The Question

The question I get from most non-runners that knew me before I started running is "What made you get into that?"  I really have not been able to answer that question.  It just happened.  I guess that's like asking why are bananas yellow or why is water wet.  A better question is one asked by a friend of mine who just got the running "bug".  She asked me "Why do you run?"  She asked me, seemingly knowing why she does, but wanted to hear my reason. .
Why do I run?  Why not.  Am I running from something?  Not necessarily.  Maybe I'm running to something.  What am I running to?  Do I really know why I run?  Is it really for staying fit?  What is "fit"? Am I?  I sat and thought about it and there are so many reasons that I do what I do.  What is running to me?
It is my therapy, it is my destressor.  It is my buddy at the end of the day or my companion in the morning.  It's my homie that I hang out with on the weekend.  It doesn't talk back, disagree, vent or whine, but it does listen to me. It is my nourishment. It feeds me pavement or dirt trails and I stay healthy in mind, body and spirit. It helps me solve world problems.  Well maybe not world problems but I have come up with many solutions to issues I've had while on a run.  It keeps me confident.  Most runs I feel crappy at the start but feel a sense of accomplishment at the finish.  But I always know I will finish.  It is my entertainment.  No need to plug in anything or travel anywhere.  All I need are my sneakers and the front door exit.  There is always the "next run", therefore I always have something to look forward to.  And life is all about having something to look forward to, right? And It is my life, it is me.  Just as my body needs food, water, sleep and rest, it needs to run.  It wants to run.  It has to run. 

Each one, Teach one

As I sit here anxious to get going with my 2nd Full Marathon, confident that I will shatter my previous personal record, can't help but be grateful for the folks that got me here.  I know I had some of the best training that you can get, lots of great advice from other runners both on line and off line.  And if I just so happen to "bomb out" on December 9, 2012, it would be painful but still all good because I know that I prepared well.  It would take me doing something really dumb or some outside force like crazy weather to keep me from performing well.  That's how confident I am.  But you know what, this blog is not about me, it's about the folks who got me here and me getting others to their optimum fitness level.  Now I know why my coaches do what they do.  Recently I had my own coaching experience when coaching a group of people to run a 5K.  I was a little nervous at first when asked to take on this task.  But upon completion, seeing those folks go from couch to completing a 5K may have made me even prouder than completing my first ever race. 
And a couple of them still look to me to advice.  I guess it's the 'teacher' in me.  I went to college for 3+ years and was on the way to get my teacher certification but got sidetracked and didn't finish because of family stuff I had to take care of. At my full time job somehow became the department "trainer" and trained some 300 or so employees over 5 years even though I wasn't even hired for that.  I guess if you have it in you, you just have it.  I certainly enjoy sharing the knowlege that was shared with me and seeing others use what I teach them.  It don't get no better than that.