Why I Run

May 29, 2009

Last Friday I got my new running shoes after running nearly 700 miles with my last pair. I passed the 700th mile this week in a little over a year. I have really turned things on the last few months. In April I ran 90 miles, and this month I will end up finishing over 100.

Why do I do it? I know some people think running 14 miles all at once is a symptom of mental insanity. But I do it for a number of reasons, and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon.

Last year I was wondering exactly what to do with my life. I went to counseling and was on medication for a little while. One suggestion my counselor gave me to help with my mood was to find a way to be more physically active. I have tried to run consistently for years, but I have a bad knee and back, I told her. She recommended I do something else.

Nonetheless, I decided to invest in Nike+. I got some new shoes, and determined I would not train too hard right out of the gate like I had been prone to do in the past. I ran for a few months, then tapered off last fall/winter when I was riding my bike 100 miles a week. Over time I lost 20 pounds.

When I got back to Laramie, I knew I had to stay active so I could stay in the shape I had achieved in Arizona. Last month I ran over 13 miles in one run for the first time. This month I got 7th place in a 5K here in Laramie, finishing the race in 20:02.

There are several reasons why I love to run. The first obviously stems from the fact that I have already accomplished so much, and I want to keep building on those successes.

I run for peace of mind. My depression has literally disappeared as I've kept active. I can also pop on the headphones, and forget about life for a few minutes. I love the way I feel when I've finished a run, especially a tough, lengthy one. Even though it doesn't usually endure, I feel a sort a mental clarity while I run.

I can enjoy fresh air and the beauty of nature.

I run to wear cool headbands and tank tops (even with my skinny chicken-arms).

I run because I can, but also because not everyone that wants to can, and not everyone that can, does. A close friend once opined that he didn't think human beings were meant to run long distances, especially not he nor I. I then saw an ESPN video of a young man born with cerebral palsy who was not even expected to walk in his life. He learned to walk, albeit awkwardly, and he learned he loved golf, and learned to play despite his handicap. He ended up walking miles and miles of golf course over the course of a full PGA season - he walked every hole of every tournament.

If a guy who wasn't meant to even walk could do that, I can at least run a marathon or two if I work hard enough. So I will keep running, because I want to.

One final admission: I really do not think I have the appearance of a person you might stereotypically think of as a runner - boney thin, with no fat tissue whatsoever. However, I felt proud today when I was about to get a huge needle stuck into my vein to give plasma. The phlebotomist commented on my giant veins and queried, "Are you a runner or something?"

To which I unhesitatingly responded, "Yes I am."

$35.00

Saturday, November 1, 2008

$35.00.

That's right. During the entire month of October, we managed to spend a grand total of $35 on gas. $35!

How is that possible, you wonder, especially when driving 30 or 40 miles a day is commonplace in a metropolitan area like the Phoenix valley?

We did it with my legs, and probably somewhat (to a lesser degree) by not having much of a social life.

Since we moved to Gilbert, I broke out the relatively new Specialized mountain bike I purchased a couple years ago in Laramie. My destinations I needed to reach from Chandler were very far away, but when we got into our new place, the distance was diminished considerably.

So I started riding a few times a week. Then I started riding most of the week. I am now to the point where if I go to work for any reason, I ride the bicycle. And the more I ride, the more I enjoy it.

Riding a bike gives you an idea of just how ridiculous the amount of driving we do in this city really is. Over the past few weeks, I have gone from home to teaching, to the AZ Republic, where I work part-time, back home. The total distance is just over 17 miles. Multiply that by five days, and then tack on three additional trips to work at the newspaper, and this week alone, I rode nearly 119 miles. I haven't kept an exact record, but I am sure my total mileage since I began riding in August is very close, if not more than, a thousand miles.

I don't find it much of a hassle. I find I have more energy during the day when I ride my bike to school. I find I am in a better mood most of the time. Of course, by the time I get home, I can be pretty worn out, especially when I ride close to 30 miles in one day. But it it totally worth it.

I've lost nearly 15 pounds in the process, and am noticing my pants, which previously were starting to become uncomfortably snug, are now fitting just fine. The pants I bought when I had a little more room around the belt are now falling off. It's a rewarding experience, trust me.

Who ever decided driving a car was preferable to doing it the old fashioned way? Getting in shape, saving money on gas (by not driving, as well as being 15 pounds lighter when sitting in the car), and not polluting the environment (as much....he he he...), are all very rewarding pursuits.

We may not get away with spending so little in November, but either way, in October we spent....

$35.00.