Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Become a Distance Runner… and Calm Down

People ask me all of the time, why do you run? Why would you spend hours on a Saturday morning on Kelly Drive by yourself? Who runs more than 3 miles and enjoys it? What non-Kenyan runs half marathons just for the fun of it?
 
That crazy person would be me! When I first started running, it was to run Broad Street. I thought that 10 miles would be the ultimate test of mental and physical endurance. And it was. My first Broad Street was infamous “The Hot One.” The year when it was 80 degrees and the City of Philadelphia was so gracious to open all of the hydrants along the route. I survived and crossed the finish line without the assistance of the paramedics. But what I remember most of all is how I felt afterward. Cool, (not really) calm, and collected.
 
For me, running is my therapy and stress reliever. It keeps me out of jail. I could be close to punching someone in the face or breaking a few limbs, but after a run, it’s all good and I don’t have to worry about a criminal record. Seriously, at the start of my run, I could be thinking up things that would make Tony Soprano blush or invite me to dinner sometimes. To me, getting in shape is the second bonus from running. The first, is keeping my sanity.
 
So get out there any run, no matter what you reason. As Nike says… Just do it!
 
Bianca Hart

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