running

I once had a roommate tell me, "Do you ever see runners smile? Exactly. That's why I don't run." She was convinced running was the absolute worst form of exercise on the planet. Sometimes I agree. Sometimes I'd rather lie on a bed of hot coals than run several miles. I feel the need to set the record straight on this blog: I have lied in the past; I do not like running.

I do not like it, but I am good at it and it's cheap so I keep doing it. Unlike 98% of the other runners at the gym or on the streets, I prefer to run unaccompanied by music. I feel myself run faster and farther when I can focus on my breath and my body. I am acutely aware of where the pain resides, and I know exactly how much I can do to push myself through the pain. It's a game, and I like games.

I am competitive. I don't really enjoy competing with anyone else because I am a sore loser so I choose loner sports like running where the only person I have to overcome is myself. Tonight I did that. Tonight I ran faster and longer than I have in almost two years. It felt amazing. I felt strong and confident in my stride. I ran a 7:30 mile for two miles and then I ran a 7:47 mile for the last mile.

Tonight I smiled on my run. I debunked my roommate's theory. And it felt pretty dang great.