“…but what do you think about while you’re running for so long?”
I am currently gearing up to run a marathon this spring, which means that my weekly long runs are stretching into the double-digits and going for a run means that I’ll be gone for hours at a time.
It was my Mother in law who, genuinely curious, asked me what exactly it is that “I think about” during these long moments.
The question, and my awkward answer to it (something about music?), made me think about the reasons why I run in the first place. I am not naturally talented, I’ll probably never win another race, my life is full of other commitments, and if it were simply for the exercise, I could spend my time at the gym. So why do I run?
When I run, I think about the people in my life who matter to me. Sometimes I need the time to sort out my emotions. Other times I’ll make mental to-do lists. I sort out problems, come up with ideas, and plan for the future. I think about my pace. My breathing. My legs. the weather. Food. I think about everything. It feels great to mentally de-clutter. It’s a cathartic, sometimes exhilarating experience– but not really why I run, either.
I run for the rare moments of clarity that seem to settle in when my mind finally runs out of things to think about. Sometimes this doesn’t happen at all, and other times only for a moment. When my mind finally switches off, I feel in tune with my body, in line with my purpose, and completely free. When I run, and the chatter quiets, and the world slows down, I am reminded that the only thing I truly own is my life itself.
I run because it reminds me that my life is mine.
Without this constant reminder, life has a way of just happening. It can keep you in a state of constantly reacting to what other people want, what you think you’re “supposed” to do, or what society says we ought to be doing. Years slip by, goals go unmet, and potential is squandered because the path to mediocrity is so easy to take: just follow the rules, fill your expected role, and don’t make too much noise. Be happy to “just get by.”
I run because F@#% that.
When I run, I think about everything. When I run, I think about nothing.
It’s the nothing that keeps me coming back.
Leadership Capital 