The Power of Running

Over the course of my blog’s young life, I have written my piece about holistic health and the importance of mental and emotional health. On to the physical! I am constantly told that “cardio is awful,” and “running sucks.” But if you’ve ever put yourself through a lot of time and effort and energy to get physically fit, you know the powerful benefits of exercise.

Now now, before I go off about getting off your ass and getting out to run, we have to do the usual personal anecdote. As I explained long ago in my first blog post, I was unfit when I started running. I had an awful pace and lost my breath within the first half-mile. I had side stitches and tripped a lot. I was dehydrated and capped my workouts at 15 minutes. I very easily could’ve stopped because it was hard, but I kept reminding myself of why I kept lacing up my shoes.

There’s a certain wall that everyone hits when they start something new, especially when exercising. It’s like when you start a new diet and it’s all good for a week—and then the cravings start. Then you sneak a tiny piece of cake or a brownie and suddenly you’ve eaten everything you said you were giving up.

Or maybe you’ve skipped a couple of days at the gym—so what’s one more day? All of a sudden you’ve stopped the diet or the routine. That roadblock is preventable with a bit of conditioning. Perhaps you need constant phone reminders. Or a mantra. Or even a best friend to text you throughout the day to remind you to stay on top of your routine.

Which is what brings me back to running. It was a cheap way to get in shape as soon as possible. All you need is a pair of sneakers and some space to run. And to establish a routine ASAP.

It started with a mile every day. Wake up at 6 AM, run, shower, get ready for work or school and hit the road by 7:30 AM. The mile took upward of 15 minutes to complete, but I did it day after day. By the second week, I pushed myself to two miles and it took just under 30 minutes. Week after week the goal was to increase mileage, and week after week required waking up a little earlier every time.

The routine was hard after a couple of weeks, but I started to notice the changes. The huffing and puffing stopped, the pace began to decrease. Running breathed some life into me, and it made me feel healthier. I changed my diet soon after to match the new and improved lifestyle. Then I incorporated strength training.

Running made me a better person. I experienced “Runner’s High,” or the feel-good chemicals your brain produces, and I craved it. I’d run more over time and eventually found the courage to set my half marathon milestone. Running was an escape. It helped me discover a whole community of amazing people whose lives were quite literally saved by the sport.

The power of running is clear in my life. If you’ve ever seen me in heels, you know. JK, but you get the point. Running strengthens your whole body, inside and out. You’re competing against yourself. Your surroundings are wherever you decide to go. Running makes you feel powerful, and all it takes is a good pair of shoes and your own damn mind to push you forward.