We all have different interests, passions and hobbies in life. Some people love to travel. Some people love to build things. Some people love to volunteer. Others love to run (hey that’s me!). Recently through reading other blogs and doing a lot of thinking, I was reminded to consider why I do what I do.
Whether that is running, travelling, working, writing or any other activity I partake in, there is always a why. Hopefully, one of the main reasons why you do something is because it matters to you. If you are doing things that don’t matter to you, then you might want to reconsider why you are doing it in the first place. After all, you only have one life, so why spend precious time that you can’t get back on things that don’t matter to you?
The intention of this post is not to rant about why or why not you do something, but I thought the above paragraph might lead you to think about why you follow a certain passion, hobby or interest.
As you can tell, one of my greatest passions in life is running. That’s what this blog revolves around. Today, I’d like to share why I run and maybe it will lead to you consciously thinking about your “whys” in life.
Running hasn’t always been a part of my life. Yeah I ran for soccer, baseball and other sports growing up, but I don’t consider that running in the traditional sense. It wasn’t until my senior year of college that I really fell in love with this sport. And trust me, it wasn’t love at first sight. I am sure my reasons will change over the years, but sit back, relax and enjoy finding out why I tirelessly pound the pavement.
Running challenges me physically and mentally. After high school I felt lost for some time while trying to find a replacement for soccer. I had been playing soccer at a highly competitive level for over 10 years when I graduated high school, and once I went to college there was nothing to physically fill that void for me. I played multiple intramural and pick up sports throughout college, but it just wasn’t the same as challenging my body on a daily basis through conditioning and soccer practice and games.
Enter running. Signing up for the 2013 Akron Marathon was one of the best decisions of my life. Training for something as intense as a marathon challenged my mind and body in ways I had never experienced before. I had never run more than 13.1 miles up to that point in my life, so it pushed my physical limits. It also tested me mentally as I had to stay focused on my training plan, say no to plans with friends and push through brutal long runs. In the end, it was all worth it and has led me to putting running at the forefront of my life. Running constantly is providing me with new physical and mental hurdles to jump over, and even though I am not competing with others, competing with myself and setting lofty goals has kept me engaged in the sport and in life.
2013 Akron Marathon: A Real Challenge
I love to travel. What does this have to do with running? Well, if you read My Running Goals you will notice that I have set out to run a marathon in all 50 states and 7 continents. Accomplishing this goal will naturally lead me to travelling, seeing new places and meeting new people. I couldn’t think of a better way to combine two things that I love doing.
Hanging out in Seattle before the 2014 marathon
I like to think. This might sound goofy, but I really like to think about things. Whether it is about an article I read, a crazy idea that’s popped into my head or reflecting on my life and goals, running allows me plenty of time to think. When I run, I am typically by myself. This gives me the opportunity clear my mind and think about whatever I want. No phone. No email. No social media. Just me, my thoughts and nature. I love that about running. There aren’t many other sports that can keep you in shape and allow you time to think and reflect on whatever you want.
Pondering life
It keeps me in shape. This is an obvious benefit of running. The more I run, the more by body transforms and the more my endurance increases. I love being in shape as it allows me to perform at a high level with other activities too. Soccer, yoga, hiking, stand up paddleboarding, snowboarding and other various activities benefit from my running.
It keeps me focused. This is twofold. First off, running keeps me focused on an end goal. I am almost training for something, and having a goal to complete a race also motivates me to set goals that aren’t running related and to achieve those too. Running also keeps me focused in the workplace. I am a morning runner. This means I am up at 4:30 most mornings lacing up my shoes and heading out the door. Running in the morning clears my mind and energizes me for the rest of the day. Come 2 or 3 PM, after I have been staring at a computer screen all day, I still have energy that I know a lot of other people don’t have thanks to my morning running routine.
Look at that focus…
It’s frugal. Ask any of my friends who the cheapest person they know is, and they will likely point to me. And if it’s not me, then I want to meet whoever it is! Naturally, that quality in me leads to running. Running is one of the few sports that requires very little equipment to get started. You need shoes, socks, shorts and a shirt. You could even question if all of that clothing is totally necessary. No $100/month gym memberships are required, and you get to avoid all the meatheads in the gym too!
It’s a great way to catch up with someone. I really enjoy running by myself. However, running with a friend or family member is a fun way to talk with each other and catch up. Some of my favorite runs have been with my mom when we have run longer distances. We talked the whole time and were able to catch up on each other’s lives since we don’t see each other every day any more.
Always the shortest guy around
It’s fun! Last but not least, I really do find running fun. There isn’t one specific thing that I think is fun about running, but the combination of all the previous points I mentioned makes running a heck of a good time for me. It’s hard to explain, so you’ll just have to go out and run to see for yourself how fun running can be.
Why do you follow a certain passion, interest or hobby?
Sun's Out Runs Out 