Why?

Why running? Is it an important part of life? Not really. Is it the most interesting topic I could share about? Not by a long shot. Is it the most challenging? Nope. Is it a large part of my identity? Nah. So why running? It's straightforward. It's simple. It's not easy. But it's simple. It's not messy. It's not complicated. It is one of the few areas of life in which I get to be in control of the outcome.

Life provides us with very few simple cause and effect equations. In most cases, we spend a great deal of mental and emotional energy trying to determine if correlations are random or meaningful. Think about it. How much time do we spend trying to figure out, "If I do X (a proactive action on my part), will it make Y (my desired outcome) happen?" Numerous variables make it almost impossible to isolate cause and effect relationships on the go. And life happens on the go.

Unlike messier areas of life, I can isolate a cause and effect equation in regard to running. My effort always produces something desirable...increased speed, improved fitness, increased mileage, finishing a race, great excitement, euphoria...yes, even mania. =) I always have something to show for it - steady improvement. That's not always the case with other aspects of life. Hence the cliche, "One step forward, two steps back." But when I run, every time my foot pounds against the trail I am creating strength in my body and in my mind that prepares me to go further, to go faster, and to overcome the voice in my head that tells me I can't do it. You know the one.

And that's really what it is about, isn't it? Overcoming. Silencing that voice with a victory. Again and again. And again. Whatever barrier blocks our path, we want to know that we can overcome it. How do we know that we can overcome it? Because we have built for ourselves historical evidence that we are stronger than we think we are. Every time we set a goal and we overcome the challenges that would otherwise cause our defeat, we build a history of success. That historical success tells us that we can overcome even when we want to quit. We learn that wanting to quit does not equal quitting. Quitting equals quitting. And we won't quit until we are finished. That lesson carries over into other aspects of our life. We gain confidence and it shows in everything that we do.

You don't have to be a runner to appreciate the value in overcoming. Running is only one method of expressing the very human need to overcome. Whatever you find worthy of your effort, go for greatness. Go all out. There is great joy in overcoming. The greater the struggle, the greater the reward.

At the end of every run, I lay aside my pride and I celebrate with great enthusiasm. I pump my fists in the air. I unabashedly raise my hands to the sky and yell a hearty "thank you" to God for helping me overcome again. An observer may mistakenly assume that I am cheering because I have accomplished a great personal record of some sort. The truth is, I am cheering just because I wanted to quit but instead I finished! I am inspired by King David. "I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes." ~ 2 Samuel 6

Anyway, that's my reason for running today. Tomorrow I will likely be motivated by a different but equally compelling reason. =) What do you find worthy of your effort to overcome today? Why are you motivated to run?