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| I run because I love the trails and nature! |
I have been reading a lot of blogs and comment posts lately
and what I found, and I guess took for granted, is that everyone’s "Why" is
different. We all can have many reasons why we run. And these “whys” will change over time,
meaning that the type of running we do will change over time. Some of the reasons I have found are:
- · Speed
- · Distance
- · Test your limits
- · Keep healthy
- · Love the trails and nature
- · Love competition
- · Constantly raising the bar
Why do you run?
As I have stated in the past, I wasn’t always a runner. In fact, I had bought into the argument that
running isn’t good for your body. It
damages your knees, causes irreversible damage to your heart, it is addictive,
etc. This was primarily due my
upbringing. So I focused on bicycling to
stay fit.
The only time I enjoyed running was when I was a sophomore
at Stadium High School. We would be
given a choice of running the track or running the trails below the school and
of course I would pick the trails. I
really enjoyed running on the soft but technical terrain through the Douglas
Fir overlooking Commencement Bay in Tacoma.
There was something peaceful about it.
I would also try to run from my house, along the streets, but I didn’t
have the same motivation. My “Why” back
then was that I loved running because I could be in and see nature.
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| I run because it is something that I enjoy with my wife. |
More recent in life, my wife and I started running for
health. We were both overweight, and
chose running as something we could do together. We would also include our children, either in
running short distances, riding bikes, etc. So our running was done as a family. It was a great way to keep balance as well as
to reach our goals. In fact, our why for
running marathons and trail runs is to keep focus on our “whys” for running,
being healthy and activities with the family.
However, to balance out our running, we have really begun to
focus back on the trails. We love being
out there, running the creeks, seeing a bobcat, tarantula, or snake every once
and awhile, pushing our limits on the hills and distances. In fact we kind of get bored running our long
runs on the road. So our additional
“Why” is just the enjoyment of the wilderness.
It is funny though how one person may feel their why trumps
all other reasons. For example, recently
I posted a question on LinkedIn asking “ Are trail runners really runners?” I then post a link to the blog post of the same name. While the premise of the
question was to answer the question that if a trail runner walks some of the
hills do they fit in the definition of a runner. As any reasonable person would answer, most
people said yes, a trail runner or any runner for that matter who walks a
portion of a run no matter for how much is a runner.
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| Another Reason I run: It is a family activity! |
However, when the argument broke down, it was due to the interpretation
of the question filtered by runners “why”.
For example, one commenter stated that anyone who runs over an 8:30 pace
wouldn’t be called a runner, and someone suggested the threshold should be at
16 minutes. Their reason for running was
more for the competition and for speed and they felt that their reason trumped
everyone else’s reason.
It is interesting that we can forget our most important “whys”
for running. On a recent podcast on Trail Runner Nation, one of the interviewee’s (ashruns100s) who has run a few hundred mile
races suggested that she had lost her “why” for doing these races and she was
ready to do something else. This has
been also expressed by Sarah Lavender Smith and Footfeathers.
However, with further examination, we all have a why. After her podcast, ashruns100s did a self examination and provided further explanation of what her "why"is as well as discussing the need for a "why."
On the flips side, when you visit the different runner’s
blogs or read about different endeavors, you can found out their reason for
running. For example, if you go to Leor Pantilat’s blog, you can easily see that his love of nature and photography
trumps competition as the focus of his reason for running. Or how Dean Karnazes desire to push the
limits of his body is his why.
So at the end of it all, we all have our own reasons for
running: whether distance or speed, trail or road, etc. The greatest challenge we have as runners is
remembering our why and nurturing it.
So
what is your “why” for running?
