Hello everyone! A reader asked me to tell us a little about why I run. I thought that was a fantastic idea!
I have several reasons for running but the most important one is my physical health. I am responsible for my physical health. No one can get me back in shape but me. I will admit I got lazy when I got married but there were also other things going on in my marriage that took the focus off of taking care of me. What I couldn't see is if I didn't take care of myself, nothing else was going to work - and it didn't. I will offer you some free advice. Please take care of yourself so you can take care of your family and your life. Everything else will fall by the wayside if your physical health is not important to you. I have learned the hard way that not being physically healthy affects you mentally, emotionally and even spiritually.
I also run for emotional and mental health. I can clear my head on a good run, regardless of the emotions I have at the time. I can think things over and work them out. After a run, I just feel good. My mind is alert and focused even though my body may be tired. I have endorphins to thank for that. Not only do I look better (physical health side), I feel better about myself. Here is some more free advice - if you don't feel good about yourself and you don't like yourself, you won't take care of yourself. I have learned to like myself again for many reasons and running is one of them.
Running has taught me more about goals and getting what I want out of life. Running has taught me there are no quick fixes. I am training for two half marathons right now. You have to train consistantly for quite awhile to be able to run 13.1 miles - you just can't decide one day to run that distance, without any training or discipline, and expect that to go well. You have to build muscle, increase endurance and build speed - all over time - 16 weeks to be exact. You have to keep running even after training to keep your strength and endurance up for your next fitness goal, whatever that may be. This takes discipline (both in exercise and eating), time and focus. Goals and many of the things we want in life take discipline, time and focus don't they? As with running, we get what we put into life.
And finally, I run because I want to challenge myself to do things I have never done, like run a half marathon. I might even try a full marathon one day, we shall see. I want to leave you with a verse for all of you runners, would be runners or anyone who is pursuing a goal or a dream:
Hebrew 12:1b-2; "...and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Until next time,
Elizabeth
**To learn more about my experiences, you can read The Road Less Traveled: A Story of Love, Hope, Pain and Everything in Between. You can find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes and Audible.com