WHY I RUN

©Gore-Tex

Many people have asked me: ”Why do you run?”

Why do you run for 42,195 kilometers? Why do you dare to compete in a race that lasts for more than 24 hours?  

Why? Unfortunately there is no single answer. In fact, there are multiple reasons for “why” I tie my running shoes everyday. Let me begin.

Of course, the most logical argument of them all is the physical aspect. After I finished my hockey endeavors, it was the obvious choice for me, in order to keep up my level of fitness. Over the course of time, this form of exercise has turned itself into something more powerful, if not to say, something of higher influence. To really understand this fascination, allow me to elaborate.

Today, I see running as a journey, my journey. I do not differentiate between a circular or linear route, a path that I have mastered before, or a directory that I conquer for the first time. Each individual running session will deliver a new adventure. Each new day will hold something new to be observed, and each stride I take is never going to land in the same place.

Some days I put in my earphones, press play and take off. On other occasions, I do not. Instead, I listen to the music of my surroundings – honking cars and screaming people in the city, or tweeting birds and rustling leaves in more natural environments.

The odyssey of flying over tarmac or crushing through the grass imposes a kind of magical feel. Running permits to disconnect from the past and the future. It allows me to turn my focus on the present, appreciating the moment and space around me. Nevertheless, contradicting with my latter statement, ever so often, running enables me to come to terms with the past, or creating plans for the times ahead.

After all, drops of sweat are bursting on the ground, my heart is beating like a jungle drum, and my lungs are operating at full speed. I am exhausted. Yet, I perceive an inner sense of gratitude. It is a feeling of humbleness that I am capable of doing what I wish to do. A feeling that gives me to strength to follow my path of life.

This is why I run.