Why We Run

Why I Run

By

T-Roy Pruett

(Thanks to all those that responded to my request.  Unlike Ribs, I never ever consult with those mentioned or referenced in an article.  Please excuse me if I took the liberty to embellish or fabricate your response and you were somehow offended.  If it makes you feel better I did it out of pure love.)

Ever get up on a cold, breezy, winter morning and grumble, “What am I doing?”  “I could stay in this nice warm house, sipping coffee, and really enjoy the start of this glorious day.”  It’s times like these when we need to draw on people and memories that inspire us to lace-up the shoes for another day.  With this in mind I reached out to several club members to see what has inspired them to trudge along on the worst of days.  As for myself, there have been many inspirational moments.  Two are at the top of my list.  After about 20 miles of a beat-you-down dreary forest run in PA the trail opened up into a beautiful ridge run above the clouds.  I stood there basking in the warmth of sun and blue sky for several minutes, completely amazed by the circumstances that led me to that point in time.   An unexpected moment is why I run.  I am inspired by those that manage to remain up-beat no matter the circumstance.  They always seem to put a smile on their face and look forward to the next challenge.   Happy people is why I run.

Crisann makes note of folks right here in DFW, Patrick Finney and Paula Robertson.   Both have MS.  Patrick is almost complete with marathons in 50 states, running doubles on most weekends with negative times on day 2.  Paula is the founder of Hills and Heels and completed a daily running streak this year.   Crisann says, “They are inspirations to me because I have no excuse to not get my fat ass out the door.”  Because I can and should is why I run. 

Helene started running  after having spent eighteen months going to races to cheer Alan.  Like many of us, she did not know anything about the athletic world; thought that participants would all be lean, thin, fast, and “Out of my league.”   She realized athletes came in all speeds, shapes, and ages, and that no matter how fast or how slow they finished, they all were achieving something special, competing against others, but mainly competing against themselves.  They were all bettering themselves and becoming stronger physically and mentally.  She had suffered from, “I Cannot Do That!” Syndrome that had been hammered in so many women her age and older, (no) thanks to the way they were raised.  So one day she bought a pair of running shoes and off she went … “And I haven’t stopped running since.” 

There is also a fair amount of inspiration on the lite side.  An anonymous member provided this, “There are lots of reasons like the thrill of competition and camaraderie with friends, but I am too busy with the chocolate and wine thing to care about the other reasons right now.”  “Wine is why I run.”  (Hey what ever gets you out of bed in the morning!)  Janet had me laughing out of the chair, “I run because I suck at it…and that’s the best part.”  Another anonymous member quipped, “My really awesome boyfriend dumped me out of the blue so now I run to make sure I can kick his ass any day of the week at any and every distance.  Oh wait, I could kick his ass before he dumped me.”  Revenge is why I run.  Mindi “Vanilla” Rice did say, “Looking at the Wussie Judge’s butt inspires me.”  (Funny, I always thought I had a flat-ass.  Didn’t realize it had grown.)  The WJ’s butt is why I run.   BG Kelly says, “I run to eat, I eat to run.”  (I knew the Big Girl tag had nothing to do with the size of her heart.)  Eating is why I run.  Alan should have been a time management specialist, “Maybe running is simply my lack of patience - it takes too long to get there if I walk.”  Getting there faster is why I run.  In true Beer Girl spirit, Randa came through with, “Running is a necessary evil to support my drinking habit.”  Beer is why I run.  I didn’t get around to asking Ribs, but I’m sure his response would have been, “I am inspired by well-dressed runners.   This is why I am consistently voted the best dressed runner in America.”  Pretty clothes is why I run.   

To paraphrase a couple of respondents, “I run for sanity.”  (If it takes having a baby to figure this out KK then so be it.)  One anonymous person chimed that when asked if they needed meds to cope, the response provided was, “No, I run.”  (Great answer!)   What is curious is that only female respondents used the, “Sanity is why I run,” line.  Any ideas as to what that means?

Notwithstanding the psychological nut cases, there were those that focused on the physical.  Take Tom Shetina’s reason, “Looking at my 310 pound picture from 2006.”  (I’ve seen the picture.  It might scare me into running, but inspire?)  Randa couldn’t let her Beer Girl status stand alone.  She also likes to get physical, “Running makes me feel strong.  My body can take much more punishment than my mind tells it, and I love the high of finishing.”  (Olivia would be so proud.  Wait a sec., Beer Girls have minds?) Health and fitness is why I run. 

Spousal support works it charms.  Just ask Marty, “Tia kept trying to get my attention from over the short fence, ‘Psssst!  Hey, 2 guys in your bike rack have their age on their calf as 71 and 73!’  After the event, I felt pretty bad to find out that the 73 year old beat me in the swim, and the bike, AND the run.  Then it occurred to me that I might be able to continue improving for another 20+ years.”  To beat a 70 year old is why I run.  The non-believers can work their magic as well.  Marty also relayed the following, “When word got back to me that so and so told others that there was no way I’d meet my goal, it really fired me up and kept me from quitting.”  Sticking it to others is why I run. 

The question kept some good natured folks awake at night, prompting them to send in multiple answers.  K2 provided a prophetic response, “I’ve never really needed the motivation to keep running just the inspiration to get my ass up off the couch for that first run.”   This could be the beginnings of a topic for another article, “What crazy-ass idea prompted you to start running?”  Two things inspired K2’s first run.  The first was seeing friends who took up running and at age 30 looked better than they did at age 20.  Second was reading about women who made up the inaugural teams of the WNBA. These were American women, athletes, who had to live in Europe and Asia to follow their dreams and play ball.  Learning about the sacrifices they were making to do something they loved inspired me to get out and try something new.  Looking better than a 20 year old is why I run.

Beth obviously lost sleep over her many choices.  In the end I think she exceeded the maximum size for any one email.  They were all good answers so here goes her ramblings:  Me time.  Doing something good for myself.   Because I like to eat! (Love that one).   It’s empowering.   Excuse to be outside.   God has given me the strength and enjoyment of it.   Because it's fun, duh! (I remember when I used to think that).  So much better than meds or a therapist (There’s the sanity thing again)!  Awesome running friends!  Being a role model to my, “Girls on the Run.”  Staying physically fit.  Because I'm not coordinated enough for other sports.

Some prefer not to be inspired and rely on science, biology, and the gene pool.  Leana believes, “All humans are designed to run, we have LONG LEGS compared to other primates (well that is all of us except By-Run and Mindi), we have an ACHILLES TENDON that works like a spring and propels us upwards and forwards (mine used to spring), a CALCANEUS combined with the Achilles tendon that acts as a shock absorber and spring, and HUMAN SKIN to release heat and prevent overheating for long periods of exercise.  Evolution is why I run.

One person managed to type out her inspirations and motivations even with tears streaming down her face.  Of course she has been known to water a tree here and there.  After being tormented by the Trackies for several months, Michelle (Drum), says this is what gets her out the door, “First, people.  I'm motivated by the strangers in the gym at 5:30 a.m. who are just as tired as I am, by my very active parents, and because of the motivation of LGRAW.  Second, I love having a goal every day that is just mine and knowing at the end of the day that I achieved that goal.  Lastly, I love being outside.  Running down Hope Pass breathing in mountain air on day two of TransRockies was the most fulfilling moment of my life.”  (Can you believe it, not even her wedding day beats running, poor Evan.)

Former President Joe is inspired by, “Being a RAW member and hanging out with the Trackies.”  He might not know it, but the Elder Trackie (ET), is greatly appreciated by all of the Trackies . We love ya ET!)  The Trackies is why I run.   

Those of you that know Nick also know that if you draw a face on a rock he will stand there and talk to it for hours.  He is truly a stranger to no one or any inanimate object.  It’s no wonder he sent in a 10,000 word dissertation on why nothing inspires him.  He just had lots of reasons to run (whatever!).  Such as, “I run to hear my thoughts more clearly in the quiet of the morning, I run to feel terrible then alive again five minutes after I stop, I run to see firsthand the grace of Colleen running (ain’t that sweet!), I run to share a moment with a friend and hopefully a beer afterwards, I run so I don’t ever get left behind, I run to say, see that wasn’t so hard, I run to see places I would have never seen had I not ventured out, most of all I run to see people’s faces and emotions as they reach their goals.  I’m not sure why I run.