Why I Run…

One of the most frequent questions I’m asked is, “Why do you run so much?” Usually, I’m giving a quick answer like, “I just need to do it for my sanity.” Perhaps that only confirms their suspicion that anyone who runs as much as I do must be crazy, but...

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I don’t think most people who casually ask me that question want me to elaborate on exactly what that means or list all the reasons I run. But there are times when I don’t want to get out of bed or when I’m struggling through a particularly bad run that I have to remind myself of why exactly I get up so early every day, why I push through the difficult runs, hoping to sail through the next one.

I’m sure that many of the reasons that I run could apply to you as well:

1. Running allows me to experience nature.

I spend most of my day inside the office, at home, in my car or at the grocery store. On many days, my run is the only time that I actually get to step outside. I get to feel the wind, the heat, the cold, and even the rain. I get to smell the flowers, the dew, the sea. I get to hear birds, raindrops, crashing waves, and the whistling of the wind.

2. Running makes me feel empowered and resilient.

There is no greater sense of satisfaction than what you get from setting a personal goal and conquering it. The runner’s high really does exist, both immediately after a run and in the long term—from the confidence that crossing finish lines gives you that carries over into your daily life. When you accomplish hard things, you realize that you have the strength to not let anything get you down.

3. Running is the only time that I disconnect.

E-mail, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter notifications are pinging on my phone all day long. My run is the one hour a day when I am fully disconnected, even from “emergency” texts from my children. (I’ll confess that sometimes I stop to take a picture of something beautiful on my run, but I won’t check my notifications when I do that.)

4. Running allows me to put all my “problems” into perspective.

Everything that I deem overwhelming seems manageable after a good run.

How I know I’m done with my run, is when the weight of the world disappears.

Seriously, by the end, I completely forget what was on my mind… every, single time.

5. Running is my therapist.

It allows me to voice all my insecurities and fears and then tells me to let go of them.

6. Running is my cheerleader.

It listens to all my hopes and dreams and makes me feel like I’m an invincible superwoman who can accomplish all of them. It’s like the imaginary friend that I had as a child, allowing me to play out all my fantasies in my head.

7. Running is my scapegoat and my punching bag.

It allows me to curse and scream at it when I’m angry, heartbroken, and disappointed; and is still there for me the next day as if nothing happened. It is that stable friend I can count on no matter how badly I treat it.

8. Running brings me community and awareness.

It has connected me with so many other runners, both in person through running groups and online. It has made me aware of the many charities that people run for, the causes that are close to their hearts, and drive them towards pushing through mile after mile when it gets tough.

9. Running allows me to enjoy my food.

This doesn’t mean that I need to run to earn my calories. This means that my food actually tastes much better on the days that I run. Running makes me ravenous; it makes me thirsty; it makes me aware of what hunger is and what my body craves and needs to make it run even better.

10. Running is when I am most aware of my physical body.

I’m feeling the air on my skin, the breath going in and out of my lungs, my muscles contracting, and my heart beating in my chest. It is when I am most aware that yes, today, I am alive; I am living.

But there are so many more reasons….

Running Improves My Health

Running Promotes Weight Management

Running Is Good for my Memory

You Can Train for a Specific Goal

Running Improves my Energy Levels

Running Will Help me Feel Good About Myself

Running Is Versatile and Inexpensive

Running has many benefits for the mind and body. It can improve your overall health, reduce the risk of death, help balance weight, and protect bones and cognition while building self-esteem and community. Even a once-weekly run can bring you the positive effects of running and you can always build the habit slowly.? Most importantly, running gave me back my smiling reflection and it will do the same for you.

Be Courageous?

~ Sonya xoxo

Sonya Janisse,

Design your Life, your way Accountability Coach??

NLP, HWL, PTS

Accountability Coach ~?I help you keep your promises to yourself.

Taking your life from unbearable to unstoppable. xo

Author, Podcaster, Certified Coach