{"id":90,"date":"2013-02-14T05:21:04","date_gmt":"2013-02-14T05:21:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/?p=90"},"modified":"2013-02-18T06:05:49","modified_gmt":"2013-02-18T06:05:49","slug":"why-i-run","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/?p=90","title":{"rendered":"Why I Run"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Yesterday I got an email from my absolute best friend in the entire world.\u00a0 We used to talk on the phone religiously every day.\u00a0 Then we became moms.\u00a0 Then, we both became moms of 3 in different time zones.\u00a0 Now, we have been relegated to the hopes of catching a weekly call and commenting on each other\u2019s facebook posts as our primary means of communication.\u00a0 I\u2019ve known Britta since college.\u00a0 She very randomly came into my life through an ad that, much to my chagrin, my mom placed in the MSU newspaper, the State News. \u00a0I was looking for a roommate to replace a couple girls that backed out last minute and I was not happy about the situation.\u00a0 However, I\u2019m a firm believer in \u201cEverything happens for a reason\u201d and now I can\u2019t imagine my life without Britta in it (Thanks Mom!). \u00a0I have known B for half of my life and we have been through just about everything together. \u00a0We have celebrated marriages and births. She has made me laugh to the point of tears countless times.\u00a0 We have cried together through many of life\u2019s heartaches, like death and divorce and health struggles, you name it.\u00a0 Once, I was rescued off a mountain in South Africa with her husband, Dave (there was even a helicopter involved) and she pretty much just laughed at us.\u00a0 Britta has stood by me like no other individual I know, so it\u2019s almost ridiculous that we have never, not once, ever competed in any kind of athletic event together.<\/p>\n<p>So, yesterday, I got an email from her, that was also addressed to a few other mom friends. \u00a0The basis of the email was that she has noticed that the \u201cMoms of 3 club\u201d has found running marathons a popular past time and she is now contemplating this pursuit for herself. Before she takes the big plunge (which is funny because she is a swimmer by nature), she wanted some answers. \u00a0Her big question was\u2026Why do you run?\u00a0 My mind started racing, words jumping out, flying around in my head, but I needed to process that question\u00a0before I formulated a response. \u00a0Why do I run? I get asked that question all the time.\u00a0 I mean, I work\u00a0at a running store, so I <em><strong>really<\/strong><\/em> get asked that question ALL the time.\u00a0 But usually, I give a generic\u00a0answer like, \u201cI just love it.\u201d\u00a0 I do love to run, it makes me happy.\u00a0 But why?\u00a0 So, I thought about it.<\/p>\n<p>Here is the list of reasons I came up with to answer the question &#8220;why do I run?&#8221;&#8230;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Serenity.\u00a0 Solitude. Alone time!\u00a0 As a working mom of 3, I am around people pretty much all the time.\u00a0 So, when I go run, I get to be alooooone. \u00a0I can think about the things that are weighing me down or I can put on my ipod and veg out.\u00a0 It\u2019s delightful.<\/li>\n<li>Stress relief. \u00a0Sanity. See above.\u00a0 But additionally, if I\u2019m having a bad day or I\u2019m feeling especially overwhelmed about something, I go run and just a few steps in, I instantaneously feel better.\u00a0 It\u2019s almost impossible to hold on to negative feelings when you exercise.\u00a0 There is nothing that makes me a happier person than working up a good sweat.\u00a0 And my kids like me a whole lot better when I\u2019ve had a healthy dose of endorphins, too.<\/li>\n<li>Strength.\u00a0\u00a0I can&#8217;t think of anything that\u00a0makes me feel stronger or more powerful than running.\u00a0 It makes me feel like I can take on anything.\u00a0 I love to challenge myself to go farther or faster.\u00a0 Pushing myself and rising to the occasion of a challenge, makes me feel like I\u2019ve accomplished something. \u00a0And it makes me feel energized! \u00a0It builds confidence in me and in my character.<\/li>\n<li>So I can eat whatever I want.\u00a0 I like food.\u00a0 Scratch that.\u00a0 I LOVE food. \u00a0I love all food.\u00a0 I am a Chicagoan pizza snob.\u00a0 I am an ice cream connoisseur.\u00a0 I like Italian and Sushi and Mexican and a big, juicy burger with fries, lots of fries!\u00a0 Besides, carrots, there really isn\u2019t much I won\u2019t eat. \u00a0Yeah, I know, we\u2019ve already established that I\u2019m weird.\u00a0 Anyway, I run and workout, so that I can treat myself.\u00a0 I don\u2019t believe in depriving myself but rather \u201ceverything in moderation\u201d. \u00a0I try not to over-do it, but every now and then I have an epic fail and I over indulge.\u00a0 So, I\u2019ll go run an extra mile\u2026or 12.<\/li>\n<li>Camaraderie. (You thought they were all going to start with &#8220;S&#8221;, didn&#8217;t\u00a0you?)\u00a0 Typically I like to run to be alone.\u00a0 But running bonds people.\u00a0 Just like any other aspect in life, commonality brings people together.\u00a0 I have found some pretty\u00a0fantastic friends through running.\u00a0 And being a part of the Smokin\u2019 Aces relay team for SMR\u00a02012 was one of the best experiences of my life.\u00a0 We encourage each other, we cheer each other on, we help each other by pushing one another to be better.\u00a0 We don\u2019t always need words, sometimes we just need to know that someone is right there with us, keeping pace, and pulling us to the finish.<\/li>\n<li>Nature.\u00a0 I love running in all different types of weather and all different venues.\u00a0 But I never get tired of a beautiful sunrise, seeing dolphins swimming in the ocean, hearing the birds, the sun shining down on me, leaving tracks in the snow, the crunch of leaves under my feet, seeing deer in the woods.\u00a0 We live in a big, amazing world.\u00a0 Why wouldn\u2019t I want to get out and enjoy it?<\/li>\n<li>Heart health.\u00a0 I have a family history of heart disease.\u00a0 My dad\u2019s heart attack at only 59 years old, still allowed him to outlive his own father by 15 years.\u00a0 I never had the pleasure of knowing my grandpa Wayne because he died after just 44 years on this earth, also of a sudden heart attack.\u00a0 Running is so good for the cardio-vascular.\u00a0 I\u2019m happy to report that I am in the top 5% of the heart healthiest people in the US (then again, that might not be saying much).\u00a0 I\u2019m also proud to say that I had a test done not long ago to find out my \u201cBody Age\u201d.\u00a0 My result said that I have the body of a 24 year old.\u00a0 Not bad for 37 years old and 3 rounds of childbirth!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So, there you have it.\u00a0 I love to run for a variety of reasons.\u00a0 On any given day, the reasons might differ.\u00a0 And on some days, I don\u2019t love to run.\u00a0 I just do it, cause I know I\u2019ll feel better after I do.<\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t know if Britta is going to decide to run a marathon or not.\u00a0 I have no doubt in my mind that she is capable. I believe she would be outstanding if only her knees hold out.\u00a0 She comes from a family of many knee replacements.\u00a0 But this is what I do know\u2026if she decides to go for it, I will be there for her in whatever capacity she asks. If she wants me to go away and not be the annoying, veteran, know it all marathoner, I will do that.\u00a0 She has listened to endless stories about my races and running in general. There is a good chance this blog has saved our friendship by giving me another outlet for said stories.\u00a0 But if she wants me to run the whole thing by her side, I will.\u00a0 Or if she wants me cheer her on along the way and be at the finish line waiting, I will.\u00a0 Either way, I would only be returning the favor.<\/p>\n<p>Love you B.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_91\" style=\"width: 206px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/IMAG1188-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-91\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-91\" alt=\"My BFF (Britta) and I with her younger 2 bambinos, Elin and Noah.  That equals 1\/3 of our combined children.\" src=\"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/IMAG1188-2-196x300.jpg\" width=\"196\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/IMAG1188-2-196x300.jpg 196w, http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/IMAG1188-2-670x1024.jpg 670w, http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/IMAG1188-2-624x953.jpg 624w, http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/IMAG1188-2.jpg 1456w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 196px) 100vw, 196px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-91\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">My BFF (Britta) and I with her younger 2 bambinos, Elin and Noah. That equals 1\/3 of our combined children.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yesterday I got an email from my absolute best friend in the entire world.\u00a0 We used to talk on the phone religiously every day.\u00a0 Then we became moms.\u00a0 Then, we both became moms of 3 in different time zones.\u00a0 Now, we have been relegated to the hopes of catching a weekly call and commenting on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"aside","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[9,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-90","post","type-post","status-publish","format-aside","hentry","category-lessonsfromrunning","category-uncategorized","post_format-post-format-aside"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4eO4v-1s","jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=90"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":93,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90\/revisions\/93"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=90"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=90"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=90"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}