Why do you run? What’s your motivation?

I run because the world deserves to see how great I look in (half) tights!!

A few years ago a sister gave me some reels of 8mm Kodachrome movie films (developed I should mention) which I promptly had digitized, five of them anyway. They had been shot by my father starting in the mid 50's, and among the footage was a few seconds of myself, and my other sister, my twin sister, running - NOT together - on the driveway of the new house we had just moved into, age one-and-a-half. There was a terrific smile across my face the whole time, proof positive that I really enjoyed running from early on. The sense of self-efficacy (I would later think of it as), the sensation of speed, for what it was. Over the years, I remember running often, daily - fun, activities - and by pre-tween I had started to do so in a more structured, sustained way. I ran track, initially the 660, then mostly half- and quarter- mile, some race walking one year, and of course XC, in HS. For this short, scrawny kid, it had become the foundation of what-it-meant-to-be as engaged/active, fit, and healthy as I could be, a framework for living a well grounded life, and to be part of community. After HS, over the next two decades, I ran by myself, recreationally, semi-seasonally... getting back into competition when in my mid thirties. Took me a few years to figure it out, including the belief (understanding) that competition is with oneself, mostly. I had a very rewarding "second career" through my forties and a little after that, pretty consistent race performances, at a range of distances, preferably on road courses (of which I was master's rating of ~80) though many on trails, as well as a little XC and indoor monthly winter meets. Recently, though I've no problems with joints, back, muscle sprains & spasms... running is no longer blesses me that sense of enchantment and reward as it had, I run less for sure, but knowing how important movement and daily measured effort is, how much it is part of my lifestyle, my routine, I have substituted workouts on my Nordic Track ("Achiever") here at home, arc trainer, until recently at clubs, get around town by bike in the warm season and walking in the winter and at other times; I'm considering joining the local boat club come spring.

A race or a hard workout are the times I feel most alive. Simple as that. We all spend our lives doing not much to get not so far, but a race...well that's when we can let it all out and make something matter.

There is no more real feeling in my life than praying the finish line appears soon.

Compulsion is my motivation.

A runner is just who I am. After 55 years of running, nearly daily for the last 48 years, it is just what I do. I was semi elite when younger but those days ended decades ago. Now it is just getting out there every day, each day getting slower than the day before.

Isn't that depressing? Seeing negative progress?

To show those kids who’s boss.

For LR incels, there isn’t much else to do except self pleasure and running.

I started as a 12 year old on my school team and after a few days realized that I just simply loved to run.

I remember (it was 54 years ago) my father told me that he noticed I liked running - I ran everywhere and I would watch track on TV when I was very young.

For years I "needed" competition to motivate my daily training.

Now, after all these years I'm satisfied with a 3-4 mile, easy run.

As the year draws to a close I realized that 2025 will be the first year that I won't run a race since my first year of running in 1971.

And I don't care. I'm thankful to be able to get out of there as often as I want and stay healthy and fit.

It does become part of your identity and it's good that you accept the inevitable slowing down and just love to run.

The young guy with the disparaging comment to you doesn't get it.

But he's young and has a lot to learn.

I want to win

You're young and have a lot to learn. I used to do an easy 6 miles at 6:00 per mile. Now I can't run 1 mile in 6:00.

Progress? Definitely - I had a young runner friend tell me that I should be proud because his father is my age and he can't get out of his chair.

You'll learn as you age, as long as you keep putting one foot in front of the other at a pace faster than walking, that it's progress and something to be proud of.

All of a sudden I'm the "smart" one in my circle of old friends. I'm the healthy one and I've been fit and healthy my whole life.

It started as a teenager--I simply wanted to run the mile as fast as I could.

These days, it is the transcendent flow of associative thoughts that emerge spontaneously around the 40-minute mark of the run.
Anxiety disappears, solutions to problems emerge of their own accord.

Yeah, I am in a marathon build too, but that is icing on the cake.

One answer (I’ll call this one the worldly answer)

To bring glory to myself somehow through my efforts, progress, PRs, etc.

The other answer (I’ll call this one the not of this world answer)

To use the gift I’ve been given to Glorify God by pointing to Him as the all satisfying Creator who gave us gifts to use, but not to find our purpose or identity in.

Those two answers are really the only two options when asked about why someone does anything in this world, it’s either vain self glory or glorifying God.

"Some men see things as they are and ask why; I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?"

This is the No. 1 question everyone that is considering running needs to nail down as deep as it can go. WHY do you run? Start off with "Why". Then, why that WHY? Then again, why that WHY. Keep drilling down until you can't possible drill down any further. That bottom is WHY your run. It's the CORE WHY. Most the time it is very deep seeded and personal.

Great quote by George Bernard Shaw. Interestingly enough, it calls to mind another great quote--by a close friend of his:

"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake up in the day to find it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible." T.E. Lawrence--of Arabia.

Nah. Just do it.

At 46 years old, weight maintenance and fitness. I still get that runner’s (more like jogger’s) Would love to get back to races, but keep having niggles.