Why I like to run

I was out for my run this morning, just 2 miles as I'm still working back up after a couple of weeks mostly off due to the weather(though I feel like a slug as Brice did 5 miles on a trail with his running club!!). There were a couple of things during my run that made me think, man, this is why running is awesome, and it got me to thinking about the other things I like.

In no particular order-

For a very basic reason...it's the quickest way to get my workout. I started running because when I was first losing weight, I burned more calories in a 20 minute run than a 20 minute walk. Must be that instant gratification thing again...lol.

Friendship. It allowed me to make a really great friend(Rochelle). Someone who I was friendly with at work, but now much more, she is now a true friend. There was a wonderful article in Runner's World last month I think it was about why we(women) need running partners. I know there will come a time when Rochelle and I are far away, but I think our running will always keep us connected.

In that same vein but on a more wide spread scale, camaraderie. Runners are some of the nicest people and you have a bond with them even if you don't know them. You can be running along during a race and jump in a conversation. Even just passing other runners on your normal routes near home, at the very least, you'll get a smile, wave and if neither of you is moving too fast past the other...lol, a quick hi/hello/good morning.

Scenery. I don't know about runners in other parts of the country or world, but I'm sure each place has it's unique views. For me, in WA it's the mountains some days. The sunrise or sunset. The beautiful day when everything was covered in a blanket of white. Running through the campus on UW. Being able to run down through the streets of Seattle-I remember the announcer giving us the go ahead before the start and saying we had police clearance and that we owned the streets of Seattle. There was something amazing running down the streets with this large mass of people and seeing all the buildings-that most of just ignore when we're trying to get where we're going.

Wildlife. Now, I'm not wanting to closely encounter any of them. As a matter of fact, I have a running shirt with what to do if I encounter a bear or cougar. The biggest one around here is eagles. I have seen so many of them on my runs, sometimes more than one. Just this morning, there was one just sitting on the ground, looking around. Once again, I was kicking myself for not having my camera. I'll learn one of these days. Whether in flight, or perched majestically surveying the surrounding area, it's such an amazing sight. How many people get to sea eagles on such a regular basis? Again, like with the scenery, most of the time we're too busy trying go go go, gotta get there, that we miss out on this.

Brice. It's something that we can do together. I love the memories we're making when we run races together-and the crazy stuff like the polar bear dive. I can truly appreciate all the hard work he puts in and the accomplishments he achieves when he's working out and competing.

The bling. Ok, I admit, I love the medals...lol. And the coins-my very first ever race was a memorial run for a Marine from the area who was killed in Iraq, and instead of medals, they gave out challenge coins. I'll include the shirts in this as well, they're not blingy, but I can wear those all the time, I generally reserve wearing the medals for special occasions...lol.

The sense of accomplishment. Whether I just did a 2 mile run near my house, or crossed the finish line at a half marathon...I did it!! I feel great, both physically and mentally when I've completed a run.