Why do we run?

"People can't understand why a man runs. They don't see any sport in it, argue that it lacks the sight and thrill of body contact.

Yet, the conflict is there, more raw and challenging than any man vs. man competition.

In running, it is man against himself, the cruelest of opponents. The other runners are not the real enemies. His adversary lies within him, in his ability, with brain and heart to control and master himself and his emotions."

-- Glenn Cunningham

Because it's the only thing I'm good at.

Because it's the only thing I'm good at.

Because it's what makes me -me.

Each person may be a bit different.

I loved running said my nursury school teacher in reports to my parents. I continued running/racing thru high school and even a bit in collage. At times I was decent, at others not so much. I've played and have done a variety of sports over the years, but as I've gotten older running is still there, because I enjoy it and it is who I am.

On those threads we often see about the older guy who getting back into it and is asking for training advice, the first thing we should ask is do they genuinely enjoy running, they need to answer that honestly I think to get good advice. I'll run until I literally can't.

Good input.

Any other opinions out there?

I run because it feels so fvcking good when I stop.

WE RUN TO WIN THE GAME.

“Running to him was real; the way he did it the realest thing he knew. It was all joy and woe, hard as a diamond; it made him weary behond comprehension. But it also made him free.”

“...Or we can blaze! Become legends in our own time, strike fear in the heart of mediocre talent everywhere! We can scald dogs, put records out of reach! Make the stands gasp as we blow into an unearthly kick from three hundred yards out! We can become God's own messengers delivering the dreaded scrolls! We can race dark Satan himself till he wheezes fiery cinders down the back straightaway....They'll speak our names in hushed tones, 'those guys are animals' they'll say! We can lay it on the line, bust a gut, show them a clean pair of heels. We can sprint the turn on a spring breeze and feel the winter leave our feet! We can, by God, let our demons loose and just wail on!”

-John L. Parker, Jr.

Running is pure, beautiful, sentimental, and heart-wrenching. The simplicity of putting one foot in front of the other, with no ball or machine to distract from the human body's un-distilled ability, separates running from all other sports.

Running is personal; you may run for championships in the Olympic Games, but what truly matters at all other levels of the game is your best. There's no pretending on the track, no place to hide, and no respite for the sufferers. To achieve one's best requires no reprieve from the Miles of Trials, either. It is in its individuality, its internal nature, that running transcends sport.

And of course, To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the Gift.

Remember that the next time you start to slow down on the third lap.

I just finished "Runner" by Lizzy Hawker and thought of this thread.

Although I can't recommend most of the book -- it's kind of boring -- there was some interesting material in the third (and final) section about the Zen of Running (my term, not hers, but it fits). Worth reading that part for her perspective and insights, which have been honed by years of running ridiculous distances in Nepal.

Basically, she feels that people run for the same reason that monks meditate. It's a way to clear the mind and gain perspective. Running, especially hard or long, has a way of clearing everything away and leaving a singular focus. This allows us to gain perspective and think more clearly.

She goes into a lot more detail and it gets pretty heady/quasi-spiritual. Worth a read for some inspiration.

If you really want to delve into this, read some of George Sheehan's old books.

Better sleep and seeing my amazing city in a new way are two things that I gained from running that I didn’t expect.