Today's run was straight. Straight and flat. Sounds ideal, yes. But ideal conditions take away everything that I love about running, and more specifically endurance running. I love the idea of enduring more.
Some people run for time or for a new "PR." (personal record) Others run to lose the weekend calorie surplus or the last holiday's extra serving of pie.
I run to think. And I run to see.
Running is the perfect time to get things straight in my head and figure out what is really going on in my life. Now, these days, I have plenty of time to figure out the answers to life's questions because I get to run between 4-6 hours per day. But at the same time, there is not a finish line you reach where you have it "all figured out."
So, where does that leave my purpose for running?
One answer keeps coming up when I ask myself this question. (Which happens to be several times a day for the past month or so.)
Who cares? I love running. I love the effect it has on my psyche. I love seeing the things I see while running whether it be the mountains of New Mexico, or the vast nothing-ness of a desert, or even the things that I've seen everyday while running the same 7 mile trail loop over and over and over back in Richmond because that's all I had when it came to trails around a major city.
I run for the journey. Not for the finish line...although, I'm sure I will welcome the end of this cross country journey.
My body feels good, no chronic aches or pains. Everyday I wake up fresh, wonder where my legs will take me today and at what point I will start to hate running. And every night, I go to sleep wondering why I don't hate running.
There are many different takes on running and why you do or do not take part in it. None of them are wrong, but this is why I run.
-- Patrick
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Great post Patrick...some of my best runs are the ones where I am not governed by the watch or the route, I just run. How lucky are we that we get to go out and put one foot in front of the other and run?
ReplyDeletePatrick, your reasons for running are the same as mine.
ReplyDeletePatrick, run for Maggie again tomorrow. Her life is leaving her now. They don't know if she will make it thru the night. She is only 12. Thank you, Cindy
Very cool post. Praying for Maggie. You are honoring your friend graciuosly.
ReplyDeleteCindy, our prayers go out to you and your family. May God bless Maggie and all of you.
ReplyDeleteCindy, You have a beautiful spirit. I pray for Maggie and for the comfort in God's hands.
ReplyDeletePatrick, a fitting post for the day.
God Bless, Dennis