Why I run...

Allow me to pat myself on the back for just a second... this weekend, my running buddy Dan and I ran 26.2 miles in 4 hours and 40 minutes, completing the first full marathon of our lives.

Bravo, boys, bravo. "Come see how good I look."

I'd been meaning to write about running here for a while now, but kind of never got around to it. As you can see from the sidebar on the right (I'm pointing at it now - see?), one of my "current obsessions" was to run a marathon. Now, it's been updated for running my next one - time TBA.

I think one of the reasons I put off writing about running is that it's really an intensely personal experience. I know that sounds cliched or whatever, but it's true. When you run, you are the only one out there. You're not running against anyone, just yourself, your limits and your past times. You are the one hauling yourself out of bed in the morning or hitting the road late at night; you are the only one that's sore; you are the only one who knows if you could have done better or if you pushed your body harder and farther than ever. When you cut corners, you're only hurting yourself. When you succeed, you're the only one that gets the benefit.

It's hard to express those sort of sentiments - you kind of have to get out there and do it for yourself to really know.

But - for those of you who have the laptop open and your feet up, I'll try to put it into nice bullet points for your reading enjoyment before you get distracted by porn, TMZ or funnyordie.com.

1) I run because it clears my head
- It's true... running (or any exercise) releases endorphins. You can't help but feel good, even when you're puking on your shoes or your shorts have chaffed smoking red marks into your crotchal region. Seriously, though, it's a tremendous stress reliever... when I'm out there, I can pray, all of the day's stress just falls away and I can breathe again.

2) I run to challenge myself.
- I have life goals... some of them are big and will take years. Others, like some of the trips I want to take, require money. Running takes only a decent pair of shoes and the will to do it. Running a marathon was, at the same time, both the easiest and hardest goal I've ever set for myself. It was easy, because all I had to do was get out there and do it - the way was already set and planned for me. But when you're in that marathon, you've passed mile 19, you're coming up on four hours on the road and your legs feel like rubber pencils set on fire, that finish line may as well be 8,000 miles away.
But, on that final sprint to the end, where your feet don't touch the dusty ground because that last rush of adrenaline has picked you up and is carrying you towards the cheers of your loved ones, it goes back to being the easiest thing you've ever done. And that's a great feeling... in fact, that's reason number three!

3) I run for the feeling of the finish.
- Whether it's finishing the last stretch of a three-mile training run strong or the overwhelming rush of finishing your first marathon, that fullness of joy, that primal sense of accomplishment is a high unlike any other.
I can't even describe it. You just have to go out and do it for yourself.

4) I run for my health.
- Want to lose 10 pounds? Train for a long-distance race. 'nuff said.

5) I run because you don't.
- The "you" here doesn't mean "you, my reader," just some schmuck out there who's too lazy or out-of-shape to be able to do what I can do. Maybe it's a guy thing, but I take pride in doing it. I love passing people on the road. I like the challenge of keeping up with a stronger runner and I like out-distancing someone trying to keep up with me even better. Even a kid like me that's 5'7" and 155 pounds can be a beast when he puts on that running gear, grabs a water bottle and heads out the door to chew up the road and spit it out.

So, that, my friends is why I do it.

Want to come run with me?