Why I Run

I've been doing some thinking lately about why I run.  Why would I register for an event that requires me to "run" 100 miles, if I didn't have a good reason lace up my shoes nearly every day.

Last week I registered for my "A" race of the season - a 100 mile trail race on the Superior Hiking Trail in Northern Minnesota held in early September.  Training for this event is going to require me to log hundreds of miles on my feet over the coming months.

So I asked myself, Kate, why DO you run?

Here are some reasons that I came up with:
* I always feel better when it's done.
* To catch up with girlfriends.
* To enjoy some alone time.
* To listen to music.
* To enjoy the solitude of the woods.
* To avoid becoming complacent.
* To watch the changing of the seasons.
* To enjoy a sunrise.
* To enjoy a sunset.
* To look at the stars.
* To explore new places.
* To push my limits.
* I enjoy food more.
* A hot shower never felt so good.
* It becomes meditative.
* To relieve stress.
* To solve a problem.
* It becomes an outlet for my competitive spirit.
* To meet new people.

These are just a few reasons I lace up my shoes nearly every day & head out the door.  As I came up with this list, what really became clear is that there is no 1 reason why I run.  And each run can start as one reason & morph into another.  There are as many reasons for me to run as workouts I need to log!

Each day is a new adventure & I'm really excited to dive into training for my 100 mile event.  I'm looking forward to exploring new trails & parks around Minnesota & meeting new people along the way.  I'm excited to share many of those miles with my good friends & enjoy their company on trails new & old.

Until next time.  Happy trails!