Running has always been an important activity for me, ever since I started playing soccer. At first, I absolutely hated it. To me, it was a painful experience, where I found myself huffing and puffing and all I could think about was when it would end. However, after the years of pain and reluctance that came from this activity, I had found out that running, at least for me, is my release. It is a time when I can isolate myself from the rest of the world for however long I wish. All I have to do is put my headphones on and walk out the door.
No thoughts of tests I have to study for or relationships that have been shattered. It's just me, myself, and the song that is playing. Call it a dance, if you wish, the ever-changing rhythm of my feet going left-right-left-right. It may seem like I'm running away, but on the contrary, I am running toward. Toward whatever my next challenge may be, and forgetting completely what may have happened in the past.
Maybe I can now enjoy running more than ever, because running is related to our lives in one way or another. Certain parts of the run may be slow and painful, but I'm not a quitter, and I never will be. Furthermore, I am ultimately heading towards the finish line. The end of the run, where you know that you have put in all that you can put in, and then you can just stand there, take a breather, and enjoy what you have just finished.
