I don’t know why I do this to myself. I have a good thing going and then I ruin it all by being a slug. Well, this summer I did it again, I stopped running. It was’t like last summer when I had a good excuse either.

It got too hot. The kids finished school. The routine went out the window. I have a million excuses for not running.

Lack of consistency is a common theme in my life that touches everything I do. For now, that’s neither here nor there.

I guess the important thing is that I’ve started back at it again. I’m running. Not far and certainly not fast but it’ll take time to rebuilt everything I lost in those months of doing little to nothing.

Every time I go out there I wonder why I stopped. I love to run. I love to be out there, just me, my music and the road. Dodging the occasional car, truck or cob of corn.

An actual cob of corn that came flying at me on a run.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about why I don’t run and what I can do to make sure I don’t take these long breaks from something that I enjoy so much. Trying to come up with a solution to keep me out there even if it’s just for short little three mile runs.

The only thing I can come up with is to keep racing. I run all winter long, no matter the temperature or the frozen ice falling from the sky. Why? Because I’m training for my spring half marathon. Maybe if I always have something to be woking towards it will give me the drive I need to stay out there.

I participated in a few virtual races and they’re a fun way to keep me out there and increase my bling collection.

After my first virtual race, 10K.

I’m getting ready for my next virtual race next week then I’m thinking about doing a Thanksgiving virtual race since I’ll be out of town and not near any real races.

It’s not that I don’t love running, I truly do, I struggle with time and (sometimes) motivation. I’ve never regretted going out for a run but I really regret not getting out and hitting the road.

Are you a runner too? Do you ever struggle to get out there and log those miles?

With running, just like with anything else, if you’re not into it you don’t always get the people who are. I’m going to break it down for you in regard to runners.

I hope you non-runners get a little insight into the runner and maybe even decide to give running a try for yourself.

Runner’s high:

What is it about running that runners love so much?

Once the bug bites you, you’re hooked. The first time you run a mile without walking, crossing the finish line at your first race, getting that PR, the “high” that comes with those moments is what keeps us coming back for more.

For me, it’s pushing my body further than I’ve ever pushed it before. It’s the feeling of accomplishment that comes with achieving each of my goals.

Runners love to talk about running. The new shoes we just got. The latest gear that we’ve added to our collection. Last weekend’s race.

Running boosts your endorphins so we’re naturally pretty happy and we want to world to be happy too, so don’t be surprised if your runner friend tries to recruit you to the world of running. I know I try to get everyone I know laced up and out running.

The Bling:

Some of us choose to share our running achievements in a public way.

I have runner friends who have race medals hanging from their rearview mirror. Many of us have stickers or magnets on our cars with numbers on them. In case you didn’t realize it, those numbers signify distances we’ve raced. 5K, 10K, 13.1 (half marathon), 26.2 (marathon), 50K or 100K (ultra marathon), and triathlon are the most popular.

I’ve seen more than one running related vanity license plate.

We’re nothing if not devoted to our sport.

Share the road:

I’m a road runner. Running on a treadmill, track or even in a park makes me feel like a caged animal. I need to be on the road.

In my years as a road runner I’ve noticed a need to educate the non-runner behind the wheel on our needs as runners.

For the love of God, please give us a wide breadth. We’ll work very hard to always be running in the opposing direction if you can give us a little room. Six inches from your side mirror is not enough. If there’s traffic coming and you can’t move over, at least slow down.

Along the same lines, playing “chicken” with us is not cool. Swerving towards us to see how far off the road you can make us jump is NOT funny and when you hit us it’s really not going to be funny. A runner can be seriously injured when pushed off the road, do you really want to hurt someone for laughs? We’ll, take responsibility for our safety but we need a little help from you too.

You know what else is not amusing to us? When you blast your horn or yell something out your window at us. A simple wave will suffice.

We’re just out there doing what we love and trying to stay healthy, let’s not make it anymore hazardous than it needs to be.

Let’s be friends and share the road.

I hope I’ve given you a better understanding of not only the mind of a runner but what we need when we’re out there doing our thing.

Did you have any questions about running for me? I’d love to answer them for you. I will say, I’m no expert but I am an experienced runner.