As a division I runner, I’m often asked, “Do you actually enjoy running?” My answer usually consists of a quick “No,” but the more I think about it, I do enjoy running.
Of course, running has its downsides. It’s uncomfortable, breathing is hard, it’s terrible on your joints and there’s only about a 20 degree window of comfortable running temperature. Anything less than about 55 degrees is chilly and my fingers go numb, and anything hotter than 75 and I’m sweating like a dog and feel like my heart is going to stop.
One of the few times I’ve felt like I was staring death in the face came after I got done running a half marathon. As soon as I finished, my legs felt like pure Jell-O and the only thing I wanted to do for the next week was sleep. The running hangover I experienced was worse than anything the Sunday of spring weekend could ever bring. At big races, where the competition level is high, the first handful of runners to cross the finish line usually collapse or projectile vomit because of how much they’ve exerted themselves.
Obviously there’s a difference between a quick jog around the block with your mom and running at one of the highest levels, so when people ask me if I enjoy running, I usually think of all those awful things and tell them the answer is no before they even finish asking the question.
However, there are aspects of running that make it one of the most enjoyable things I can think of. Firstly, running is one of the best ways to watch my own personal development. I was so fortunate to stay healthy this fall and run a faster time every meet. There’s was no better feeling than finishing my season and seeing how far I’ve come. Running taught me to be goal driven and have something to work for, a value that will follow me for the rest of my life.
Running forces you to increase your work ethic. After coming in dead last the first two meets of the season, I knew I couldn’t let that continue to happen. Getting the sympathy clap from moms who felt bad for me is any athlete’s worst nightmare. I knew after those meets I needed to work harder so this wouldn’t happen again. Fortunately, I was able to push myself, and I’ve since forgot what the sympathy clap sounds like.
I know of no other sport where your home field is the world. It’s not like you can go play basketball in the woods (I mean, I’m sure you could try). Running lets you go anywhere at any time, and the best part, you can do it by yourself. As someone who sat the bench in three out of the four sports I played in high school, (surprisingly cross country and track were not one of those four) it was reassuring to know that I didn’t have to depend on anyone else to participate in this sport. The beauty of running comes in the fact that it’s just you, the road and the shoes on your feet. Oh, and maybe throw a shirt and shorts in there too, society frowns upon nude running.
So, when people ask me if I enjoy running, I’m still going to say no. The physical aspect of running is one of the more uncomfortable things I do to myself on a daily basis. But what is comfortable, is knowing what I’m getting out of it.
Christian Gravius is a staff writer for the Bona Venture. His email is graviucc15@bonaventure.edu
