About Running But Also Not

When I started running (again) I wasn’t thinking about the many things I sometimes think about now. There was no long-term strategy. No developing a five-year plan or listing of races I could run. I never thought about things I wanted to measure. 

Survival, Actually, More Than

I only wanted to rebuild healthy habits I had slide over the years. I was desperate for oxygen. To not feel like a prisoner of my body. Get some control over the things I could get control over. It was part of a resolve: “If I was or am going to suffer from something, it was not going to be from something I had control over”.

Serendipity + Gratitude

The journey was ‘inspired’ by my physical health. But it did not take me long to discover the wonders running does for my mental health. And, am I glad! The more I meet runners with different stories, the more I discover I am not alone. 

I understand, “Running saved my life” even more the longer I run. So many different runners, but this refrain resonates in a profound way. I get it in a deeper way.

Backwards

My tag, “learning to live and run” emerged without much thought. Maybe I had been thinking about it longer than I realise. Learning about running is teaching and reminding me about other things on life. 

This is one the big reasons Admire Muzopambwa‘s story resonates. If you haven’t already, watch this film about his journey, “Never Too Late“.

It is about running, but it also isn’t about running. 

featured image of Blessing running by Erin Groll