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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Keep Running.



I've been on a high run these past few days, I just can't get enough! Running has always been very symbolic to me. I've never been much of an athlete, my body coordination is way off. Running is different. Running is something that may be very simple to some people but there is so much more behind it for me. I have always seen running as a life skill. It is a symbolic and therapeutic way to becoming a better me. There is so much I can say about running. When I run I feel like I can fly. Every time my feet are off the ground for a split second I feel like I'm flying. When I run I feel like I am releasing all the negative energy from me. I feel like I am leaving all the negative thoughts that go through my mind. I am running away from the things that bring me down and tell me that I cannot make it. I run towards a brighter future. I run towards a new life. I run towards happiness. I run towards a better me. Christopher McDougall writes in his book Born to Run (which is amazing by the way--so far so good!) that there is something so universal about running, about that sensation, the way running unites our two most primal impulses: fear and pleasure. We run when we're scared, we run when we're ecstatic, we run away from out problems and run around for a good time.

I've been pushing myself to run longer and harder every time. It isn't about the calories burned, it isn't about the pounds lost (well, not entirely) it's about the challenges I overcome and it's about becoming better and stronger. I had stopped running regularly about two years ago because of a toe injury and once you lose the consistency of running regularly, it is hard to get it back. I've been reading a lot about running lately and found that 80% of runners get hurt every year. 8 out of 10! For me that is a bit intimidating but at the same time it is comforting to know that I wasn't the odd ball. I want to keep learning about running, I want to become a better runner, I want to run a half marathon soon, I just want to keep running. I want to make a lifestyle out of this and not lose my way, no matter the circumstances.

Right now I'm running for about 40 minutes to an hour and a half running at about a 10:30 min pace. My goal right now is to run longer. I've learned that when starting to run its more important to focus on endurance so I am going to focus on time rather than speed or distance. My short term goal is to run for an hour straight. Then increase little by little till I get an hour and a half. It takes about 4 and a half hours to run a marathon so I have a long ways to go but I am determined to get better. Here goes to becoming a better, stronger runner. Keep running!

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