The Running Community

On Saturday I went on my first big run of the year. Ian and I have both signed up for races in April, him a 5k and me a half marathon, and I knew it was time to get serious about running again. It was a gorgeous 50 degrees in Salt Lake and I set off on an 8 mile run. I thought it would be extra hard since the farthest I'd run all Winter was 6 miles, but I honestly couldn't stop smiling the whole run. I LOVE to run.

But even more then loving to run, I realized around mile 5, how much I love the running community. There were so many runners out on Saturday and each one had the same look on their face, the look of I'm doing something hard and I'm going to finish no matter what it takes! 

I've learned over the past 4 years or so of being a runner that 90% of the runners you run by will wave at you as you go by. I've learned that I will always be silently cheering for the runner going up the hill that I'm coming down, and I know a few miles later when I turn around that a different runner will be silently cheering me on as I'm the one running up the hill.

I've learned that runners don't come in sizes. We are all different! Whether you are a little chubby, or a lot chubby you can be a runner. It also doesn't matter how fast you run! I pass people and am passed by people each time I run. Yet it doesn't matter, because we're all runners!

I love running but mostly I love the feeling that it brings, joy and accomplishment. So time for me to lace up my running shoes and get going again!