Why I Run

Why do I run? That’s the easiest and the hardest question to answer.

At the most basic level, I run to stay fit. But running is about more that just fitness, running is a way of life.

I’ve always run, but I’ve not always seen myself as a runner.

As a state and national hockey player, running was just part of my ‘job’. To me it was time consuming, laborious and boring. But after 18 years in the game, and when I retired at the ripe old age of 22 years of age, running became a choice rather than a chore.

After spending so long in a team sport, running became something that was just for me; something where I was on my own, relying on no one but myself. And I loved it.

In 2004, I was diagnosed with an auto immune disease called Lupus. Suddenly, what had always been easy became hard. I was advised by doctors that running was no longer an option; getting through the day was challenging enough, how could I even think about running? But then again, how could I not? Running had given me great strength and happiness, so I chose to push on.

So why do I run? I run to prove that I can.

It was then that running became more a more serious pursuit for me. I am by no means an elite runner, but I do to endeavour to train like an athlete. I would describe myself as a very average runner with above average enthusiasm.

Despite my enthusiasm, I didn’t enter any fun runs, I just continued to race myself. The ‘Fun Run Bug’ didn’t hit until 2010, when I entered my first real race whilst living in Antwerp, Belgium. With my 30th birthday looming and a warning from a close friend that “everything gets harder after 30”, I once again decided to prove the opposite. I entered the 5km event and I finished as 10th woman across the line in 21:21.

On moving back to Sydney, I continued to run. My first event back was the 9km Bridge Run in Sydney with a friend. The ease at which I completed the event pushed me to enter my first half marathon (1:37) and subsequently my first marathon (3:15) and first 10km race (44:05).

And that was the start of a beautiful friendship. A friendship that blossomed into a love affair with Ultra Running in June 2015 (but that’s for another time).

At present (May, 2018), my personal records stand at 18:36 (5km), 39:08 (10km), 86:50 (Half Marathon), 3 hours 10 minutes (Marathon) and 4 hours 3 minutes (50km).  My personal record (and only record…so far) for 6 hour racing (my first ever ultra event) currently stands at 65km.

So why do I run? What initially started as a way to keep fit and take part in a pursuit all on my own, became my new competitive sport; my way of challenging perceptions and shattering expectations – my own and those of others.

Competitive by nature, I used to find myself pouring over other people’s times, comparing myself to them and to what they were achieving. Sometimes I came up favourably, but many times I fell short. But compared to what? And does it really matter? That’s the great thing about running; the minute you pull on a pair of shoes and start to jog you ARE a runner.

If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run. – John Bingham (American Marathon Runner)

Since learning to focus on MY goals and what I want to achieve, I have started to experience a great freedom in my running and am learning to “Run Fearlessly”. Now I’m running stronger than ever and, even better, I’m having fun doing it.

So why do I run? I run because I can.

Never outrun your joy of running.