Jen on Why I Run

Hi everyone!  My name is Jen and I have a blog at http://jenth.blogspot.com.  Colleen asked me about a month ago if I’d be interested in writing down why I run, to add as a post on her blog.  I wanted to wait to get some better race pictures, but now I have them so this is why I run.

I have never been an athlete or into sports at all.  There are some good genes in my family but I didn’t get any of them.  (My sister did, however, and sports have always come naturally to her.  It makes me jealous sometimes.)

I actually joined the track team when I was about 5 years old.  I did it because my best friend at the time was on the team.  I had no idea what track or running really meant.  And as I was joining, she quit.  I didn’t want to be on the team anymore but my parents said you don’t quit things so I had to stick it out for the rest of the year.  I don’t remember much about that but I did get a ribbon for placing in a relay race.  And I remember watching the mile run and thinking that was so far!

Crossing the finish line of my first 5K in April 2011

I never was into running even after that.  I remember dreading the mile run each year in gym class, and I played tennis in high school and also hated any running associated with that.  We used to try to cheat and run less if our coach wasn’t watching.  My first year of tennis I was so sore for a little while as my body got used to the exercise, especially the running.  My hamstrings and calves were so tight!  But that also helped me learn sometimes you push through the soreness and it actually can feel better faster.

Before I go on, I should say that I don’t really consider myself a “real” runner.  I like to go out there and do it but I’m not even close to being competitive and I haven’t been at this for a full year yet.

I started out running as a way to get some exercise in.  I’ve tried other things before.  I did Body Pump (Les Mills) and loved that but it requires a gym membership and there aren’t any gyms close to me or convenient with my busy schedule to consistently attend the classes and make it worth spending the $.  I have EA Active on Wii but don’t really have enough room in our living room right now to spread out and do it.  I also have an exercise bike at home but I have to drag it out each time I use it.  With running, I just throw on some workout clothes and go.  No pulling out heavy equipment (the treadmill is already there) and if I want to run around the neighborhood I just walk out the door.

Crossing the finish line of my first 5K in April 2011 and approaching the finish line at a 5K a few months later.

I started running late February of 2011.  I started solely on my brand new treadmill (birthday present from my husband) and did the Couch to 5K program.  I was about 8 weeks (out of 10) into the program when I ran my first 5k race.  It was downtown Pittsburgh, in April, and the weather wasn’t that great.  This was also my first time running outside, which might have been stupid.  It was cloudy and rainy, and it was cool enough that the rain was coming down pretty cold.  My husband drove me to the race and honestly if he hadn’t gone with me I would have chickened out.  I was so nervous, too!  I ended up walking twice towards the end but finishing with a time of 31:50 and from that point on I’ve been hooked.  I remember saying over and over to my husband- I just ran 3 miles!  I couldn’t believe it.  I was the person who couldn’t even manage a mile in gym class.

I’ve kept running since then and found more reasons that I do like to run.  I originally did it just to get some exercise in but it has been a lot more enjoyable than I ever realized it would be.  These are some of the reasons why:

• It can be a great stress reliever.  There are a number of times already that I’ve been feeling either really stressed out or emotional and I put on my running shoes and just go.  It helps me so much!  I pound away my frustration or emotion, and those runs are sometimes faster/longer because my mind is on something else and not the run.
• It’s a nice way to get outside.  There have been some days where I’ve been running and just enjoyed the scenery and being out in the sunshine.  Even sometimes the “bad” weather is nice.  For example, if it’s a hot day, some rain is a relief because it will cool you down.
• The races are so fun.  It’s such a good feeling at the end of a race to cross that finish line and continue to try to improve your time.  Actually, I should clarify and say that in general training runs themselves just give me a satisfaction when I’m done.
• I am a loner and running provides some time by myself when I don’t feel obligated to talk but can think through things as much as I want.  
• At the same time, though, I’ve really connected by running with some friends.  It’s a chance to really talk, although I admit most of the time I listen.  I’m not really a big talker while running.  But it’s brought me closer to a few people.  I never expected that when I started running.  Some of my best runs are with a friend, talking the time/miles away.
• Running is an individual sport.  I can be competitive with myself.  I prefer that over team sports.  I always feel bad if I’m bringing a whole team down, and for some reason I am more competitive on my own/against myself.  There is always a new goal to drive for.  
• I’m an engineer, so yes, I’m a nerd.  And I love crunching numbers.  How many miles did I run this week?  How did it compare to a month ago, six months ago?  What was my pace for this specific run?  What was my fastest .25 mile and my slowest .25 mile?  (I got a Garmin watch for Christmas and that helps so much with tracking all of this!)  Tracking some of this also motivates me and gives me a goal to continuously improve.

I’m sure my list will grow as I keep up the running.  Some of my friends think I’m a little crazy and don’t understand why I run or how I could enjoy it.  I’m not sure if this will help explain it, but I’m surprised myself.  I’m currently training for my first half marathon, and I never would have believed I’d be at this point right now.

About to cross the finish line at Resolution Run

April on Why I Run

I had asked my friend April to write a post for me on why she runs. (She doesn't have a blog so I can't link to that.) Please enjoy April's story.

I have been running my whole life; not because I wanted to, but because I had to. I did not like it. Running was boring and took too long. As a gymnast and cheerleader, I had to run a mile before every practice. In high school I joined the track team as a sprinter to stay in shape during the cheerleading off season. I sprinted because it was short and quick. Two mile run? Those people were crazy! Why would anyone want to run that much?!

I cheered in college, but the physical activity requirements were up to me…and I chose not to do any. I bounced around with my weight in college. When I would get on a workout kick, I would run a mile every day; no more, no less. After college, I continued to struggle with my weight. I started a workout program and joined weight watchers in 2005. I lifted and I ran/walked. I even ran 6 miles one day!! Although, I was proud of myself, my main focus was weight loss. I had no actual fitness goals. Yes, I progressed in my lifting and running, but all that mattered was if I lost weight. Once the extra 40 pounds was gone, I struggled to find a reason to go to the gym. I had just started a new full time job with different hours than I was used to and was coaching high school cheerleading which consumed most of my evenings. I had lost the weight, so why did I need to go to the gym? Obviously, the weight started to creep back on.

 A very good friend asked me to run a half marathon with her. 13.1 miles?!?!?! I assumed she was off her rocker. Runners do half and full marathons. I was not a runner. I worked out to lose weight. I had never done any race that wasn’t a sprint. She told me to start with a 5k. It took almost a year before I got up the nerve to do my first one. I continued (and still continue) to run races all year. Preparing for a race gives me motivation to run on any given day. If I want to make it through the race and have a decent time (for me) I HAVE to get out there and do it.

 At this point in my life, I still did not consider myself a runner. Yes, I had been running my whole life, but I did it mostly for fitness, not because I really wanted to. People would comment all the time about me being a runner. I always said the same thing. “I’m not a runner, I just run.” I envisioned a runner as someone who was very passionate about and dedicated to running; someone who was actually good at it.

 In the last year, I have actually started to enjoy running. On a really bad day, I love to go out and work out in my head whatever it is that really got to me that day on my run. I leave all my fears, worries, regrets, anger and bad feelings in general on the pavement. Running has made me a stronger person inside and out. The feeling I get after any run, especially an intense one, where my chest is burning, my legs are tired, I feel like I’m going to vomit right on the road, is indescribable. I live for the runner’s high. I have also started to run with other people which I rarely did before. Those people challenge me and have made me a stronger person and better runner.

 Last year, I realized that prepping for a 5k and even a 10k wasn’t enough motivation for me. I could do minimal running and still be fine at a race; so I signed up, ran and completed my first half marathon this year, with my very good friend who asked me to do one 6 years before. Next stop…triathlon.

 I have been running my whole life; not because I wanted to, but because I had to…until very recently. About a month before the half marathon, I completed a 7 mile run, without batting an eye. I got home and took my shoes off and saw blood on the heels of my socks. It was then and there that I realized running is not just something I do anymore; I am now and will be forever, a “runner”.

Thanks April for writing this. If you like this, then refer to why others run. Why do you run? Want to write a similar feature here, just let me know.

Liz on Why I run

finishing the 2011 National 1/2 Marathon

Hey Scrap and Run readers, It's Liz from Reston Style (and the unknown blog 366 to 30) and besides being a blogger, I'm a runner.

I ran track for one season in high school, but really only pole vaulted. I started running on and off back in 2000, during my freshman year of college when I was training with the swim team and lacrosse team. Even though I ran, I didn't think of myself as a runner. Being a runner is a mentality. Something changes when you start to think of yourself as a runner, and that happened to me in August of 2008.



my bestie, Erin and I pose after our first 10k in 2008 (the date is wrong on the picture)

My best friend, Erin, and I started working out in a gym at the beginning of 2008 so that she could get ready for her wedding in April. After the wedding we decided to try to take our workouts outside, and even though Erin always hated running, it was her idea to go for a run. We started just trying to make it through 20 minutes at a slow pace. It was misery! Erin even proclaimed that she would rather walk five miles than run one, yet we continued to do it two to three times a week through June. Then we signed up for a 5k in July. We were on our way, but I didn't think of myself as a runner yet.

The switch happened when Erin and I started following Jeff Galloway's 5k/10k training plan. I had signed up for the Army 10 Miler (not being a runner, I did it the year before wearing my mom's number) and needed a plan to follow. It was in the middle of going through the 5k training plan for the first time, on an 8 mile long run when Erin recanted her statement saying that she would rather run five miles than walk one. Over the course of completing the training plan my one mile time dropped from 7:59 to 7:01 and Erin's dropped from 9:20 to 8:15, and we ran an 11 mile long run in a hurricane that we officially called ourselves runners.

I have now run 5 half marathons (3 of them, sub 2 hours), 4 ten milers, and numerous 5 and 10k's and am training for my first marathon. I cover between 25 and 30 miles a week at this point, but will be increasing that as my marathon training schedule goes on. I cross train with walking, swimming, biking, and indoor rock climbing. I run using Jeff Galloway's run/walk program, and I attribute that to my success as a runner.



Manda, me, Josh, and Jenny celebrate after the 2011 National 1/2 Marathon

So why do I run?

• Potato chips - seriously, they are delicious and I love them. When I run, I can eat them and not feel guilty.
• it started so that I would have something in common with my mom, who became a runner in 2001 and was living in Germany when I started running
• to have something fun to do with my friends. I have always trained with a running buddy. Erin, until she moved to Belgium, then I was running occasionally with Manda, then just with Jenny; last summer her husband, Josh, joined us; this spring our friend Reid has started coming; and this week my friend Michelle will be joining us for the first time!
• I run because I love how it feels to be a runner. It does great things for my mood, my body, my mind, my soul, and my self esteem. 
• it lets me compete with myself (though sometimes I try to compete with the boys!) and see success through hard work and dedication

I always say that running is to your late 20's/early 30's as binge drinking is to college.

• it's the cool thing to do
• you can do it alone, but people might think you are crazy or have a problem
• you plan your life around it
• its fun one on one
• its fun with a lot of friends
• you get really giddy and silly when you do it
• it leads to deep conversations
• you can't beat the high
• you plan when to hydrate
• but the best part is that you don't get hungover from it!

Think you might want to start running? It's easy - go get Jeff Galloway's 5k/10k training plan book, go to a running store and have a shoe evaluation, make a friend do it with you, and hit the road! If you ever have any running questions, feel free to email me! And thank you Colleen, for letting me share why I'm a runner!



Outer Banks 1/2 Marathon, November 2010


me and my roommate ran the Flying Pirate 1/2 Marathon in March of 2011


Thanks Liz for writing this. If you like this, then refer to why others run. Why do you run? Want to write a similar feature here, just let me know.

Meghan on Why I Run

Hi, my name is Meghan from Forever Young at ashtonandmeghanyoung.blogspot.com, I am a runner. 

     How did I come into this and why?  First, let me start off by saying that running has never come easy for me.  I am short, 5 feet and a bit short, so my running stride isn't the longest.  I also have bad feet, really my podiatrist personally told me that I do. Yet short legs and bad feet I still run. This is why. When I was a freshman in college and going through some difficult self doubting times, like we all do sooner or later, one day I got up and I decided I wasn't going to doubt myself anymore.  I was going to be happy and confident in whatever endeavors life lead me to or I led myself to.  I knew to keep this commitment I needed to stretch myself, to push myself, to prove myself.  So I did the only logical thing, I signed up for a marathon.  What???? I had never run a single race in my life, in fact I don't think I had even run a consecutive 5 miles. I began my training right off the bat. It was hard and painful. I wanted to quit so many times, but still I kept putting one foot in front of the other until I was ready for the Marathon.  On the day of the big event I was ready and excited, and when the starting sound went off I began with the thousand others running that day.  I had no idea that at mile 13 I would break my Sesamoid bone in my right foot and acquire a blister the size of Texas on my left. Still I ran.  I was in so much pain, but I kept putting one foot in front of the other.  I am somewhat of a stubborn mule I guess you could say, but I need finish this race. I needed to prove to myself that I could do anything. By mile 19 the pain in my broken foot was so great that I went into robot mode, I had to detach myself from my body. Somehow, I was able to sprint down the finish line.  The most amazing feel filled my body and spirit when I crossed that line.  It was something that I would never forget, still haven't.  Although I still run for that initial commitment to myself I have acquired new reasons as well.  Seeing as how they each have their own story, I figure I will list them in bullets to save you some time. So here it is.

 Why I run:

I run to feel alive and young.

I run to show appreciation for movement.

I run to take care of my body.

I run for energy.

I run to stay sane, it really is my own personal dose of medication everyday.

I run to have "ME" time.

I run to feel free.

I run to have a moment when all I have to do is put one foot in front of the other, no thinking required.

I run to think and problem solve.

I run to escape

I run to reach my second wind and go past it.

I run because after the initial pain, it feels great.

I run to feel powerful.

I run to push myself.

I run for me!

Why do you run?

Meg

Thanks Meg for writing this. If you like this, then refer to why others run. Why do you run? Want to write a similar feature here, just let me know.

Brittney on Why I run

Hey guys, Brittney here. From A Day in the Life Too... (ever heard of it? No? Then that makes you normal. Congratulations.)

 

So. I ran my first marathon the day after I graduated high school. Worst experience of my life, as I had neither trained properly nor slept NOR eaten the night/morning before. I wanted to die at about mile 16 and pretty much did. Finished up as a near-corpse in who knows how many hours.

 

I ran a few miles here and there periodically throughout college and my 20s. Then I decided to redeem myself in the marathon department in 2007. Had a baby in 2008, then I did an ultramarathon (mine was the wimpiest kind, though, at just 50k, so don't get too impressed) in 2009. Then another marathon last Fall, in which I missed qualifying for Boston by under 40 seconds. Meh. Mayber another time...

So. Why do I run? I don't, really, in Winter. But Spring through late Fall, you'll find me running for a number of reasons:

 

(1) I run because I'm one of the least coordinated/athletic persons ever born. It's by the sheer goodness of Fate that I'm even able to tie my shoes. Stuff like Step Aerobics? Basketball? Jumprope? Forget it. Running wins by default.

 

(2) I run because, at first, it's hard. No matter how in-shape (or out-of-shape) I am, the first 1-2 miles of any run are hard. Then physical automation takes over, and I'm free to enter the world of a completely freed mind. I never know where it'll take me -- somewhere sweet, somewhere reflective, somewhere funny, somewhere painful, somewhere spiritual, somewhere lame. It's interesting to explore the bones of one's brain now and again. 

 

(3) I run becuase I love-slash-hate the point I reach in a long run where part of my brain is screaming for mercy and to please pretty please stop before the next step, but the other, more dominant part of my brain overrides it, with patience and logic, reminding myself that the only way to be finished is to keep going, and what a sweet finish it will be. It's the only time, other than childbirth, where I become totally, completely unified mind-body-heart. Hard to describe. But kind of addicting.

 

(4) I run so I can eat what I want. Mmmmm...

 

(5) I run because it requires no membership or special equipment. One can do it anytime, anywhere. Annnd because, from start to finish, it's a calorie-burner.

 

(6) I run because it's hard and it's awesome. Especially when Coldplay sings in my ear.

 

Welp. The end. 

Thanks Brittney for writing this. If you like this, then refer to why others run. Why do you run? Want to write a similar feature here, just let me know.

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.

Christina on Why I run

When Colleen asked me to contribute to her blog about why I run, I was flattered. I don’t read many blogs (actually I only read Colleen’s blog). And I don’t blog myself. I’m just old enough to have missed the technology bandwagon. I am not on facebook. I can barely manage itunes and online banking. And I’m pretty sure that most people won’t find my answer very interesting. But she assured me that she wanted me to write it anyway. So as a blogging rookie, here goes…..

Why I run….I am not an athlete. I never was. I played sports and was ok at them, but never excelled. I think this was because my parents (no disrespect intended) didn’t push me. If I wanted to quit a sport, they let me. They would pick me up from practice and take me home. They never made me stay after to work on skills I was lacking. I always wonder what could have been if I had been pushed just a little bit harder. But alas, here I am. I am 38 years old, a mom to two beautiful daughters, and am trying desperately to become a runner. I don’t know why, really. It’s a hard and lonely sport. Many times after a long run I think to myself – “why am I doing this again?” But then I remember. I’m doing this for me. I’m doing this for my girls. I’m doing this because I want to be an example for them. I want them to learn that it’s important to take care of your body and make the time for exercise. I want them to see that I make time for that, despite working full time and taking care of my family. I want them to see that mommies do more than make sandwiches and wipe noses. I want them to see how much you can achieve when you give something your all. When you push yourself to the limit. When you take that one extra step when everything is telling you that you can’t. I want them to see the frustration when I cheat on my training and it shows in my time at my next race. I want them to see the reward associated with achieving a goal that you never dreamed possible (like my goal of finishing a marathon by the time I am 40. I plan to run my first marathon this May). I want them to see that it’s ok to struggle, it’s ok to fall short of a goal, but it’s never ok to quit. Running has taught me all of those things. But there’s more….running gives me the solitude that a busy mom rarely gets. Just me and the pavement. Time to think. Lots of time to think. It’s torture sometimes, yes, but I am the best mom to my girls after a good run. I am re-juvinated (translation …..exhausted), but full of energy for them. I love when my little one is still cuddling in bed when I get back from a morning run, and she looks at me with sleepy eyes and says “mama, did you run today?” I love that my oldest asks me when she can run a race with me. I love that I have the energy and strength to play with them and make them better athletes. Will I continue running forever? I hope so. Maybe not marathons. Maybe just 5 and 10K’s. Maybe a half marathon every now and then. Maybe just enough to look decent at the beach in my 40’s. Maybe just enough to burn off the extra brownie I have before bed. Maybe just enough so that my girls can watch me with pride and say “That’s MY mom!”

That’s why I run. What’s your motivation?

Thanks Christina for writing this. Just reading this got me re-motivated to get back to running. My previous feature was why Chrissy runs.

Christine on Why I run

Chrissy 23 miles into the Houston Maraton

Hello Scrap and Run readers! My name is Chrissy and I blog at The New Me. My blog is mostly about my adventures with running, recipes, and trying to survive East Texas. A few weeks ago Colleen asked if I'd be interested in writing a guest post about running to help keep her motivated, and I immediately said yes. Actually writing the post was not quite so immediate, but better late than never, right? I decided to take my inspiration for this post from KendiEveryday's "Why I Remix" series. And so, without further ado: 

Why I Run 

I've never been a natural when it comes to running. In third grade, I failed my physical fitness test and had to do a year in remedial gym. My exercise routine consisted of aerobics classes and workout DVDs - I needed someone in front of me, telling me what to do and leading me along. And that was fine - until I discovered running. 

I've only been running for three years, but in that time I've completed numerous 5K's, three half marathons, and two full marathons. In the beginning, running wasn't easy. I still remember how hard it was to run for a full minute, the elation I felt when I ran my first mile without stopping, and the thrill of crossing the finish line of my first 5K. I never thought I'd be a runner, but today I'm proud to carry that title. 

But the reasons I run are deeper than a simple feeling of accomplishment. They're bigger than the extra energy I have, the muscles in my calves, and the need to have second helpings every night. I run because when I'm out on the trail or on the street, my legs moving and my heart pounding, I feel a freedom I've never known before. 

We all have busy lives. I work full time, I have two large and demanding dogs, I'm in a long term relationship, I write stories and take classes and cook and blog. I often find myself taking care of everyone else first and putting myself last. But when I pull on my sneakers and the faded t-shirt from my first 5K and head out the door, I know that the next hour is about me. What I love, what I need. I'm carrying myself forward with my own might. I'm pushing myself as hard as I need to. I have goals that matter to no one but myself. When I run, I run through a world built and created by my own strength and passions. Once upon a time running as a painful sentence, something I did because I felt I had to. Now, it's an opportunity I can't afford to pass up. 

That's why I run. What's your reason? 


Thanks Chrissy for writing this. Just reading this got me re-motivated to get back to running.