Run strong, love strong

Yesterday I had a guy in my class ask me why I love to run. I go to a really small school, so everyone has seen me and my running buddies go out and run every day after school. But as I tried to explain why I run, I realized I had never tried to put my obsession with running into words, and I miserably failed to explain. So here I am trying to tell the world why I run. 

I run because it gives me strength. Outwardly, I might seem like a confident person, but really, I'm not. I have insecurities just like anyone else. I always wonder what other people think of me, or if other people think I'm pretty. But when I go out and race, all of that falls away. I'm not focused on what I'm wearing, how I look, or who's watching. I am focused on my inner strength, my mental toughness, and my ability to fight through the pain. After the race, I can look at how I ran and understand that it doesn't matter what other people think. What matters is that I can do what I never thought I would be able to do. I can run, and I can run fast. I know that I am strong because I see my times getting better and my workouts getting longer. Running gives me a power I never thought I had.

Running also gives me a strong sense of community. There are three other girls and one guy who I run with all the time. We have experienced pain, success, joy, and hardship together. We've healed together, trained together, and raced together for what feels like all my life. We have found strength not only in ourselves, but in each other. Last season, the girls team got a perfect score at a meet, which has never happened in our school's history. I think all of us wanted to stop running at some point, but we knew if we stopped we would let down the whole team. I found the strength to keep going not in myself, but in them. They encourage me and always challenge me to work harder, run faster, and train better. We keep each other strong. I don't think it's possible to find those kinds of friendships anywhere else. 

Running makes me better than I ever thought I could be. It teaches me how to work hard, but also just how much hard work pays off. It holds me accountable for my own actions. It teaches me what it feels like to be a part of a community. And, perhaps most importantly, it shows me that I am strong.

- Anonymous

Why do you run? Tell us your story!