5What is running? Running is the basis of all sport and competition, an age-old challenge found at the root of any sport. One who's derived pleasure is often forgotten by many, but held so dearly by the few that partake in it. Running is a discovery of the self, it is an escape from the pressures of life, from the expectations of the world; transporting you to a place where the only barriers are the ones that you yourself set up, the limits that you may be afraid to surpass but feel you must try to anyway. Running is more than the monotony of step after step. Rather, through each stride it offers a new perspective on the world, and a greater meaning of yourself and everything that surrounds you.
Running is the sound of the starting gun, the smell of the thick smoke flowing through your nostrils and deep throughout your body. It is the anxious waiting period that comes before a race. Times when your hear beats so fast it feels like its trying to break out of your chest and you don't know whether to be scared or excited. When your muscles twitch in anticipation and your fingers curl up in eager readiness. Keeping a calm exterior on the outside, but shaking with nervousness on the inside. Running is the pounding of pure human drive against pavement, grass, and mud. The sharp twinge of muscles, gasping for air, and upon receiving none; working twice as hard. Running is the sweat dripping from the brim of your forehead down to your eyes, hardening to the contour of your face, and then falling like raindrops onto the ground so far below; leaving its mark as a small droplet of moisture. The only lasting representation of the work and suffering you engage in. Running is the tired man pushing himself just a little bit further, the weary competitor finding some unknown strength deep within himself, the beaten athlete who won't give up. We are all of these people at times but it is during running that we question ourselves as to what we are, who we have been, and what we will become. To find the strength to push oneself is to discover a new dimension of dedication and belief in oneself. To constantly find new depths to your personality by pushing your limits and taking a chance that is what runner is always discovering. Running is the screaming soreness that is only silenced by one's will and determination. Running is the triumph of mind over body. Running is pain.
Running is healing too. It's the people you meet, those who share the same tacit love and those whose lives have been changed by such a simple activity. Running is the handshake before a race. It is the camaraderie that develops and goes much further than support and understanding to a realization and respect of a shared deep seeded necessity. Running is the laughter and joy from being with individuals like yourself. The joy that only a person who loves running could understand. It is the warmth that flows through you and makes you feel like jumping for joy just by being around fellow runners. People, who regardless of their speed, determination, or pain threshold are brought together through one common purpose. Running is sharing stories on long one-hour treks across the terrain. It is developing an underlying trust and association with a person; acceptance regardless of who you are and what your goal is. Running is delighting, not in the accomplishments of yourself, but in those of others' as well.
Running is the sound of fresh laces being pulled through new shoes. Up, around, and through to finally form themselves in an appropriate knot at the top. A knot much like the ties you form with people, things, and nature. Running is the bounce of the rubber track sending energy and excitement surging up through your body. It is seeing the arrows on the ground and knowing there's only a mile to go. Running is the cheering that you hear, whether from one person or one hundred people; it doesn't matter. The sound that not only echoes in your ears, but permeates through your skin, establishing a rhythmic beat that pulsates throughout your very being. One that leaves you feeling confident and sure of yourself. Running is the guts it takes to make that final drive to the finish even though your body is screaming to stop. Running is cool water sliding down your throat, instilling a sense of calm and causing you to forget any past problems. It's the feel of the cool green grass against your skin as you fall exhausted to the ground. It's deriving strength from your surroundings and gaining an ever-increasing respect of nature. One fostered by the continuous change of scenery and the life that surrounds you everywhere you go.
Running is being out on the road during a storm. Fighting your own battle against the onslaught of rain and wind as passers by stare baffled in their cars. It is the unequaled natural high of facing yourself and finding out who you truly are. Running is the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction when you finish. It is the warm caressing water of the shower flowing gently over your muscles; momentarily extinguishing any pain and replacing it with a euphoria that tingles the senses. Running is the appreciation that you gain of the smaller, sometimes unnoticeable things in life; like the arrangement of some pebbles on the road, or the antics of two squirrels as you pass by. Running is the happiness that you feel when you wake up the day of a run, something not many people understand. The knowledge that in a few hours you will be out on the road in your own world, using only your legs and mind for transportation, Running is fun.
Not everyone will understand the joys and benefits of running, those found only when you allow yourself to be lost in this hidden pleasure. However, those who do will immediately comprehend. They will know the excitement derived from an action that, in the age of wheels, machines, and computers, seems all too simple and dated. They will understand that you are doing more than just running, you are engaging in a journey in which the treasure is not at the end of the rainbow, but at the beginning of each step. They will know that Running...is you.