Why do we Run?

Running can be tough, gruelling and punishing but running is also glorious and anyone can love it.

Why do we run? It’s a very good question and one I’m constantly asked as I reveal I’m that nutter that runs nearly every day and that loves to get up early on a Sunday morning to go running for 2 hours. I very rarely give an answer that gives justice to this incredible sport and the true reason that I run. Running is something that’s so simple yet utterly beautiful and elegant. For me, running is a love, a passion, some may say an obsession. It allows me to feel free, briefly fly between each step. It is a symbol of perseverance, dedication and tenacity. Running removes everything from my life that doesn’t matter, it allows me to reflect and be present in the moment.

For me I love the routine and discipline running has provided me, the process of training and tracking progress over time. Witnessing steady progress over the course of weeks, months, maybe even years, not just in my running but reflecting on myself as a person and how much I’ve grown and developed. I also love the feeling of pain, pushing your body to the limit, looking inward at yourself and asking how much do I want to hurt? Only those that run know this feeling, those that put themselves through pain but know how good it feels. The relatively quick juxtaposition of emotions in races from feeling like your legs can travel no further to experiencing pure euphoria as you cross a finish line is something I’ve never experienced elsewhere.

The reasons we run will be different and that’s okay. People run to get into shape and smash personal bests yet running has become so much more than that for so many. Running can be medicine, meditation, a chance to clear your head and meet amazing new people. Running can push our bodies to places our mind could never comprehend whilst simultaneously expanding our horizons to what is possible. When out running, nothing else going on around you matters, you zone out, find your flow, and focus on your breaths and the steps you take. Personally, the greatest runs are rarely races, but those runs when you appreciate just how incredible it is to run. It’s a simple sport but one that’s utterly elegant and beautiful. Probably the reason so many of us continually come back for more.

Many runners run because they want to live life to the fullest.