Running is one of the most hated physical activities, no doubt about it. When an athlete gets in trouble for a bad play or for mouthing off, what's their punishment? ...running. This is why us runners are perceived as crazy. We willingly do what so many others despise. People tend to ask, “why would you choose to do something so awful, such as running?” So really, why do I run?

I don't enjoy the feeling of continuous gasping for breaths of air while running, or the way my legs feel towards the end of a race - as if they have been worked to the point that I feel numb to the aching pain that was present before. I don’t enjoy the continual craving of water I get to relieve my mouth of dryness, or the frequent, painful blisters that my spikes tend to leave on my feet. I don’t enjoy the rush of pain that returns to my legs when I come to a finish, or the soreness that exhausts my body for days afterwards.

Let's face it, nobody actually enjoys the lingering, unpleasant feelings that running puts their body through.

But we do enjoy the rush.

The rush is almost to the point of unexplainable, but I can try. Some have claimed to get a “running high,” where they hit this peak in a run that they feel as if they can continue to run forever. But that's not what the rush is. No, the rush is more extraordinary than that. When the gun goes off, you know that nothing but time stands between you and winning. You know that you're about to put your body through hell, win or lose, but you do it anyway.

But why?

Adrenaline. You get this immediate excited, but nervous feeling that just consumes you, taking over your body and mind. For a split second, everything else in existence doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is you, and the time it takes to get from start to finish.

From there on out, the rest is determination. This feeling carries you, and drives you to the end which sometimes feels ever-so far away.

I run to challenge myself. With each and every race, you test your own body’s full potential. You can't win by earning points like in other sports, and there's no time-outs or water breaks. You only win when your body allows you to. It's honestly amazing to see what your body can endure with each race, and to know that the one thing that earned you the win was yourself. It's never by chance when you win, it’s 100% you.

In a way, running is rewarding. Win or lose. Even if you feel defeated after a race, you have a deep down feeling of accomplishment. You feel that you have conquered the race and won, because you pushed through it and finished. You don't feel as if you won the race against others, but that you beat the race itself. And in knowing that others beat you, you have the desire to work that much harder next time. Challenging yourself becomes addicting and a never ending cycle.

Self-discipline is a necessity when it comes to running.

I genuinely enjoy forcing myself to complete a hard workout, to get myself out of bed for an early morning practice, and to maintain a healthy diet. While I may not enjoy the workout itself, getting up early, or avoiding tempting, unhealthy foods, I find satisfaction in knowing that I can do these things.

Sometimes pushing yourself to do things that you think you don't want to do at the time changes your perspective. Your negative attitude can become an increasing positive and appreciated one in the long run.

I love knowing that I am in good shape. Really. I feel like I'm in a "better body" than I would be in if I wasn't a runner. Although a hard run wears us runners out, it makes us feel refreshed and alive; it wakes you up. And with the amount of water you tend to drink, you are forcing yourself to be so much healthier than you would be otherwise.

Running is beneficial to the mind, body, and soul. It releases endorphins that make you happy, keeps you in incredible shape, and challenges you in every way. It helps to shape you in all aspects and has a positive affects on one's life.

So to those people who don't run, instead of asking us runners why we do run, you should ask yourself why you don't run.

Think about it. Isn't it better to be able to say, "I did that," rather than "I wish I could do that"?

Or maybe that's just a runner's outlook. But you will never fully understand until you try.