Some of “The Why’s”

    First and foremost, the biggest reason I have gotten so into running and why I’ve kept pounding the pavement day after day is: I don’t like being in pain. Yes, there are days when my legs are sore, my shins hurt, my feet hurt, and sure, my back hurts. But that's when I know I need it the most. I know that in order to help myself I'm gonna have to suffer a little bit. In order to keep from feeling like there is a grown man shoving his knee into my back, I'm gonna have to lace up the shoes and get out the door. Even if that were the only reason, it’d be reason enough. Being in constant pain is no life; You get cranky, your patience wears thin, you don't want to go to any social functions. You try to mask the pain with other things. So if I can spend X minutes or Y miles running and not feel like that, it's certainly worth it. To me, running is often not a choice, but a necessity. If I take three days off, I am right back where I used to be. At this point I don't feel like there is any stopping in my future. 

    Beyond that, it's great for you! I can’t even begin to explain how good it feels to be able to do the physical things that I want to do and have the energy for them, the lung capacity, and the mental toughness of knowing I've been through worse so this should be an easy completion. My resting heart rate is way down, I am much more efficient when it comes to calories, I breathe easier, and honestly I just feel better from day to day. I can splurge a little bit with meals here or there and know that every bit of those calories will be burned eventually. Truly, if I even gain ten pounds I notice it immediately in my back, so for me to maintain a trim weight is very important. And who doesn't want to look more fit? C’mon.

    Now, onto the mental aspects of it, which cannot be overlooked. And for some people this is probably the most important part of running for them. The endorphin rush. The runner's high. The sense of accomplishment. Running in the A.M. I often tell myself, the hardest part of my day is done. While everyone is in bed sleeping, staying nice and warm under the covers, you’re out there getting after it. Putting that sweat equity into yourself. There's almost a mental edge, a feeling of “I ran ten miles this morning M$#%#$F*%%$#!, what did you do?” While sometimes that can border on ego, there's something to be said for that feeling. Never let the laziness of others get in the way of you overcoming yours. You should never feel bad because you made someone else feel bad for being a lazy fuck. Rant over.

    So, I've always been a freak, a social outcast, a nerd, all sorts of shit. And after years of it I learned to enjoy it. Because if you can't find some way to enjoy being different you’ll be angry. The difference is now, I'm a freak for a completely different reason. A reason I can be proud of. I run distances only a small percentage of people can. Not because I was born a gifted runner or have the ideal runner frame but because I put in the work, the time and the effort. Shit, I used to use an inhaler as a child. And now the look on peoples faces when I tell them what distance I want to run, ran or am going to run is just fuel. I love freaking people out. And ultimately I love the sick challenge of pushing my body to some of these limits to see what it is capable of. I love to learn new things and try to master them, and with running, there is so much more work to be done. There will always be a new distance I want to push to, time I want to beat, ultra I want to run; I don't believe I will ever be a “master” and that's great. I can only hope for improvement. To be better than yesterday.

    And now I'm in a position where I can positively influence others in their pursuit of running, eating right, or just trying to be a better person and I couldn't be more thankful. It's truly amazing to be able to have that sort of impact on others. To help them live a more fulfilled life. And honestly, after all this, that is probably the biggest reward for me – to see an impact in the lives of others. I want to show people what truly giving your all looks like. What persistence and hard work can accomplish. Again, I am no special breed of athlete. I just put in the hours and the grunt work. I may slow down at times, but I don’t stop.