Hello runner friends!
Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series
MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog.
Now let's get started by talking about something that's important in maintaining your motivation to run.... Remembering that running is a gift and not something that you HAVE to do but something that you GET to do.
So what exactly is a gift? Well... as defined, a gift is something bestowed or acquired without any particular effort by the recipient or without its being earned. And regardless of how fast, slow, graceful or ugly your gait might be, if you have the ability to put one foot in front of the other at a speed above your normal walking pace—which is how I would define running—then you have been given a gift. But guess what? Just like any other gift, you don't appreciate it unless you use it and discover the many amazing things it offers. To put that into perspective, consider this... my husband bought me a kitchen appliance last year that could be used as an air fryer, convection oven, broiler, toaster and a few more things. It sat on my counter unappreciated for a month or two until my daughter, Hope, urged me to try some recipes and new ways of cooking. Guess what? I rarely cook using anything else now! That kitchen appliance was a greater gift than I could have ever imagined. Running is the same way! You don't know how great it is until you realize all the things it can do for you—like make your life easier and happier.
So how does running make your life easier and happier? Because when done consistently, it forces you to be disciplined with your time. And when you're disciplined with your time, you have more of it. Of course you don't have more than 24 hours in a day (no one does) but you seem to have more time in the day because you've learned to use your time wisely. And guess what? When you feel good physically and mentally (a byproduct of running) and seemingly have more time, life is easier because you're more easygoing and less stressed and that makes you happy. To see what that looks like in real life, check out these five ways running makes me happy and why I consider it a priceless gift.
1. It takes me to places I could or would never go in a car. Just this morning I was standing on top of one of the highest points in my small town overlooking what the locals call "picture window." I could literally see for miles!
2. It gets me out into the world at times I would never be out. I can tell you, without a doubt, that I would not be outside before sunrise if I didn't run. And I would never know how wonderful it is to watch and hear creation waking up--to hear the birds singing, to see the sunrise and to feel the presence of my Creator. Early mornings just make my heart smile.
3. It forms friendships in a way that nothing else could. Whether you meet a new person at a group run, on the trail, or in the starting line of a race, you are on an even playing field. You know nothing about one another except that you share a common bond. And this common bond opens up the door for conversations you normally wouldn't have with someone you don't know. Which is why I, and other runners, commonly say that they may start a run as strangers but they end the run as friends.
4. It gives me time to think. Face it... if you're alive and breathing, you have worries, concerns and cares just like I do. Now running may not take away the cause of any of those worries, concerns or cares, but it does put my problems into perspective and helps me formulate solutions to them.
5. It sets the tone. A morning run is a gift I give to myself because it's the gift that keeps on giving all day long. The joy it puts in my heart carries over into my work, my family and my interactions with those around me. Running makes me happy.
So don't just take my word on why running is a gift, check out what some of my fellow runners had to say....
I was asked why I think it is a gift to run? Hmmmm? I never thought of it quite that way before. For me, running is a chance to get outside and enjoy the sights and sounds that some may never get. It’s refreshing and helps recharge my batteries. It’s my time to reflect on the past days without outside interference and to see if I could have done something differently for a better outcome of if I could have helped somebody to help their day. It has taken me places that I have not gone before and mingle with other runners from all over the country. From runs with 50 runners to runs of about 20,000, the anticipation of starting the run is just “fun.” It’s a gift to run with friends that even though run different lengths or pace, we all make it to the finish line and enjoy the time. Running is a chance to physically challenge ourselves and gives us the ability to improve and feel good about it. And if a training run is not quite what we expect, there is the next one to help us rebound. Just like life, ups and downs, running is a gift that helps us to keep moving forward. I started running when I was 60 yrs old because a close friend encouraged me to do a run with them. That friendship is a gift. After 8 years and with some life challenges, I’m still running and Moving forward with a NEW friend giving that encouragement. - Mark Vrotsos
When I moved to St. Louis for a job in my mid thirties I needed a social life. My wise mother said, "Develop it around your interests." I did, joining a marathon training group. Then I met a guy who was running with a friend in the last miles. I've been married to that guy since July 1986. - Alison Bourey
Running is my life. Running gives me an opportunity to be with my Maker. - Russ Dixon
I started running the summer of ‘94 as I had a friend going to Brown University on a track scholarship and she needed someone to finish up her long runs with. I fell up the sidewalk, so tired after 2 miles, but I was hooked! And doesn’t God know what we need even when we aren’t yet following Him? That same fall I would spiral into a nasty depression, and my solace and healing work was rooted in running. Over my early adult years, I’d often be found at the track across the street just running laps when my husband took our son to Sunday school, and I ran through nursing school and hospice work and recurrences of depression for many years. Fast forward to Feb 7, 2010... I accepted Christ as my savior, was baptized and committed my life to Him. Running ever since has given me an opportunity to come alongside others, a starting point for conversation, for connection, for sharing stories. And it’s in this sharing of stories where we are vulnerable and laid bare that we are able to make a difference. Running continues to bring opportunities for connection and love and joy; and for personal praise and worship as I often sing with arms raised for quite a few of my miles. Forever grateful to God for this gift to run. - Sara Ochs
Running opened a whole new world for me in 2010. I was 56 (almost 57) and found out that at that age was actually competitive. I ran several 5k’s that first year and one 10k, in which I reached the podium. After that, I was off to the races and continued to win or place most of the time. In 2013 I also got serious about triathlons. I am fortunate to be pretty good for my age in that sport as well. These two sports have given me the opportunity to travel to some very special races Like the Boston Marathon, Houston, Nashville, Memphis, Little Rock and of course KCMO and Stl. I have raced triathlons all over the country and love it that I can still compete in these sports 11 years later. Racing in Springfield at Bass Pro and Run for the Ranch taught me how to run marathons. God has truly blessed me with strong legs and longevity in these activities. If you start running or biking or swimming today, you will never regret it. Go for it! - Jim McDermott
Running is simple. One foot in front of the other. Breathe. A time of reflection. Self awareness. Let it all go time. Find out what you are made of time. Find out that you've got time. Find out who you really are, when everything else is stripped away. Running is personal. Running is my gift to me.- Jeff Holley
So there you have it friends. No matter how you look at it, running truly is a gift. Movement of any kind for that matter is a blessing undeserved. But just like any gift, it's up to you to use it to truly see it for what it is and to cherish it for what it brings into your life. So go for a run today... and smile knowing that you just opened something priceless.
Happy Running!!!
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