Most people on the outside looking in view runners as crazy.

Who would actually want to run laps and laps for 2 hours a day? What person could possibly enjoy sprinting for their life for 15 seconds, or up to a minute straight? What kind of person gets a bittersweet feeling after running a 5k even when their legs feel like they’re about to snap?

The answer to all three of those questions are, ‘the fearless’.

I say this because running isn’t something that you’re just good at, even if to an extent you are one of the people who are naturally faster than others. Running still takes dedication, it takes discipline, it tests not only your physicality, but how strong you are mentally to put work in day in and day out.

Being a runner means you are completely vulnerable to the ultimate test of pushing yourself. This means the results you receive in a race, or just a timed run, are entirely up to you.

With track and cross country, there are 0 loop holes, there isn’t a coach who chooses favorites, and there isn’t any way a person can run in replace of you, compete in more events than you, or somehow have better recognition simply because of politics.

Running is an individual test. The outcome of every situation is determined by your scores and your work ethic only, and that concept is somehow both terrifying and exciting. This means those who decide to take on the sport of running even without competing are risking all the unknowns of “Will my time be good enough to qualify?”, “Can I beat out my competition today?”, and “Will I do better than I did last time?”.

So why are they the fearless?

Well, think of the countless opportunities we face on a day to day basis, for example. We recognize that reaching for the best goal possible would only be beneficial to us, but the road we would have to take in order to get there would probably be exhausting, so in turn we choose a short cut and accept an opportunity less substantial than the rest.

This is almost what it means to pursue being a runner. It’s hard work in order to get better and there are many benefits to it whether it is for competition or leisure, but considering the purpose is often to get to the top and beat previous personal records some people do not want to take the high road and instead settle with mediocracy.

So yes, running is for anyone and everyone is capable of progressing at it, but you can’t teach a person to have the desire of being great. And you especially cannot teach a person to understand that progress is more important than perfection or to understand that truthfully, being a horrible runner at first but still continuing to try is everything.

There is nothing short of crazy that comes with being a runner because it is absolutely absurd, but being fearless is just that, is it not?

Everything from your first race to your worst initial time are all just starting points for what could become, and eventually, you become addicted.

But this is the best type of addiction.

It’s one that gives you a healthy escape from reality, it gives you a rush through your body, and it gives you self-satisfaction and the drive to beat out your previous times.

When it comes down to it, this sport is also the healthiest type of competition… It subconsciously teaches you that no matter who you’re standing next to and no matter who you may be up against in any circumstance, the only person you should try to compete against in life is the person you were and the potential you had yesterday.