Why are you running?
Some of my favourite weekend mornings this year have started with a long run — in my case, any distance further than 5km. This fact would have shocked me three years ago. I’ve always been terribly unathletic and never participated in sports growing up. In the schools I attended, participating in sports was for people who were good at it, so I generally didn’t bother.
Caring more about my fitness as an adult led me to try the treadmill workouts on the Apple Fitness+ app. I started at run-walk intervals and gradually built up my strength and endurance. In the last two years, I’ve gone from not being able to run a few minutes without stopping to having the time of my life completing a race.
I run because it:
- Challenges me, deeply and consistently. It challenges my discipline, my resolve, my ability to do something I find difficult, and my ability to show up for myself. I’m far from naturally good at it and my wins are the result of my effort and consistency. Even as I’ve gotten better, it continues to find new ways to challenge me. And there’s no finish line — just endless opportunities to improve. I can always go after new distances, paces, terrains, better form or even non-race challenges, e.g. bouncing back after an injury.
- Gives me something to be proud of almost every time I show up. Almost, because some runs are objectively bad. But even then, as a whole, I feel a sense of pride in showing up and overcoming excuses to do so.
- Is something I can objectively get better at. It teaches my brain that I can put in effort at something I suck at, and simply improve over time. I can look back and see how my pace, endurance and strength have improved. Sometimes without my noticing.
- Is mostly a solo sport. One of my close friends detests it for this very reason, but it’s one of the reasons I love it so much. More often than not, all that I need for a good run is myself and my gear. It doesn’t matter who is better than me, it doesn’t matter who else doesn’t show up, all that matters is me and the goal I’ve set for myself. There’s a little Strava competition here and there, but for the most part, at my level, it’s me versus me versus me.
- It enriches my experience of the world and people, in spite of my previous point. Earlier this year, I got in a car and joined six young women who I had just met on a drive to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat for an uphill run. It was particularly challenging for me because most of my running is on even ground, but I got to make new friends, bond over a beautiful morning and even practice my French. I ended up running with the group every Saturday while I was in Nice.
- Is a fantastic way to explore new places. One of my favourite rituals when I visit a new city is running a 5K as a way to say ‘hello’. I’m proud of my growing collection.
- Brings me joy. There are very few things in life that top how I feel when I’m having a great run in a beautiful location with perfect weather and Afrobeats playing in my ears. The walk home after a run like that? Divine. Throw in a little pastry run after? I’m in heaven.
Honestly, this isn’t a call for you to start running — you might hate it and it might do absolutely none of these things for you.
But I do encourage you to choose your own adventure. Pick something that challenges you, brings you joy, a feeling of accomplishment, and helps you experience new people, places and things. Something that you can sometimes do even if no one else wants to join in. Do that.
