Lately, I’ve been asking people why they run and if they actually enjoy it.
I was surprised when a reader I went running with on Saturday, who has done 39 marathons in the last five years and plans to run a marathon about every month until December, said no, not exactly. For him, it’s become a way of life. He has to run for a number of reasons, which I will get into in a later Family and Fitness column.
It made me think, when I get to the 21 km point, will I love it or loathe it? Why do we do this anyway?
Right now, I still get a kick out of running, and on Tuesday, I was reminded why.
I was already warmed up and halfway through my 6 km run when it started pouring. It was serious drench-your-underwear rain. But for some reason, instead of sprinting to the nearest shelter, I was giddy with good cheer. I started splashing through puddles and yelling, “I feel so free!” (No joke.)
I don’t know why, but the feeling overwhelmed me. Sometimes it’s hard for me to let go of the minor mishaps and embarrassments of the day, I dwell on them and build them into something they’re not, but when I’m pounding the pavement I feel free of inhibition. I can finally let go of everything I’ve been holding onto. I finally feel okay about being the fun, foolish me. (No one is watching, right?)
It was a refreshing and memorable run because it sparked a bit of camaraderie on the streets.
A young woman running towards me flashed a huge grin and yelled, “Rock on!” as she passed. When does that ever happen on a normal sunny day?
That said, I’ll be very happy when this Vancouver weather dries up.
Caught in the act:
