In one month, I'm doing something crazy; I'm running a 200-mile relay race. The Ragnar Del Sol team recently sent a post out to all runners asking, "Why I Run?" Those with the best stories may just get featured in the race magazine. And while being featured in a magazine doesn't actually make the list of why I run, self reflection and making meaning of experiences is right up my alley, so I thought I'd give it a shot. So, here is why I run:
January 1, 2012. I had never run more than a mile at one time in my more than three decades of life. Most of those runs were in high school when my gym teacher was clocking me for the Presidential Fitness tests, and I was consistently one of the last to finish. Health, wellness, weight. These were all things I struggled with from childhood to adulthood. In March 2010, I decided to start a journey into a healthier life. Slowly, but surely, I began to lose weight, and with every pound I lost, I also lost a little bit of the fear I had of exercise. I would find myself crossing the threshold into the rec center at work and climbing onto the bike or the elliptical with a little more confidence each time. I'd get on the treadmill and start to walk, sometimes even cranking up the pace to run for a minute or two at at time. I specifically remember the day that I ran for 15 minutes straight. I couldn't believe I had it in me.
So on January 1, 2012, a year and a half into my wellness journey and 100 pounds lighter, a friend asked me if I wanted to join her team for a local 5k for charity. I laughed and told her that I don't run, and she assured me that there was no pressure to finish it quickly. She said I could even walk it. Not wanting to miss out on a fun morning with my friends for a good cause, I signed up knowing that I could easily walk 3.1 miles. I began doing more runs at the gym to prepare, all the while knowing that I would walk most of this race. And on the morning of the 5k, I started to run. And around two and a half miles, I felt tired, so started to walk. I took three steps when I thought to myself, "Briana, you're almost there. You can do this." And I did. I picked up the pace and started running again. And I haven't stopped. That was January 28, 2012.
On January 5, 2013, I ran my second half marathon. This is the first race of a year that I've dedicated to running, with the main event being Ragnar Del Sol, which takes place four days before my birthday. I've gathered my closest friends and family members to congregate in Arizona for a weekend of running to celebrate how far I've made it and how much further I can go. Because when I run, I feel free. I feel free of the weight that held me back for so long. I feel free of the insecurities that stopped me from taking on many adventures. And I feel free of boring workouts where I am staring at the same TV or spot on the wall too long. I run because it heightens my love for the people in my life who are sharing this experience with me. It heightens my love for being outside as I get to watch the world as I pass through it rather than it passing me by. It heightens my love for myself because with every run, every step, I am reminded of what I can accomplish if I just keep putting one foot in front of the other. And anything that can fill your heart with that much love is worth running toward.
