I'm sure people run for a multitude of different reasons...
Health?
There's many great health driven reasons to run. It's good for your heart. It's a great form of exercise. People often ask me if I do it to lose weight? Honestly, running has never helped me lose a ton of weight. 99% of weight loss for me personally is diet (as evidenced by my 5lb weight gain since the marathon... oops). But I sure do feel a lot better running then when I did here, on bed rest and 7 months pregnant:
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| I can't believe I'm even posting this hideous picture... |
Music is a great motivator for sure. It might even be possible that I have had a few dance parties on the treadmill, but music can really only take you so far.
Because I like to be in pain?
Definitely NOT. I don't relish the feeling of leg cramps and not being able to move one more step, which definitely has happened more than once during and after a race.
I felt a lot like this after the Surrey Marathon:
Because you meet cool people?
You totally do, but this isn't why I run, it's just a wonderful side affect :)
I run for "the feeling".
It's the only way I know how to describe it. During the Surrey Marathon it was when that biker came up next to me and told me I had no choice but to keep going. That feeling where you don't need music, and it doesn't matter how much it hurts, or how much it's raining, or how much further you have to go, you're just going to do it.
That feeling when you realize you're running a PR race and didn't even know it.
That feeling makes my heart happy. I live for it. So that's why I run.
Why do you run?
Nice post but I'm hurt that as one of those "cool people" I'm not the reason you run! Hee hee. Me? I run because I never thought I would.
ReplyDelete(And for the music. And for the finish line. And for the funny stares when you tell people how far you ran. And for even more stares when they see your ugly toes. And for the medals. And for the run buddies. And for the chips and chocolate milk.)
Yay!! And you should see some photos of me when I was pregnant ... (and even now ...)
ReplyDeleteAmazing read! So inspiring Krista.
ReplyDeleteI'm asking that very question as I sit in a Toronto hotel room the night before my first marathon...
ReplyDeleteKristi you're going to rock this! The training is done, just keep putting one foot in front of the other!
DeleteHey Krista - I did it! Not as fast as I hoped (finished in 4:38) but felt good for the most part and would actually try one again. I admit I am even thinking about a 50k. (My warped theory is the farther you go the slower you get to run :) If you ever head east for a run I do recommend the Toronto Waterfront Marathon - really well organized...and flat! I've got a review on my blog at http:raz-family.ca/RunKristi/ I am still hoping that I will make it to Vancouver in June for the half marathon. Starting to save pennies now :)
DeleteKristi I'm so glad to hear it, that's way better than I did on my 1st marathon. Isn't it funny how you can imagine going further, what's a few more steps at that point right? That's great that you are considering Vancouver, did you hear about the Vancouver Rock n' Roll Half in October of 2014?
DeleteI run because it's a great way to connect: with yourself, your body, and other people. (And because the gear is pretty dang cute)
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