The current love of my life

In high school, I wasn't a runner.  I was active, but never joined the track team, or ran for fun.  I ran because my coach said, run three miles.  And then I was done.  And I hated it until I was done.

In college I started to enjoy running.  But as someone who wasn't a fit runner, the cold and hills in the mountains of Northeast Pennsylvania proved to only land me in the doctor's office with asthmatic-related respitory problems. 

But, I am a runner. 

I like to run. 

I look forward to running.

I run alone.  I run with people.  I run races.
And sometimes.... I am not motivated.  But sometimes, I surprise myself with my own strength, determination, and resilience of the elements.  I like training.  I like setting goals.  I like pounding the pavement and feeling my muscles ripple through my legs with every step.  I like running through my neighborhood, at the canal, on the treadmill, in DC.  I like running with music, with a friend, or with myself and God. 

And I have struggled for a while about feeling like a runner.  People peg me as a runner, but I always argue with them.  Nah, I just run now and then.  I'm not a real runner, I tell them.  I think it's because I don't think I look like what a runner should look like.  I still have a bit of handle to love, I still worry about if my thighs look fat in my jeans ... or worse... the skirt.   I still worry about if my calve muscles look like other runners, or how I look in my running clothes.

But running with A at the Canal yesterday was the first time I can admit I am a runner.  I do.  I love it.  I encourage other people to run with me, I make time out of my week to run, and I enjoy it.  I run to deal with emotions, to think about things, to push myself, to prove something, and to stay healthy.  I can run with people.  And it doesn't matter who looks more like a runner, but who feels like a runner.  And when I am running, I feel like nothing can bother me, because I am doing what I love to do. 

For the love of the run.

And for what it's worth... DC might be one of the most beautiful, most excellent places to find my identity as a runner.

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up.

It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed.

Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up.

It knows that it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve.

It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or a gazelle

When the sun comes up you'd better be running.

(But, unless you're a runner, you won't understand.)

-Anon

“Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.”

Life is so good.  And I do believe, it's getting better... <3