Why I run

I get asked sometimes why I run. Or people say that they wish they could. You can, you just gotta do it. Not everyone likes to run though, I get that. I do love it! Why?

I love it because you can run and at the time, there is nothing else that you have to be doing. I run without music and just go. Worries of life are smaller on a run. It also helps me think, prioritize and plan. I have thought about conversations that I have had, papers I have written, crafts to create, places to go, and dreams to dream. Life gets into perspective on a run. God is big. He is big always, but running helps me to remember it. My problems, worries, concerns shrink to their proper size and anything is possible when God is in it. 

It is also a good challenge. You run, then you run further, then you run faster. And faster than that. And then a few more miles. It is fun to see the progress. As I improve, I also try to remember to be thankful for the opportunity to run and to improve. It is such a blessing in my life and I don't want to forget that. For a time, I ran very slowly, molasses type speeds and it was exhausting. I was anemic and that made anything physical difficult. After I started taking iron pills, running became more possible again. Last summer, I got dehydrated and had to take a few weeks off of running. That was hard! Both of these instances make me even more thankful that running is possible. 

I also like how accessible running is. Get a pair of shoes on your feet and head out the door. There is no organizing needed, no other people to gather (unless you want to), and no bags of equipment. 

Races are a great thing too. There is such a good energy at a race. It is emotional. (My husband laughed at me before our last race because I got tears in my eyes at the start line.) There is excitement, nerves, and joy all mixed in. Usually people have put in effort in training ahead of time, and now it is time to see what happens. It is like practicing for a play and this is performance time. Sometimes, I have friends and family at a race, it is nice to have someone cheering for you and to say "good job!" at the end. It is also fun to run along and see the different groups cheering for the racers and holding their signs, cowbells, bowls of oranges, etc. I like seeing them support their friends and family and I appreciate cheers for everyone as well. I will cheer at people in the crowd, and they yell back. One time, a guy had a megaphone. He told people to yell their name at him, then he would yell it back. The second time I saw him on the course, I pointed to myself, "Chelsea!" and through the megaphone came "Go Chelsea! Keep it up!" Even though I do not know these people, their cheers and energy and simply the fact that they are there is a great encouragement. 

I enjoy working the registration or info for a race. As people are getting ready mentally and getting their bibs, it is fun to be around. It is an honor to get to be a part of their race journey, a small piece of making their race possible. 

So yes, I do love running! Can you tell?