Katy on Why I Run

Hi… it’s Katy from ModlyChic and Colleen asked me to guest post on why I run. To be honest I’ve never thought this out before, but I gave it some thought as I was loping on the treadmill today and here’s what I came up with:

I didn’t make the determined decision to begin running. In fact, I sorta fell into it. When I lived in New York City there was one winter that I spent weeks trying to find a pair of pants that fit correctly and when nothing worked I decided the problem wasn’t the pants it was me. A friend and I started eating healthier and eating less and I started walking everywhere. On my lunch break I would walk for 45 minutes. Whenever possible I would walk the 60 blocks home from work. I literally walked off extra weight I had been carrying.

But then I had down time on the weekends and walking seemed silly since there was no purpose to it. So I started to run around a pond in Central Park. The first time I attempted this run I didn’t even make it ¼ of the way around the .8-mile track. I was embarrassed. The next time I ran it I told myself I could go at least 10 steps further than the time before. And eventually I would loop it twice before heading home. When I moved to St. Louis I kept up the running, eventually trained for and ran the Chicago Marathon and then the St. Louis Half.  

So why run…

I run to stay sane. I found that the more stressed I was the more I needed to run. And while in St. Louis I had plenty to be stressed about – an impossible job search, starting my freelance career, clients who refused to pay, etc…

I run to prove I am stronger than I think. There is a certain triumph in pushing yourself to run an extra quarter mile or finish just a little faster than you started. There is also a good pride in outlasting the guy next to you on the treadmill or looping someone on a running path.

I run to check out. For me, running is not an amazing joyous experience. It is hard to do – still. But I have the ability to zone out everything around me and just fixate on something. Usually it’s an object infront of me or a TV screen. And when I latch on to that I don’t notice the people around me or how hard I’m breathing or the crazy day I’m facing.  (That ability got me through the Chicago Marathon, before running it I had only run 14 miles in training. Several people told me I’d never finish. But I zoned out and kept moving.)

I run to control my headaches. I suffer from daily migraines. It’s weird I know. Doctors can’t figure it out, but I’ve learned they are greatly reduced if I workout that day. I suppose that means I also run for my health.

I run because my family runs. My sister Emily was the first to run Chicago. My dad and I ran it with her the following year. Seven months later my dad, sister, two cousins and an uncle ran St. Louis. It’s created a bond between us that is completely irreplaceable.

Thanks Katy for writing this. Just reading this got me re-motivated to get back to running. My previous features are why Chrissy runs and why Christina runs.