like anything else.
I really started to get involved in running when I was just entering my self-conscious, painfully awkward teenage years. Having the opportunity to identify as a runner during a time when the rest of my identity was still in a constant state of flux was invaluable for my self-confidence. Now, running is an integral part of my life to the point where I become less like myself when I’m not able to run.
For me, running is about emotional and physical strength. It gives me the ability to use my body productively to deal with stress. Whenever I have a bad day or there’s something weighing on my mind, I can trust that a long run will give me time to distance myself, figuratively and literally, from the negative emotions. The ability to physically push past perceived limits carries over into everyday life, and my mental endurance has grown right alongside my physical endurance.
One of my favorite parts of training for a race is watching my body change in response to all my hard work. I like the feeling of being able to rely exclusively on the power in my legs to carry me wherever I want to go. The body becomes a machine for accomplishing goals, not a commodity for getting someone to like you. Running makes me more aware of my body, not in a self-conscious way, but an appreciative way. I understand my own inner power, and I’m not as afraid to look inside and to rely on myself.
Running, of course, is a privilege. In my six years of running, I have suffered from four stress fractures that have put me out of commission for anywhere from a month to four months. That means no running at all. These have been incredibly frustrating times, because it was a loss of control of my own body. I had pushed too hard, too fast, and my body simply gave out. From these experiences, I have learned that I can make the choice to run, and when my body resists, I can make the choice to take care of myself and then keep going.
Image: recesslv.com