Why Do You Run?

This morning I read a blog post on Blog of Impossible Things about how to start running. Joel recently ran his first ultramarathon, just a two years after starting to run. Pretty amazing!

But what struck me as I was reading his article was this section:

It's true. We really do need a reason to run... no matter what that is for you. This week I have been struggling with my motivation to get out and run. But reading this article made me feel excited again.

Right now, my motivation for running is tackling this new distance for me -- the marathon. Like Joel, I think doing this is about seeing what I'm made of. Two years ago, I ran my first race -- a 5k -- and it made me so excited about running races. I loved being out on the road with so many other runners! A few months later I completed my first half marathon, but it took a lot of believing in myself to do it.

Although I have never really disliked running, I didn't think I could run more than a few miles because of my previous knee injuries. In training for that half marathon I pushed myself so far past what I thought I could do. And even then, I didn't think I'd ever run further than that. Once I had made it through a few half marathons, I realized, "Why not try to further? What is stopping you?"

So, I run because I can. Because I love how it feels to push my body to new limits. And because you never know just how far you can go unless you try. Don't set limits for yourself. If you have to, make small steps along the way. Believe in yourself to get through those tough times. In the end, you will be so proud of what you have accomplished.


So tell me... Why Do you Run?