6 Reasons Why Running Is So Much More Than Just a Healthy Sport
There is more to running than just physical health
People ask me why I run. There is the obvious answer — to stay healthy. But there are far more important reasons why I choose to run 3–5 times per week, put my body through hours of strain, and sign up for race after race.
I just started my training program for the October 2021 Chicago Marathon, and I am beyond excited! It has been too long (mainly because of Covid-19) since I’ve had a race to look forward to and it feels really great — because this time, I believe it will go ahead.
My last race (also my first full marathon) was the Philadelphia Marathon in November 2019 and it truly was one of the biggest achievements and events of my life for so many reasons. I look back on that day with awe and excitement.
After the event, I had planned a much bigger feat — to run 12 marathons in 12 months, starting sometime in 2020. I was even more excited, as was my trainer, and then the pandemic hit. I had eight marathons planned and most of them booked, but all of them got cancelled and/or postponed. Chicago was one of them.
Sunday, June 6th was a rough day for me emotionally, and because of that, I made a head start on my training program with a casual 5-mile run. I’m so happy I did.
It set me up for an excellent start to the week — waking up Monday morning feeling refreshed, motivated, and excited.
During my evening Sunday run, I let my mind run wild (as I always do). A couple of miles in, I began reflecting on my experience with running and how I got into it. It lifted my mood as it reminded me of everything running has done for me over the past few years.
Running saved me
I began running a few years back when I was at a low point in my life. Anxious, depressed, drinking too much, and generally very unhealthy.
Had it not been for running, I’m not sure where I would be today, but I picture a much worse situation. Running literally saved me, and this understanding grows deeper with every single run.
Relief from negative emotion
As mentioned above, running saved me from depression and anxiety. Knowing this is power! Because every time I feel negative emotions creep in, I know if I go for a run, I feel better.
I could get all technical and discuss how exercise releases endorphins and other feel-good chemicals, but my fascination with the mind-body connection is irrelevant in this context.
What’s important is how it makes me feel — not why. Almost every time I finish a run, I come back home feeling 10 inches taller. I feel in control and as though everything in life just makes sense and there’s meaning and purpose to my existence.
I didn’t feel like this after my first run, many years ago. Nor the second or third. It’s the compound effect of continuous exercise and building up to the level I am at now — a level where I can go for a casual 10k run whenever I feel like it, without thinking too much of it.
Builds confidence
Passing that finish line at 26.2 miles does something to you, both mentally and physically.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be able to complete a marathon, so actually doing it proved a lot for me. It proved that I’m stronger than I thought, both physically and mentally, and that I can do anything I set my mind to.
The beauty is, this confidence spills into every other area of my life — relationships (romantic, professional, and otherwise), career, travel & adventure, financial, etc.
It equips me to deal well with the issues that come up; to have those uncomfortable conversations we often shy away from or just ignore; to challenge the things that don’t feel right to me; to try new things when life hits a plateau or heads in the wrong direction; and to own up to my mistakes, apologise, and make amends where needed. It doesn’t make it easy, but it helps me get comfortable with the uncomfortable.
Teaches patience and trust
Distance running requires lots of patience. After all, you’re doing the same thing repeatedly, hour after hour, which for most people isn’t that exciting. This is partly also why I love running in nature, particularly for greater distances, as it makes the run far more interesting. Ask me to run a marathon on a treadmill and I wouldn’t even start.
Additionally, completing a race requires trust.
Before the Philadelphia Marathon, my trainer encouragingly said to me “trust your training, trust your body.” I must admit before the race I wasn’t sure what that meant. I do now.
At miles 18–20, when fatigue was setting in, I kept reminding myself of the number of hours of training I had put in to get to this point, how much stronger I knew my body was, and the distance I had already run. I knew I could do it; I trusted myself implicitly.
As with confidence, patience and trust are skills that benefit you in other areas of your life. If you can learn to trust yourself and your body, you can learn to trust anything.
Builds grit and mental strength
Distance running is a mental game.
The purpose of training for a race is to build physical strength so that your body can deal with the huge amount of strain taken on during the actual race. However, no amount of physical training will get you through a marathon unless you know you can do it.
This knowing comes from training your mind during the runs, that your body can take the strain, which is just as important (if not more important) as training your body. I learned this training for my first half in 2017. It got me through the race, but more importantly, it got me through a rough period of anxiety. And once on the other side, I could look back on what I had achieved, both on a physical and mental level.
Creates connection
Running has created a lot of connections for me. Connection with a community of people that I can relate to, with nature, and with my body.
Community is important, as it creates a sense of belonging and social connectedness, which has a positive impact on mental health and emotional wellbeing. So being part of a community of like-minded people is powerful. Whether I run alone or with friends, I always know I can find support in my community.
To me, one of the nicest things about this sport is to get out running in and connecting with nature. The feel of the sun, the wind, and the rain on my skin as well as the smells of forests, parks, beaches, and harbors is magical. I also travel a lot, and running is a beautiful way to experience new places.
Most importantly, running has helped me connect my mind and body. With each stride, vibrations course through me, sending signals through every system to the brain and back. It’s an excellent way to learn to tune in to your bodily cues.
It’s where I get creative
Last but not least, running is where I get creative. It’s where I get inspired and where I come up with most of my ideas. I’ve often had to stop in my tracks and write down some thoughts on my phone. Anything from content creation to business ideas and problem-solving.
It makes the run even more fun, because I get excited when I come up with new ideas which gives the run a boost of energy and makes me faster in the moment.
The benefits of running (and exercise in general) are many. And for all the reasons above, running has become one of the most important aspects of my life and I wouldn’t want to be without it. If you give it a chance, it might be the same for you.
