I read somewhere that 80% of those who take up running quit in the first month. Though I don't have the source (has anyone seen this statistic?) the number doesn't really surprise me. Running is difficult, demanding, and sometimes painful. It requires dedication, patience, and most of all, time. We take up running for all sorts of reasons, but I'm certain that those of us who keep doing it have found it to nourish our souls even more than our bodies. I don't claim to be an experienced runner, or even a fully committed one. I'll claim that after I've finished the San Francisco Marathon. But I know that in running I've found a place where, daily and weekly, I reach the limits of what I'm capable of, and then ask myself for more. And I can't think of a better habit or commitment to oneself than that.
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Why I Run
I read somewhere that 80% of those who take up running quit in the first month. Though I don't have the source (has anyone seen this statistic?) the number doesn't really surprise me. Running is difficult, demanding, and sometimes painful. It requires dedication, patience, and most of all, time. We take up running for all sorts of reasons, but I'm certain that those of us who keep doing it have found it to nourish our souls even more than our bodies. I don't claim to be an experienced runner, or even a fully committed one. I'll claim that after I've finished the San Francisco Marathon. But I know that in running I've found a place where, daily and weekly, I reach the limits of what I'm capable of, and then ask myself for more. And I can't think of a better habit or commitment to oneself than that.
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