Run, Karla, Run!

Tune into The Marathon Show on Tuesday at noon ET for an interview with Karla. She’ll talk about elite runners, blogging and answer caller questions. After airing live, the show will be available for streaming or download on BlogTalkRadio and iTunes.

Runners in the New York City Marathon. Photo by Fergal Carr.

Runners, there are a lot of us out there. Almost 9.5 million Americans finished a road race in 2008 and almost 4.9 million ran on trails, according to Running USA. Millions more run without racing at all: 23.4 million Americans run 50 days per year, or roughly once a week; and about 15 million run 100 days per year, or roughly twice a week, Running USA reports.

As I set out training for my fourth marathon, I began to think about why I do it year after year. Why do I run? Why do we all run? There are probably as many reasons as there are runners.

So here goes. Here are the top 10 reasons I run, in no particular order.

I run because…

1). I love it. Running makes me happy. I enjoy running. And the times that I don’t, well, I remind myself how good it is for me, which leads me to the next reason…

2). My doctor told me to. Why? It’s good for my bones, it’s good for my heart, it’s good for my lungs, it’s good for my muscles, it’s good for my joints, it’s good for my mind. In other words, it’s good for my health and it’s good for me.

3). I love to eat. Now that my age starts with a “3,” I’ve actually noticed my metabolism slowing down. Thank goodness I run. Instead of having to eat like a bird, I still get to eat like a runner. Yum.

4). It gives me energy. Runner Karla has a lot more pep than non-runner Karla. And I generally have more energy on the days that I run versus the days that I do not.

5). I think clearly while I’m running. Whether I’ve got a problem to solve, need to blow off steam, want to meditate, or organize my day, I always seem to do it well while I’m running. Things just come together when I’m alone in my thoughts away from my computer, my phone, and all the other distractions of life. Yes, sometimes I concentrate just on my running—charging the hill, listening to my breath, relaxing my shoulders. But other times, I let my mind wander wherever it needs to.

6). Running makes me feel good about myself. It’s kind of like getting a hug from my mom. Running makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. It makes me feel good about the way I look, and it makes me feel good about who I am. Why? I don’t really know. It just does.

7). I am high on life. As Donovan once said, “The natural high is the best high in the world.” And the runner’s high is like happy juice. Honestly, on some runs my thoughts mirror what I imagine Snow White’s to be like: “Oh, what lovely flowers! Oh, what an adorable little bird! Oh, how crisp the air is!” Running is magical that way.

8). I like being on a team. Remember playing sports as a kid? Half the fun was the sport itself, but the other half was hanging around with other kids. Now that we’re adults and we’re not in PE class or on varsity teams, we don’t always get that sense of camaraderie. But running with friends, or a club, or a team gives me a community where I’m encouraged and welcomed and teased and challenged—where I enjoy true fellowship.

9). I’m a goal-oriented person. Running gives me a ready-made framework for setting and achieving goals, whether it’s nabbing a PR, tackling a new distance, or just upping my mileage.

10). I run because I can. There were many years when I couldn’t run. There are many people who can’t. Being able to run is a gift, and I don’t ever want to take that for granted. I’m thankful to be able to run, so I run as a celebration of the fact that I can.

Those are just a few of the reasons that I run—there are many, many more. But I’d like to hear from you. What are yours? Why do you run?

Karla Bruning is an award-winning journalist and running nerd. She has completed three marathons, trains with the New York Harriers and is a member of New York Road Runners. Follow Karla’s “Notes From a Running Nerd” at RunKarlaRun.com, Facebook and Twitter@KBruning.