@TinyRoads: Why do I run?

Why do I run?
I run because it makes me feel good.  I like to exercise.
I run because I think that if I do, I get to eat whatever I want. 
I run to soak up rays of sunshine. 
I run to see parts of the city that I live in that I would otherwise never notice.
I run to stay in shape.
I run because I've set a goal to run in a marathon.
I run because it's consistently one of the best times for me to think.  Oftentimes, when I have a difficult decision to make, I find that it helps not only to sleep on it, but also to go for a long run. 
I run to participate in a community. 

All of these goals are important to me, obviously, but they're also important to me for what they're not.  I'm not running to lose a certain amount of weight.  I feel like I'm pretty much at the weight that I'll settle at.  If I can maintain, I'm happy.  But I won't be able to maintain that weight eating whatever I want, especially drinking whatever I want – I run so that I can continue to eat and drink what I like.  I hate sitting still, sitting inside, so running gives me an opportunity to get outside, not only to soak up Vitamin D but also to see things that I wouldn't normally.  I have a goal to run 1,000 miles this year, which is important to me, but one of the things I'm most interested in is completing a marathon in less than four hours.  If I can run at a consistent pace, not too fast (no one's going to mistake me for the winner of the race) but not too slow (I'd obviously like to finish above the first half of my age group) I think that I can do this. 

Last of all, I love the community that running affords me.  When I work out, it gives me something to talk about with the people that I work with as well as people I know a little less intimately. It's my hope that this site will serve as another little reinforcement.  We all need someone telling us good job when we succeed.  Whether your goal is to lose those last five pounds, or to lose a target weight that's a huge number, whether it's to get up off the couch and start running and culminate in a 5K, or to continue pounding the pavement to the tune of 20 or more miles a week, I feel like this Fittest Tweeter Challenge will help all of us.  Good luck!

~ @TinyRoads

Comments

[Paul M]

Excellent post Michael. Running is definitely a great way to stay in shape. I am not a big fan of treadmills but I will use them from time to time, especially with the way it heats up in the summer. I do enjoy the change of scenery when running even if it is the neighborhood that I live in.

Stay motivated and best wishes on the 5K... now you have me thinking about one too. :-)