Running: My why, and falling in love

Toe the line. Heart racing. Stay calm. Gun goes off. Get out fast and stay relaxed.

Running is what drives me. I love it with my whole heart, even if some days my workouts make me want throw-up or my legs no longer want to work.

To me running is so much more than just the action of pumping your arms and turning over your legs. It’s the 30-plus miles a week, hard workouts, races, long runs, easy runs, lifts and technique. There is more to it than just running.

Workouts involve the point of exhaustion in hopes of cutting just a second off my time. Every day I work harder to achieve such big goals. It has definitely paid off too. Whether it was getting third at state my sophomore year or committing to run at Eastern Illinois as a Division 1 student-athlete.

Why do I run? I run for myself. When I am running it’s me against myself. I have no one to fall back on or blame. If my brain and body can’t work together, I have to be satisfied with what effort I gave. As my coaches always say, “It’s the six inches between your ears.”

Every day that proves to be true. Running has rewarded me with so much including friends I wouldn’t trade for the world. The gossip and stories we tell while running, laughing and building each other up. Practice is the best part of my day.

My teammates, although there may not be many of us, bring me joy. We are connected through running. The people I meet while at meets have become lifelong friends. The long distance community is something I will always be grateful for.

What do I think about while running? It all just depends. During workouts I focus on breathing. I notice my leg turnover and adjust to meet my pace. I repeat to myself over and over stay relaxed. I pretend I am racing, I focus in. I listen to the soft landing as my foot hits the ground. It’s all coming together. I put in the work for race day.

It’s race day. My stomach is filled with butterflies. My The nerves go through the roof. Time to warm-up. I warm-up with Brooklyn. I start to settle down we joke and focus in.

We talk about our race strategy. How will we tackle this race and how do we overcome our weaknesses. It’s time to race.

Heart racing. I focus in and get connected with my body. This is my race, I tell myself. I get in tune with my body. Runners get set, and were off. I get out fast. Not a thought in my brain but to get up front, settle in and relax. Gearing around the first lap, I remind myself to stay focused and calm. It is now just me and the track.

Second lap done. Still, it’s just me versus the track but everything starts to burn. It’s the third lap, just stay focused, shift gears and get ready to endure the hardest lap. If I am racing with girls by me, I use them on this lap. I use them to push me as I switch gears to get around them or stick with them.

Bell rings. It’s the final lap, time to get the legs turning over faster. Pump the arms, ignore the burning sensation throughout my whole body. The last 200 meters comes up and I kick it. This is where I have to give it my all, I go flying around the corner sprinting (or at least what feels like sprinting) down the last stretch in hopes for a shiny new PR (personal-best record).

Race is done. I look at the clock, heart racing faster then ever. I try to catch my breath as my body still burns. Ouch. That hurt a lot but felt so good. I repeat this process over and over throughout the season, never getting sick of it.

Long distance running is difficult. I have passed out after races, collapsed during. I have watched girls puke out everything in their system. At the end of a cross country race, girls drop left and right collapsing to the ground.

It can be a gruesome sport even without contact because it is you against yourself. You push your body to limits beyond imaginable and in the process you fall in love with running.

How does one get into running? My best advice to beginners is just run! You don’t need any fancy shoes or accessories. JUST RUN! That’s how you get started.

That first run is going to hurt like hell but with time you will find improvement. You will get endorphins. Endorphins that will run through your body and bring joy. I have never once regretted a run.

Getting into running was hard. I actually cried in seventh grade when my coaches made me run the mile. I did not want to be a distance runner, it sounded like too much work. After running that mile, I realized long distance was for me and now look where I am. You just have to get started that is honestly all it takes.

So go put on some tennis shoes and just run. Take the breaks, if you need to. Make it a run/walk just get out there. Trust me when I say this. You will not regret it.