I don’t honestly consider myself a runner but I run. I run for various reasons including fitness, scenic beauty of the places I run, peacefulness, solitude and conversely for camaraderie when running with friends. I started running as a new fitness challenge about 20 years ago. I enjoy being active and with running, you can do it anywhere given a pair of running shoes are at your disposal. That first learn-to-run clinic in Oakville, Ontario was challenging. I was breathing hard within the first minute or two of the run. I didn’t notice my surroundings. I didn’t hear the birds or the traffic. I couldn’t take in the neighbourhood smells of the downtown restaurants. All I could hear was my heavy breathing, my feet pounding the pavement and I suspect that my inner voice asking that all encompassing question, “Why am I doing this?”
Package pickup
Twenty years later, I have more reasons to run. A few years ago, we ran the half marathon in Marrakesh, Morocco after touring the country for about 10 days. It was an opportunity to see a corner of the world, experience a bit of culture while accomplishing a fitness goal with my husband, Andy. Against the backdrop of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains, I ran beside runners decked in hijabs and djellabas, men and women wearing everything from short shorts to long pants, and skin shades representing the globe.
The January 20 degree heat didn’t faze me at first despite the sub-zero temperatures back in Oakville at this time of the year. I zigzagged around donkey carts and behind trucks spouting exhaust liked I’d never breathed in before, choking and gagging me at times. I ran by rose gardens and orange tress. I had time to think about the highs of this Moroccan vacation of the past two weeks. Lost in my thoughts, I meandered by people-filled markets, and coffee shops with men sitting outside solving modern world problems through the heavy smoke of their cigarettes and sips of strong sweet black coffee. I saw kids playing soccer. Running is the one time of any day that gives me solitude and inner reflection. Time to plan, time to appreciate what I have, and time to just enjoy the moment. At moments during my race that day, the thousands of people around me faded and I was alone with my thoughts. I love that. Despite the 21.1km of hard work, huffing and puffing, walking when my lungs or legs were too tired, feeling the heat of day, I still remember that sense of satisfaction crossing that finish line, grinning ear to ear, with a smiling patient husband, Andy offering me my water bottle once I was on the other side of the finish line and done. I had found that inner strength to sprint that last 100 meters when moments before, I was dragging my carcass as if my energy was completely depleted. The good endorphins also pop their heads out, but only when I’ve taken my last step on that road to completion and wearing finishing medal around my neck.
I hope that you too, can find your peace with running, be it for competition, fun, meditative reasons or eventually back to it being a social activity. Stay tune for some marathon stories in coming weeks, especially if you are new to running.
