I Love Running

People seem to either love running or hate running.  I love running.  People wouldn’t guess that about me.  I don’t look like a runner.  I probably don’t act much like a runner.  But it’s a huge part of who I am now.

Running is my release.  When I need a tough workout, I run.  When I need to clear my head, I run.  When I need fresh air, I run.  When I’ve had a stressful day, I run.  When I feel competitive, I run.

Looks like it's time for a new pair of running shoes!  My
Saucony Ride's keep me going mile after mile.  

I stumbled upon running by accident.  I never ran for fun when I was a kid; in fact I never ran at all. The summer before my senior year of college, budget cuts forced me out of an internship, so I was stuck with a minimum wage summer job.  I was done working by 4 p.m. every day and needed something to do.  For some reason I thought I should fill my time by running on the track.  I did the exact same run all summer long; a .5 mile warm up walk, a 3 mile run (that’s 12 laps around the track you know, which felt like a lot for a new runner!), and a .5 mile cool down walk.  For someone who never ran, I found myself anxiously waiting to get on the track each day.

After that summer, I found myself only squeezing in a run sporadically.  Eventually I stopped running, stopped thinking about health and fitness and found myself overweight and unhappy.  Once I decided to turn my health and fitness around, I started running and I haven’t stopped.  Well okay, I mean I stop every now and then :)

I love running because I control my destiny.  I find team sports intimidating because I don’t want to fail the team.  With running, it’s all about personal physical and mental endurance.  It’s about learning to trust your instincts and pushing yourself beyond your limits.  It’s a great time for me to collect my thoughts and reflect on my day, my week, my life.

Of course, running isn’t fun all the time.  I fight mental fatigue, especially when it’s late or cold.  I try to tell myself to make it to the next lamp post or corner.  That seems to work for a lot of people but not me.  If I decide I’m done, I’m done.  That’s why I try to set goals before I even step out the door.  Sometimes I know it’s not worth pushing myself to 110%.  You know, sometimes 75% can be good.  I’ve learned to appreciate that sometimes a slower paced run is not only good mentally but physically it’s giving my body a chance to repair.

I track my heart rate to make sure I'm hitting my target
numbers.  A sports watch can help you track calories
burned and take splits.

When I’m in a race, I also fight mental jitters.  I bet I’ve told myself hundreds of times that it’s okay to stop because I’m not feeling it.  However, I have yet to actually stop during a race and give up.  I absolutely know it will feel worth it once I cross that finish line and know that I gave my best effort.  And that is how I’ve felt after every race I’ve done.

What activity do you love?  It doesn’t have to be a physical activity either.  Being passionate about something gives you motivation and drive.  If you love cooking, then you probably experience great joy when you create a meal that your guests love.  You experience your fair share of frustration and fatigue as well.  What do you do to get back on track?

Identify your favorite go-to activity – the one that pushes you, requires you to be focused, compels you to learn more and gives you great sense of accomplishment when you do it.  Remember that a core part of health and fitness is being mindful of mental health.  When you’re pushing yourself to give your best, when you’re focused, when you’re learning something new, and when you execute that activity, you get a great mental boost!

Don’t have an activity you love yet?  Explore!  Take a cooking class, find a training club to join, volunteer with kids – the opportunities are truly endless.  You never know what activity will click with your skills and interests.  I never would have guessed running would be something that I love!  Now I strategize about the right type of shoe to wear for each race, spend hours looking at technical t-shirts, sports watches, gloves, and read running magazines for training tips.  And I love every minute of it.

Your goal – find an activity you’re passionate about and own it :)

Miss FitGab