Running… for fun?
This past fall I lived with three other girls – and all of us were training for either half marathons and/or marathons! We called it our “running era” – you wouldn’t believe the amount of tennis shoes that filled our front door shoe area.
While running wasn’t something that any of these three girls first said when I asked them the Longway question, when all 3 of us were together I ended up specifically asking them why they loved and prioritized running. Because it’s a COMMITMENT – especially marathon training, and I think it’s something that to non-runners just doesn’t really make sense… why do people pay to run and be in pain? How is that enjoyable?
The crazy part is that even though I’ve known these girls for years, all of them said something that I didn’t know, and we had a great conversation!
Annika answered the question first – she’s currently training for her 3rd marathon, and actually has only been seriously “running” for the past 3-4 years! She said that she actually started because someone suggested running to help with mental health… and now only a couple of years later she’s not just running a marathon to “complete” it but actually running for TIME! She said that she loves running because “it’s a way to push and challenge my body and see what it can do” and also because it’s just a fresh way to experience places! She noted specifically “I’ve driven through Minneapolis a million times but it’s so vivid after running through it. I experience places more intentionally and vividly when running instead of driving.” It’s a nice balance between biking, which can feel TOO fast, and walking, which is slower but doesn’t cover as much distance.
Similarly, Taylor, who is currently training for a half marathon but has run fulls in the past, likes running because of the challenge and fun way to experience and appreciate places. However, she noted that she doesn’t listen to music so that the time becomes “space I fill with prayer and talking to God… it’s one way I glorify the Lord with the body He’s given me and one way I can spend time with Him.”
Maddie, who was training for a half marathon as well, agreed with what the other girls said, but then brought up the unique perspective that for her it’s a “way to do nothing while still doing something – like mowing the lawn.” Because you’re running, there isn’t much else you can do, so for her it’s a nice way to take a break and “check out of reality” without feeling lazy and actually getting the satisfaction that comes with moving your body!
As for me, I’m training for my 3rd half-marathon, and I agree with all of the points above. I enjoy a good 2-4 mile run during the warm months when I can run outside and enjoy nature, especially around sunrise or sunset. I love going by myself so I can just have time to reflect and be with the Lord, but also sometimes with friends at a pace slow enough to catch up on life (and help the time go by!). I don’t like listening to music/podcasts because I do think running is a great time to challenge myself to really sit with my thoughts and practice positive self-talk – it truly is such a testament to the power of the brain and the thoughts and messages you feed yourself!
However, unlike Annika and Taylor, I will never be running a marathon. This is why I love this project – it’s not about doing everything the longest, hardest way just because other people find it enjoyable and would recommend it. Instead, it’s about living intentionally. For Annika and Taylor, they will devote HOURS of training a week as they work towards big races… and that brings them so much joy! But for me, that doesn’t align with my goals and reasons why I love running. There are a lot of other things that I would like to spend my time doing and working towards, and after I finished high school cross country I realized I actually really love WALKING. The only reason I ran half marathons, which I wasn’t even disciplined in training for, was because of the opportunity to do them with people I love (the first one was with my family, the second one was with my roommates, and the upcoming one is with a bunch of friends!) and because I do enjoy a little physical challenge here and there!
Conclusion: whether it’s running, biking, walking, rollerskating, etc… it’s good to get out of the house and experience nature and new places, have time to reflect and think about life, keep your body moving and healthy, and also make memories with family and friends! Definitely a lifelong value.
