Running Builds Character

It’s too hot, it’s too cold, the conditions are not right! We come up with every excuse not to run but know the benefits greatly outweighs the monuments of nothingness which are excuses. Reducing the risk of cancer and boosting your metabolism are just a couple of perks that people look for when running. If you know someone who runs on a daily basis it might do a whole lot more, not only for you as a person but also for the people around you.

Running has some underlining effects no one really talks about. These subtle effects include things like being nicer, of course healthier, stronger and just being a better person in general.

Running isn’t all about speed. It’s more about building endurance. In the process of building endurance, you are also developing a mental toughness that says, “I’m going to finish what I’ve started.” For me, almost as soon as I start running, I want to stop. Getting beyond that first 400 meters is an accomplishment in itself because you are building up the mental strength to go further by not stopping.

I’ve been running competitively and for fun (believe it or not) for over 25 years. Trust and believe, every time I stepped one foot in front of the other faster than the normal walking pace, it felt like the first time running.

So why do I do it?  At the end of the day, I build a resilience and a sense of fulfillment. The feeling afterwards is incredibly rewarding and that is what I look forward to. Lets not forget the fact that it makes my daily activities seem easy from walking up a flight of stares to having awesome posture.

Why do we really run?  In my opinion, it’s the challenge of being better than yesterday. It’s always going to be a competition. Not necessarily a competition between you and someone else, but more along the lines of you vs. the yesteryou. As a person, we should strive to be better so we can do better. Challenging yourself to complete a 5k, 10k or even a marathon is one way to test all the training you put your body through.

Everyone is a runner. You don’t have to be the fastest person on the block to be considered a runner. That’s what makes us all relatable. We as runners love talking about our experiences and possibly living those experiences through other people’s journeys. This in term will bring out a welcoming personality keeping you a well-rounded individual.

From runner to runner, I’m encouraging you to take that next step towards greatness. You can lose weight, feel better and possibly be happier. One way to find out is by hitting that pavement.