It’s not because running makes me happy at the very moment I’m running. Next time you pass by a runner, look at them. Are they grinning from ear to ear? Probably not. I am happy, very happy once I’ve finished the run! Or, when I’ve escaped things like the killer bunny in the video to the right – run away, run away!
Sometimes I get the runner’s high – a sense of euphoria that you could run forever and never tire. But most of the time its an effort. It’s hard. But there are reasons I run and come back to run another day. Here are some of them.
1. I think and get new ideas when I run.
Running gets me away from my computer and crackberry. It limits my intake to music, a podcast or just nothing at all except my dogs ahead and my surroundings. It’s a great place to be, to relax, and think. A couple of days ago I got an idea for the theme of a program our Kiwanis club is putting on next month: “A Celebration of Service.” I then began to think of all the things we could do during the program to make the concept of community service come alive to those in attendance. I got the idea for this blog and the direction I wanted to take my business while on a run. I seem to get some of my best ideas while running, away from my office. Robin Sharma in the book, The Greatness Guide says, “Creativity comes when you are relaxed, happy and enjoying the moment.” So, whether you run, spin, step, make music, walk or just sit on a beach somewhere; try to just relax and enjoy the moment you’re in. And, by all means don’t feel guilty about taking time away from your grind. See if you don’t get some exciting new ideas to think about.
2. I run for my life.
I should also add, I run because I can. If I couldn’t run I’d probably do spin, go for long walks, or do some other form of strenuous enough exercise that would improve my health and reduce my chance of an early exit. So often we hear and are confronted with the truth that the most important thing we could have is our health. It’s true. And once you realize it and come to grips with your own mortality, you get a little more serious about a healthier lifestyle. Having a cholesterol issue and being a diabetic trying to delay taking on the diabetes pills means I am literally running for my life. I’ve got some vices for sure, I believe in a balance. But, I’m really into living and experiencing as much time ahead with my wife, kids and grand kids as I can.
3. I run for a sense of accomplishment.
I’ve been running for about 15 years and one of the things that keeps me going is to record and track my progress. I challenge myself. I make a game out of it. At one point I bought the heart rate monitor watch with the speed and distance thingy. It was the Google Analytics of running performance measurement. I’m not that serious of a runner any more. I like to run and compete against myself. I’ll track my time, distance, average heart rate, calories burned, my weight, basic stuff like that. Put it in a spreadsheet measure and compare with some goals I’ve set for myself. And, what I’ve found is it keeps you accountable. It gives you a sense of accomplishment. It shows you’re making progress – or not. The point is to write it down. Put on your schedule that which you know will bring about life enhancing benefits. Then, record your results, track your progress. Build a habit of accomplishment.
You may have figured out by now that it’s not just about running. Running is just the tool, the means to an end. It’s about positive change. It’s about breaking out of the routine factory that’s smothering your creativity and into the wonder of discovering new ideas. It’s about finding a way to improve your life, and as you do realize meaningful achievements.
What are you running for?
