~I Run

Originally posted 22 Apr 2017

I think I’ve at least hinted at this before, but if not here goes. I run. Not fast. Not all that well. And not nearly as often as I would like. But, I run. And I love it. I was just talking to someone about training for races and got way more excited than any person should when talking about running. The thought of being out there, on a trail, not really sure if you’ve lost your way or if you even know your way back, and making the judgement call to keep going isn’t a thing that most would understand. Running in itself actually isn’t something that most people understand. Even now, as I write this, all I can think about is my next run. I understand, it’s odd to imagine a hobby that basically takes you away from the rest of the world, often for hours at a time. I love it. I mean, I may be a little different, just because I already am a little bit of an introvert (Ok, that’s a lie. I’m a huge introvert, with extroverted tendencies).

For me, it’s everything that your other hobbies are to you. It’s my day at the spa, my meeting with my therapist, my drinks at happy hour, and even my disappointing date night. I’ve had runs where I went out and ran twice as far as I planned to just because I felt that good and I’ve had runs that ended after less than a mile. I’ve taken months off, and under-trained for races. I’ve ran through colds and injuries and have ran myself into catching a cold and becoming injured. Still, I run. It’s my drug of choice.

Honestly, there really wasn’t a jaw dropping point that I wanted to make in this post. Just that I was thinking about running when I signed on here and got excited enough to start to write about it. Hopefully something you do gives you as much joy (and sometimes agony) as I get out of my hobby. Don’t knock it until you try it. Not “try it” as in signing up for a small race and that’s it. I mean give it a real shot. Focus on it. Sign up for a race, find a training plan, actually follow that training plan, and go for it. You might enjoy yourself. Either way, you’ll at least learn something new about yourself.

Until next time, get outside of your four walls and be active, you’ll be glad that you did.

P.S. This was taken at the finish line of what is my favorite half marathon to date. It was the Coastal Delaware Running Festival, and my qualifying run that got me in to Half Fanatics (HF#14478 in tha house, whoop whoop). I don’t have many races that I come back to year after year, but this is one. The whole thing was very well coordinated, the course was flat, and there was a buffet and beach party afterwards….. What more could you ask for!?….. And yes, I do change into crocs after my runs.