Why run?

Early mornings or afternoons you see them, one or two, sometimes groups of people, running. Sun or rain, they stride it out.  So why run?  What makes them go for a run when it's freezing cold?  What makes them get up early to go for a run before they go to work, or school, or before they do anything else?

I love running. Running would be my chosen form of exercise if I had to choose just one to do.  I'm not great at it but I do it.  I love running for a few different reasons......

1. Running puts a smile on my dial

Running makes me smile...it makes me happy!  It clears the cobwebs from my mind.  No matter what mood I start out in, by the time I finish a 5 or 10k run, I feel happier, stronger.  Best mood booster in the world.  When I fell over at the beginning of the year and couldn't run for a week, I was the crankiest old cow!  I missed the air in my face and the rush of happy when I finished.

2. Running gives me time alone.

Whether I run along the road, or on a track by the river, I get lost in my own little mind.  I sort out my problems, my families problems and the worlds problems all while I'm out plodding along.  It's almost a medititation, the rhythmic pounding of my feet and heart, hearing the sounds around me of birds, or a lawnmower, or the river flowing, often I'll be so deep in thought my run will be over before I even knew it and I'll have literally no memory of doing it!  My body remembers though!

3. Running is a take anywhere exercise

I don't need a gym, or a treadmill to run.  I can go on holidays and still exercise without worrying about what I need to take.  All I really need are some joggers and off I go. I can run ANYWHERE! I've even run on the deck of a cruise ship.  Beaches, mountain tracks, river trails, footpaths along the street, around the block...anywhere.  And I don't need to pay any fees for it.

4. Running helps control my weight

Want a good calorie burn exercise? Go running.  It also works your arms, legs, abs, back muscles...all over!  It strengthens your heart and lungs, lowers blood pressure naturally and makes your bones denser so osteoporosis is held at bay.  You can run at any speed, but the faster you go, the more you'll burn!  Add a hill or two and watch those babies disappear in a wisp of smoke!

5. Running lets me help others

When I run I can run for charity.  My entry fee and any money I raise gets donated and that could make a difference to someones life.  Every year I take part in the Mothers Day Classic, the Sussans Womens funrun and Rotary funrun for the Good Friday Appeal.  I've run for MS, for cystic fibrosis, for heart disease.  I can do something I like, something that is good for me and also help someone else.  GREAT feeling!

6. Running is a great way to meet people

Joining a running group is a great way to make new friends.  Running a similar track at a similar time will let you recognise others who are habitual users ( LOL!) too.  Tell someone you run and chances are they run, want to run or know someone who runs and you end up talking about it.  It's a connection!

7. Running taught me how to set goals

I never set goals before...too hard to think about what to do.  But running gave me a focus and taught me how to break things down.  So I want to run a half marathon?  Well learn to run 1 km.  Then 5.  Then 10.  Then 15.  4 goals there.  Run a funrun and set a time to beat.  Then do the same course next year and beat THAT time. I started with a goal to run 10 km and cross the line.  Then it was 10 km, cross the line and without walking at all.  Then it was 10 km, cross the line, without walking and beating the last time.  Gave me a focus and something to aim for.  That has spilled over elsewhere in my life so I'm able to set realistic goals now.

8. Running gives you a sense of humour

Running in funruns you can see some funny sights!  Noone worries about what we all look like and if anything did happen, it's more likely to be laughed at.  You'll laugh at yourself more which can only be a good thing!  You see some OUT THERE costumes in a funrun........

9. Running can be useful

Especially when escaping ticked off hippos........
Running is great!  You can keep up with the kids and even beat the little sods!  All those years of them beating you and it's a secret joy to be able to wipe that smug look off thier little faces LOL or is that just me....
Seriously, you in a rush to catch the bus or train and have to run?  You can do it now without being out of breath or worse run and miss it.  Need to get away ina hurry?  Run.  Need an excuse to leave a boring party? " I'm training for a half marathon" usually gets you out early.

10. Running keeps you safe

Especially from zombies. If only Michael Jackson had run instead of stopping to moonwalk, he'd have escaped Thriller intact.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V90AmXnguw