Today I'd like to welcome Denny (aka @DizRuns) to Get Busy Living! I "met" Denny through the #RunChat community on Twitter. He runs in the flat, but ridiculously humid, state of Florida and is on a quest to complete a marathon in all 50 states!! (this is about 49 more marathons than I ever want to do) Today, he's sharing a little about why he runs. And I have to say, if I made a list of the reasons why I run - they'd be pretty much identical.Also, if you're looking for something from me today - head over to DizRuns, where I'm sharing the answer to the question I get asked most frequently - how should I start running?
Why I Run
My journey to becoming a runner is anything but interesting.
From the time I can remember, up until a few years ago, running
was something I did but never really enjoyed. Growing up, I did it to be in
better shape for playing sports in high school. During my college years, I ran
to try and keep my beer belly under control. And after graduating and getting
married, I ran occasionally with my wife because she enjoyed it, and
occasionally when I was trying to do something good for my health.
Throughout all of these phases of my life, if you ever asked me
how a recently completed run went, the response was usually “Terrible!”, or
something even more colorful than that.
I guess for me, running was one of those things that I did for
awhile because it was good for me, and somewhere in the past couple of years it
has actually become enjoyable. Similar experiences I have had include eating
broccoli, the drinking beer, and getting up before 9 on a Saturday morning.
Man, I’m getting old!
Honestly now, if I don’t run for a day or two, I start getting
super antsy and going through withdrawals.
I guess you could say I’ve become a little addicted, even though
I’ve never had an “Aha, I must start running!” moment.
Why I Enjoy Running
As I’ve become more and more immersed in the running community,
both locally and on the internet, I’ve fallen more and more in love with my
regular runs for a few reasons. Specifically:
•
The
Health Benefits--There is no doubt that exercise in any form is good for
your health. Running is a fantastic way to lose weight, strengthen your heart
and lungs, build muscular strength, improve endurance, and more. There have
even been recent studies that suggest that cardiovascular training is
incredibly important for brain health. Running may not be the magic bullet for
curing all health issues, but it is a great way for improving health in
general.
•
The
Camaraderie--Unless you are part of some relay team, running is a solo
sport. But if you’ve ever run a race, you know that you’re anything but alone
when you are running. Runners are some of the nicest people I know, and they
are always encouraging other runners. My running friends that are faster than I
am are always encouraging me to push harder to get faster, and that extra push
has helped me increase my speed dramatically in the past year or so. And most
towns have a local running club which allows you to always have a friend or two
to run with.
•
The
Solace--While I get plenty of support from other runners and friends,
sometimes I just want to have a chance to go somewhere by myself and enjoy some
quiet time. Running affords me this opportunity anytime I want it. Just by
tying my shoes and heading out the door, I have the opportunity to think, pray,
let stuff go, or just be at peace with my environment.
•
The
Competitive Spirit--I’ve been involved in sports my entire life, and while
I’ve never been a “Win at all costs” kind of person, I still like to compete.
As I continue to get older, there become fewer and fewer opportunities to
compete in sporting events in a team environment. But, I’m able to keep my
competitive fires burning while running by both competing against myself
(always striving to get faster or run farther), and by competing against other
runners (I can’t let that old guy beat me AGAIN!).
I wish I had a great story about why I started running. Something
inspiring like beating cancer, or being in some accident where doctors said I’d
never walk again, or running in honor of a friend or family member that loved
running but no longer could.
But I don’t, although I’m glad I haven’t had to endure any
similar hardships on my way to becoming a runner.
For me, it truly has been a slow evolution from running because I
had to, running because it was good for me, to running because I really like to.
And I can honestly say that I’m glad to be a runner.
Join Me
Perhaps the best thing about being a member of the running
community is that we are always looking for more teammates! No matter how many
people are running, we always have room for another fellow runner, and If
you’re considering it I hope you’ll join us.
The great thing about us runners is that we are all so unique in
how we got to the point that we are right now, but we all go forward together
one step at a time. It doesn’t matter if we are world class, Boston Qualifiers,
mid-packers, or leisurely strollers, we are all runners. We all run for our own
unique reasons. I may not have a great story of why I started running, but I’ve
got a dozen reasons why I keep lacing up my shoes and heading out the door. And
every runner I know does as well.
What About You? Why Did You Start Running? I'd love to hear your story in the comment section!
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