Contemplation & Reflection

Someone asked me yesterday "What made you become a serious runner?" It made me reflect and contemplate why in fact I had become a serious runner. I can honestly say I had not thought about it before. I have spent a lot of time reflecting on what made me change my lifestyle, but never what made me take up and fall in love with running, and what keeps me doing it.

My answer was this: "I was crazy overweight, decided to lose it and started running. Then I fell in love with how running challenges and makes me feel. And now it keeps the weight off and continues to challenge me." After answering that, it made me also think of all the ways running has changed my life. It has helped me make some of the truest, most amazing relationships and friendships that I have ever had, some of those even inadvertently (not through running, but through friends I met through running). How cool, right? Meeting kindred souls is the best!  It has introduced me to the most inspiring, kind, amazing people that help encourage me daily. It has helped me have an outlet mentally, it has helped change my body physically, and it has helped form me to be the person that I am (and love) today.  In review, running has become me. It IS me.

I will share what I said to a few dear friends while running a race last month: "you guys are my forever." I feel this way about my running partners, and I feel this way about running. I have fallen in love with it, and will nourish and cherish that relationship as long as my body allows. It is 'a part of my forever.'

Have a great weekend all!

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