running does a body good

I woke up in a cranky, stay-in-my-pajamas all day kind of mood this morning. I didn't want to go running, I didn't want to do anything. However, I was scheduled to run today and the need to maintain my routine would not allow me to stay on my couch huddled under an afghan. So off I went. It was the best run that I've had in awhile, made better by the fact I left my Garmin at home, so I have NO idea how fast I went or how long it took me. No expectations, no disappointments. I just ran. Slowed down when I felt my shin twinge, sped up when I wanted to avoid getting smashed by a car. It was only 3 miles, but as the tension and frustration melted away, I started to feel like a new person. That's what running does for me. It strips away the yuckiness, breaks down the "I can'ts" and the "I don't want to's" and gets me out of the house.

I can't imagine my life without running but I need to stop taking it so seriously. I'm not an elite athlete. I'm not running to put food on the table. If that were the case, we would have starved a long time ago. I run because it makes me happy. I run because it makes life less stressful. I'll probably wake up cranky tomorrow morning and hit snooze for an hour before I drag myself out of bed, but I will go running. I will go running, and it will make me feel better. Add in the benefits of cardiovascular activity and weight loss, and I'm pretty much set for life.