In Honor of National Running Day: What Running Has Taught Me

I read this blog: http://www.runningwithsass.com/what-running-has-taught-me-about-life/.

It's all about what running has taught the author.  I got to thinking about this in my own life.  Running ha taught me so much about myself, my abilities and my will power.  

Oprah has said that running is the best metaphor for life, because you get out of running exactly what you put into it.  This is the only time I WILL EVER quote Oprah, I'm personally not a fan of her.  However, I agree with this statement.  For example, I want to run faster.  So I'm going to train, do speed work and I will run faster.  I have already seen the results of formal training.  My first run after having Riley was run at a 12:30 pace.  My latest 5k, I ran an 8:30 pace.  In nine months, I have shed 4 minutes off my mile time because it's what I wanted to do.  Hard work pays off, in any venue.  

My most miserable race, Summer of Love run.  It was in July, at the beach, in the evening; it was so hot and so humid.  And they ran out of water.  But I didn't quit.  I ran 10 miserable miles.  

Events in life aren't going to be perfect but every one counts.  

Down & Dirty 5k

I have learned that running is all in your brain.  Your body won't quit on you, but your brain will.  It's why I feel so accomplished when I finish a run.  There are runs that I struggle through every mile, constantly pushing myself.  And there are runs when I find my groove immediately and could go on forever, it feels like.  No matter how "good" I become at running, there will still be bad runs.  I still must overcome and push through.  I refuse to quit, kind of like life in general. I tell ya, the bad runs make me REALLy appreciate the good ones though!  

Running has taught me that I can do anything.  For years, I said "I'm just not a runner."  I said it, and I believed it.  Then, one day before I got pregnant with Hannah, David took me out and I ran 4 miles with him.  Out of the blue, I just ran.  David taught me about pace that day.  Once I found "my groove" I could run and just run.  More than 5 years later, I have hundreds of miles under my feet and am addicted to the accomplished feeling I get when I finish a run.  My current goal is a full marathon and s print triathlon.  I have no doubt that I will reach these goals, both within the next year.  I don't quite know how to explain it, I just know that I will.  Because I can run, I can do anything.  What an awesome feeling to have about myself.
That's why I encourage everyone else to run.