Running saves me

We all so often get the response, "I don't know how you do that" or "How do you like running?". And it makes us feel confident, it's a hidden compliment to runners that we all shrug off like it's nothing. But running is not nothing, it's everything to us. It's simply everything. We eat, sleep, and breathe it. 

We all ask ourselves, "why do I do this to myself?" when it gets tough. It's hard to keep your mindset in tact when your whole body is screaming to stop. So why do we do this to ourselves? Because it's what keeps us going, even when it's the very thing burning us down. 

I want to share why I personally do it to myself.

Running saves me. It shapes me. I never thought I would say that, because as a kid and up until highschool I despised running. I was slow and it was never something I enjoyed doing. I joined XC telling myself I wouldn't stick with it, but it became a part of me. Through all the good and all of the bad, I would never give it up. 

Every few months or so, I have an "Ah ha" moment and realize how important the sport is to me. This happens to be one of those times. More often than not, running is what saves a bad day for me. You know, those days where you're exhausted and the last thing your brain wants to do is run but you do it anyways. Those days are what I live for. Lately, I've had a lot of those days. Days where I just want to lay in bed for the rest of my life and never see the light of day. Running is so hard when your body is withering away and your brain is so sad you can't move. But you come to realize, that it's all you truly have on those days. It's the only thing you have control of. No matter what my brain tells me, it's all I have. Once again, running absolutely saves me. This sport saves me from all my thoughts, worries and anxiety. When I'm running, my mind is purely focused on every aspect of my body; arm movements, strides, breathing patterns, my time, even the way my braid moves with my steps. It makes me forget. 

I simply wouldn't make it through this life without running. 

I am approaching my senior XC season, my last go round. To those in grades below, cherish every race, every run, every awful repeat, every team dinner, every coach, everything. It truly goes by so fast. Soak it all up while you can. Because I promise you, you will miss it once you realize it's gone.

- Anonymous