blogitness

Thanks Michelle for letting me be a guest on your blog! It is always inspiring to hear from fellow healthy living bloggers and read how they keep balance.

For people who don’t know me, I am Alex over at The Run Within. I am a 22 year old newbie blogger originally from the MA area, graduating college from the VA area and starting a new job in the DC area. (Wicked chaotic right y’all? – had to include!) I am an avid runner so was pumped that I was asked to write about running. I actually came up with this idea on one of my morning runs!

I have run over a dozen half marathons and multiple smaller races. No marathon yet, not sure if I am ready to put my body through that one.  Comparisons are a trap that all runners or really any female athlete gets caught up in. It is hard not to compare yourself to that sleek runner you see gracefully gliding down the road. I had always been so insecure in my athletic abilities. I grew up not loving my body and after 15 years of ballet, I just grew to hate it more. Running changed that, running gave me a way to see how much my body is able to do much more than the physicality of what it looks like.

SO WHAT IS RUNNING?

Running is NOT a chore. I hate hearing people say, I have to run every day this week or I have to x amount of days or I have to run for this long. Running should be something you do to escape all those ‘have tos’. Working out in general should be about sanity, health and mental relief. Running has this power to just let your mind run free so why make yourself do it when you are not feeling it? Our bodies are smart and when they need a break, they have this power to let us know.

Running is NOT the only exercise. For so long, I would run and run and run. My body couldn’t handle that and honestly I wasn’t getting better. It wasn’t until I incorporated strength training, stretching and cross training that I saw my times get speedier. I love running and will always love it, but some bodies can take more of it than others. It is about finding that balance that works for you. You don’t have to be a runner to be an athlete.

Running is MENTAL. I know you hear people say this a lot but your mind can make a run. If I start a race with negative thoughts or worries, those first few miles will be tough.

Running is PERSONAL. I am one of those strange runners that use no music when I run, even the longer ones. My mind wanders when I run. I can never exactly remember what I think about but all I know is my mind goes where it needs to go. Coming back from a run is refreshing because you are giving that time to yourself. Use runs as that time of pure freedom, no responsibilities, just you and the pavement. My motto; when life gives you lemons… RUN. (Does that even make sense? Go with me on this one…)
Running is FUN. Hands down this is why I do it. You get to explore new places, socialize with friends and make new ones. You also get to gain confidence and pride in the body that allows you to do it.

Now go lace up your sneakers!

Read Full Post »