While running, I work through my demons. Fear and anger, frustration and grief, envy and doubt: one by one, they lose their hold on me. I pound them into the ground, stomping on them as they try to grab on again. On the roads and sidewalks, on the hills and trails of Austin, I leave them bleeding on the ground. They will not conquer me. At the end of a run, the demons are gone, replaced by exhaustion and elation, joy and accomplishment. And only the tear tracks on my face are the memorial to the fight it was to leave them all behind.And I run on. Every hill a new challenge. Every day a new chance. Every step a new victory.
Why run?
It's cheaper than therapy.
It's available without a prescription.
It makes me more fun to be around.
It makes me better.
I can take it as often as I want.
And at the end of the day, I am the boss of my demons instead of them being the boss of me.
My name is Su, and I'm a runner.
10 comments:
I can relate! I run too, for all the same reasons. And there's also my chocolate intake. ;-)
Hey!
I know you weren't super sure, but in case you've found a tense bit of writing, the Power of Tension Blogfest is on this week! The linky tool is live now so once you've posted your entry on your blog you can enter the link on either Rachel Morgan Writes or Cally Jackson Writes. Looking forward to reading your entry!
I thought about you yesterday- my husband and I took the kids to a park around the corner and I took advantage of him being there to watch the kids while they played on the playground. The playground is encircled by a walking track, about a .5 mile. I wore my Jazzercise clothes (the only exercise I currently do) and walked around the track for 2 laps and then jogged the 3rd lap.
Growing up, my mom discouraged me from any sports or physical/athletic activity because she was afraid I would get hurt. I was a bookworm and a runt, so I got teased a lot by the "athletic" and "competitive" people. But I was in the marching band, so I got SOME PT. Anyway, all that to say I've never been much of a runner or physical person.
Yesterday I thought "Su would be proud of me."
I didn't quit, even when my legs were starting to complain. I felt great after I finished and I'm looking forward to going back soon, or getting up before they are all awake and jogging up and down our road in the mornings.
Running is gaining on us! A local race had several hundred last year. Two weeks ago over 5,000!
You make running sound a lot more appealing than it feels to me :) This was a dreadful winter, and spring has been cold, rainy and slow in coming, so my running has fallen off... a lot... and the older I get, the harder it is to come back! But you've reminded me why I love it :)
@Liz: Ah, yes, chocolate. :)
@Rachel: Oh, dear. I'll have to come back and read it again. Thanks for the reminder!
@Jenny: Yay! I'm glad you enjoyed it! And yes, I am SO proud of you! :D
@Giggles: Brilliant. If all one hears is true, running really is enjoying an upswing in participants the past couple of years.
@Susanna: Cold-weather running is the worst! :( But hey, as long as you remember loving it, you'll keep coming back, yes?
I love this post! Running feels like that to me too. However, I've been stuck with walking for a while now after fracturing my foot in three places a few years ago. It's taken me a long time to heal completely enough to walk and jog, walk and jog. Then, as I started to feel in the swing of things, I had my ankle slammed by a softball yesterday at softball practice. I'm back to ice, elevate, rest, and impatient leg lifts - I don't want to lose the muscle tone I've gained back. Next time, I'll get the mitt in front of my feet, so I can keep them safe for walking and hopefully running again.
Yikes! What awful bad luck! :( I hope you heal much more quickly this time around.
Running is a great way to clear your thoughts, I completely agree. It's a way to explore the world while zoning everyone else and finding your inner peace. Run on, my friend.
Yep, all true.
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