Lessons learned from a habitual outdoor runner

Why run?

people doing marathon

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I’ve had these questions asked in various ways.

  • Why do you run?
  • Why don’t you run races?

You know, there is this 5k here or this 10k there or this half-marathon, marathon, etc. Or the “you should” statements come out frequently along the same lines. Other questions that baffle the non-runners include:

  • Why would you run if no one is chasing you?
  • What is your motivation to run every day?

It’s sort of comical now after all these years and I usually answer with something like “running is my time,” “it’s what I like to do to stay healthy,” “I like to eat a lot.” These are all elements of running for me, but not all. There are books about getting in the “flow” when running and there are times I can relate to that, but most days, not so much.

I do find running provides health maintenance, but I’ve really come to the point where my morning is more of a meditation, learning, and me-time which I just happen to do while running 8+ miles. That 1.5-hour slot opens my day, and I would miss it terribly if I couldn’t exercise to start my day. The nice thing is I don’t hurt or have any real recovery time needed to do this routine.

I was reading today about folks who do like real runs and racing. I was reading about people who do 100-mile runs in 12+ hours. Wow, that pace and endurance must require a lot of training, and that’s cool for them. I do think about this kind of running from time to time, I’m just not sure that’s where I want my running to take me.

I do like to run in new places, new cities, parks, etc. When the surroundings are new, the miles seem to go by so quickly and with less effort.

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2 Comments

  1. Great way to start the day! Running in new places is invigorating. When travelling, I used to pack clothes to work out in the hotel fitness room. Success rate was well below 50%. Since I started running outside, I am at least 80% effective at getting in a good workout.

    • Jerry Schotz

      I agree, Denny – Traveling is a bit more challenging since taking up a daily running routine, especially in the colder months. The additional clothing and accessories to adjust for conditions complicate things, but so worth it!

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