Wednesday, July 25, 2012

The Art and Science of Passion

I've been running lately, more than I would normally.  Why? Not just because I love it and it's a passion but because in one month, I'm packing up and heading out to Seattle to run in the Hood to Coast Relay (200 miles) with about 40 other amazing bloggers on a team sponsored by Nuun and I want to be ready.

Anyway, last night was my last of 3 days running in a row and it was also a night run.  I was dragging before it even started. By the time I got out it was almost 9:00 and I had 4 miles to do AND it was still 97 degrees here in St. Louis so I knew it wasn't going to be pleasant but I went.

I always seem to do some of my best thinking when I run.  Last night I started to think about why it is that I actually like running.  Scientifically speaking, I'm not "fast" never have been never will be.  I don't have great form, and sometimes it's downright painful.  Since we normally gravitate towards things we are good at, it just doesn't make sense.  "Scientifically". 

Then I started to think about the "Art" of running.  I think the thing I like about running is that it's everything I need in my life right now...

consistent yet spontaneous meaning it's always there when I'm ready and I don't have to prepare much to go for a run.

humbling and rewarding..like I said up above, I'm not a good runner.  I run and most of the time, it puts me in my place.  Most of the time it challenges me and forces me to dig deep and find a place I didn't know existed

solitary and collective..I almost always run alone, mainly because it's too tough to time it with someone else's schedule but I enjoy the alone time.  I spend all day talking, explaining and planning..running allows me to just be quiet (sometimes I talk to my dad) but mostly just quiet.  But then I get an opportunity to run with someone new and all of a sudden it's like a completely different activity. 

I can't imagine a time when I'll ever stop running completely.  I may take a break, I may slow down but it is a part of my life as much as anything else is.  I keeps me fit, it keeps me happy.


So maybe I'm rambling but I do wonder, if you're a runner or if there's something you're truly passionate about, what is it?  And more importantly what is about that activity that you love?

12 comments:

  1. I wish I had a better answer than I don't know. It's all the above things you already stated. It's my me time. It's my talk to my nephew and grandpa time. Sometimes I need to clear my head and my emotions. Sometimes I need to run off stress and sometimes the deep breaths to calm down just don't work, but hitting the pavement does.

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  2. I'm not a runner per se, but I understand what you're saying. My gym time is my me time, without a doubt. I love going (I'm not very social at the gym) and I focus on pushing myself farther than I thought possible. There may be times when I don't feel like going initially, but when I'm there I'm on fire. I light up. I become the me I strive for. Love that feeling.

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  3. Great post! I don't love running itself, but, like you, I enjoy it for the challenge of always trying to improve, the ease with which I can just hit the road and run, and the time to myself. I also like the variety of ways in which running can be done: steady, intervals, outside, inside, etc.

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  4. I'm like you--running is truly my passion. People talk about having trouble motivating to run and I can't relate. It's always a gift to be out there, for so many reasons!

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  5. Not sure why I love running, even after all these years. I know it defines me. After adding cycling a few years back just to save my aging knees a little, I'm back to mostly running and loving it.

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  6. Running...ENDORPHINS! It's like that I've seen floating around on Pinterest that says, "You're only work out away from a good mood." So freakin' true and that's why I love it!

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  7. Great post Katie. Like you, I'm not the greatest runner or the fastest and I don't always love it. But what I think that I love the most is just the movement and finding out what my body is capable of doing. I like lots of different activities for lots of different reasons.

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  8. Running for me is my ME time! I cannot imagine a time that I will not be running...hopefully that time is FAR away!

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  9. I love running. It gives me a time to think about nothing. To clear my head and focus on my fitness. It offers a distraction from the hecticness of life.

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  10. I love running too. It's something I thought I was too old for. 3 year in, I'm even more dedicated and I've signed up for my first full marathon. In fact, I've signed up for the Dopey Challenge.

    Like you, I always run alone. I'd have no idea how to run with someone.

    Running is not about speed or winning, so keep doing what you love.

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