“Run often. Run long. But never outrun your joy of running.” --Julie Isphording
I have been a runner since eighth grade. I ran competitively all of high school, but now I run for fun. From my first run I was hooked. I love the freedom I feel when I go for a run on my own, and the exhilaration that comes with running in meets. I love how my heart pounds before the gun sounds, and the anxiety that comes pre-race because I know in the end I will feel accomplished and proud. Last spring I decided that I was going to run a half-marathon this fall. Since my half-marathon is less than a week away, I decided to make a list of reasons why I am thankful for running.
Running has further instilled dedication into my life.
By nature I feel as if I am a dedicated person. I am dedicated to every relationship in my life, to my schoolwork and extracurricular activities. Running has further encouraged me to be dedicated and disciplined in every aspect of my life. I give more than 100 percent to everything I do. I am able to work under time crunches and am able to organize my days around what I need to do. It was not easy waking up early in high school for morning practices, but I knew that the night before I needed my rest so I was able to plan accordingly. This discipline to know how to get things done continues in my college life. I get my work done and am able to balance out time with friends and exercise.
Running is always there for me when I need it.
I love how I am always able to go for a run. It is my stress outlet and my alone time. When I need my space or time to process information I lace up my shoes and hit the road running. I am able to pound out my feelings of sadness, anger, happiness, or whatever life throws at me.
Running has taught me that I am my biggest competitor.
Running, by nature, is an individual sport. I loved the team aspect of running, but I loved how every race was my own race and that I was running to lower my times and accomplish my own goals. Of course there was the thrill in beating other competitors, but I learned that I am my biggest competitor. It is my own self-doubt that encourages me to run faster and to believe that I can accomplish my goals. Since I was able to recognize that my negative self-talk was getting in the way of my goals, I changed the way I thought and used my inner competitive self to my advantage.
Running has taught me to push through the pain.
No race I have run was worth it if there wasn't any pain. Every time I step up to run a race I know I will encounter pain, but I know it is all worth it once I cross the finish line and look at what I accomplished. I feel exhilarated after I finish a race because I know that I had just put in so much energy and heart into my race that it was well worth it. Word from the wise: “no pain, no gain.”
Running brings me closer to my family.
Every member of my family runs. My parents continue to run every day together for fun. I love knowing that every day I am away, my parents are going for a run on the same loop. It gives them time to talk and to be together. I love being able to tag along with them when I am at home. Some of my best summer memories stem from runs when the five of us are all together. We can share with each other, while doing something that we all love. My sister and brother run competitively, like I use to. My senior year we all ran for the same time, and the memories that we shared at practices and meets are ones that I will never forget. The bond that running provided allowed for the three of us to be closer than we would have been otherwise. We sympathize with one another when we don’t have the race of our dreams. We all have had bad races and know that it is normal. We support each other when this happens and encourage one another to keep our head up. The three of us are each other’s biggest supporters. I cannot describe the joy that I have when I am able to go home and watch my siblings run in meets. I love to cheer them on. The unique bond that running provides for my family is one that I would never trade for the world.
All these reasons shed a minute light on how grateful I am to running. As I get ready to run my half-marathon, I am reminded of how important running is to my identity. It shapes my life in unimaginable ways. Through running I have been able to find myself. I have not only conquered the physical, but also the inner beast. Of utmost importance is how running has brought me closer to my family. Without them, I do not think that I would have ever started running, or continued with it. All the memories that my family has shared through running have made us all the more close. I could not ask for better memories than being a part of the same team as my sister, for my high school running career, or the memories of road tripping with my parents to my siblings' meets this past year. I am proud to be a runner, as running has blessed me with a lifetime of joy.
