So, I ran my first half marathon this morning. I could not have done it without my friend, who encouraged me to sign up for it; I gladly paid the sign up fee. It was thrilling, exhilarating, and breathtaking (literally), to say the least. During the run, my friend turned to me and asked me if I ever think about really random or weird things during a run. Of course I do, I thought. Running clears my mind, and that's one reason I love to run. Now, sitting here in front of my computer and keyboard, I want to communicate my reasons for running. For every mile of the race today, I came up with a reason to run.

1. This is the first mile. This is the big pack at the beginning. This is the searching-over-heads-to-find-the-pacing-flag-that-matches-your-pace. This is the "I think I'll run a 2 hour and 30 minute half marathon." This is the initial rush of endorphins. This is the feeling of feeling invincible with hundreds of other runners right by your side. This is the reason to run--excitement.

2. You've seen the one-mile mark, and you're on the second already. You can see the two-mile mark ahead, not too far--it's right there. Your reason to run here is simple: you're still warming up and you haven't felt the fatigue hit yet.

3. By the time you finish the third mile, you think to yourself, Wow, I just finished one cross country meet race. Personally, my reason to keep running here was that I don't like three mile runs; I prefer at least four miles. So I couldn't stop at the three-mile, obviously.

4. I love four mile runs. That's enough reason to keep running.

5. What I love more than four mile runs are five mile runs. Keep going.

6. This part was great. At this point, we've run through numerous parks and crossed countless bridges. The feeling of Halfway there! Or--almost halfway there!!! keeps you going.

7. YOU ARE MORE THAN HALFWAY THERE. Can you stop now?! Of course you can't! That wouldn't be doing yourself justice!

8. The eighth mile was tough. At this point, I was feeling pretty good... until I saw the hill. Before my eyes, a hill twice the size of Mount Everest grew out of the ground. And we had to run up it. The only thing that got me through was the water station at the top. And I saw that they were passing out popsicles too. Now, I don't think I've ever cried in my life about a popsicle, but I would not have been surprised if I did during that eighth mile this morning. It was the best popsicle I had ever eaten. Ever.

9. You beat the hill. Again, you can't stop now!!

10. You see the 10 mile mark and think, only one cross country meet race left.

11. Two miles left?? Yes, we are disregarding the last .1 mile right now, if it means that you will have the motivation to keep going.

12. Once you finish the 12th mile, there really is no going back. There's no stopping. There's no slowing down, even.

13. You can hear the cheers from a mile away.... Literally.

The last .1:

STRIDE. IT. OUT.

But honestly, I don't think I have ever sprinted the end of a race faster in my life than I did this morning at the finishing stretch. It was great.

Though my list of reasons turned more into a list of thoughts, and though this may not help a reader run a half marathon as much as it helped me, I have realized there's only reason I need to keep running.

I just love running.