Running. Some people love it, some people hate it. For me it's a love/hate relationship. I hate having to drag myself out of my nice warm bed in the mornings or tear myself away from something else in the evenings but I love just about everything else that comes with it.
I love the rush that comes from going harder and faster than I ever would have though possible, I love the silence of the road when I run alone, and the camaraderie of running with others. I love the feeling of accomplishment when I finish. I love coming to find myself on long empty roads.
Running is my escape from the world. If I'm running alone I can outrun my worries and problems by pushing my body faster and harder with each step. If I'm running with a partner it gives us both a chance to vent our frustrations and then leave them on the trail behind. Then when I finally finish I feel ready to face the world. My problems no longer seem quite so large and daunting. I figure if I have the strength and willpower to push my body through steep hills, hot days or frigid nights then I do have the strength to deal with whatever else life decides to throw my way.
Having a running buddy not only keeps both parties involved committed to their goal but (at least in my experience) gives each person a sounding board for whatever may be going on in their lives. This may or may not include feedback but it basically just allows the other to say what they're feeling. There is an unwritten rule that what is said on the road stays on the road.
As I've been doing better about going running this semester I've come to find that everything else in my life seems to be falling into place. Why I know this is more due to my Heavenly Father's love and guidance, I also contribute some of the reason to running.
My wonderful father always told me growing up that running is 90% mental and only 10% physical. I couldn't agree with statement more. If I can mentally push myself to keep going then my body seems to fall in line. But even more than that running allows me to deal with life, deal with everything or not. Either way I come back from a run with a clearer view of what I really want in my life and can look and situations from a more rational perspective than I had been able to grasp before.
For me running is good for the body and the soul equally. When I run I feel all-powerful like I can take on the world. No matter where I am or what I'm going through I know that I can always lace-up my running shoes and go. There isn't anyway or anything that can't stop me. I am my own boss. I decide how I will view my life, and running allows me to see just exactly that no matter what I can get through it. Just like I push myself faster and farther to get to the top of a hill just to see the magnificent view below, I can push myself through the tough times of my life so i can see the beauty that my Heavenly Father has created in my life. Running is a way for me to see just how amazing this life truly is.
