When I was a kid, I always hated running. Sure, I played sports. I played soccer and I played basketball which both involved running, but it wasn’t constant running. There was more strategic thinking involved so the running didn’t require much thought. I hated running in gym class and always avoided it if at all possible.
As I got older I became familiar with charity races that you could sign up for. There are 5K’s, 10K’s, and half marathons. Some of them you just run, but others are supposed to be more fun. For example, the Color Me Rad 5K is a race that requires you to wear all white and by the end, you are completely covered in tie-dye colors. I realized how popular it was to sign up for these races and that they donated to charity so it was for a good cause. A friend of mine invited me to do the 5K with her, so I decided I would give it a shot, despite my hate for running. Not to mention you get a free t-shirt. Okay. So, it’s not actually free. It’s technically included in your $35 sign up fee, but it feels like it’s free. So, I signed up.
I have always been a gym rat. I ran on the treadmill occasionally to get in some cardio, but never outside for a long distance. The day of the race finally came. I wasn’t entirely sure of what to expect. The Color Me Rad 5K that I had signed up for was the first day I had ever run outside. Little did I know, this was also the day that would forever change my life. This was the day that I became a runner.
The race was brutal. Running outside was much different than the treadmill. There were lots of hills and it was much more difficult. It was much more challenging. Running on the treadmill was easy and boring.
The morning after the race, I woke up and I had never been so sore in my life. I had worked out at the gym for many years, but never had I experienced a soreness like this. But I loved it. I realized that it had worked muscles in my body that had never been worked. It took me a day or two to get over it, but I started running on a regular basis after that. It has never gotten any easier, but I have gotten stronger. Not just physically, but also mentally.
No one understands what it truly means to be a runner unless you are a runner. Running means so much more than just running. Running is probably the most challenging form of exercise that I have ever done, which is why I have fallen so much in love with it. You see, life is challenging. Life is painful. Each time I run, I think about how life gives you another obstacle. Each challenge we face isn’t easy in life, but we do it anyway. I love running because it teaches you that you are capable of so much more than you ever thought you were. Each time I have run a longer distance than before, I grow a little stronger mentally and physically. That's exactly how life works. Each obstacle we encounter makes us a little stronger. I have learned to embrace challenges because I love growing and transforming. We cannot grow in life if things are easy all the time. The love for running is really the love for more life. Yet, if you are not a runner, you still may not even understand.
