So I recently got into running again. I don’t think I’ll be racing in the NYC Marathon in November, but I consider myself a hobby jogger — running for “fun” and health and some other reasons. My weekly schedule consists of two or three easy runs, maybe a tempo run or intervals, and the tried and true Saturday long run. This might be the year I race one of the cleverly named Hoboken 5ks: The HoBOOken 5k or The Jingle Bell. I’ve learned a lot so far as I’ve gotten back into running. I have a better understanding of fuel and am currently shopping for a new everyday trainer. But most of all, I’ve learned a lot about myself.
I have the utmost respect for endurance athletes. They can do so much cardio for so long while making unbelievable time. I’ve been seeing a lot on social media about endurance sports. All the long-distance runners, swimmers, triathletes, and marathoners can withstand extreme amounts of time putting their bodies through work. The most recent TikTok I saw was explaining that if you are someone who has gotten into endurance sports, you either (1) ran cross country in high school, (2) have anxiety or depression, (3) have gone through a vicious friend breakup, or (4) had your heart broken. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at my screen when this creative 15-second clip flew across my For You page. Without sharing the exact category I find myself in, I can confidently say all the people I know who participate in endurance sports, especially running, have been in at least one of these categories.
Living right across the water from NYC, the views are unbeatable. I found myself on daily walks, sometimes twice a day too. By my sophomore year, I had asked for a pair of Hokas for Christmas and started to get outside to run. It was like the best relief I could’ve asked for. Running became something I craved and my body needed. I got back to campus for my junior year, and life started to do that thing. It wasn’t just being busy with school and things; there was a lot going on in my personal life that took away a lot of my “me time.” I found myself coming home for the summer after my junior year, looking for that feeling I used to have “the itch,” if you will. After I started running again this past summer, I haven’t looked back.
Whenever my friends ask if I like to run, I compulsively utter out an excited “YES!” Then I quickly explain how I don’t love running, I love being done running. Runner’s high only lasts so long and it’s just genuinely difficult. I’ve always been told that it never gets easier; you just get better at getting used to it. I love this way of thinking. All jokes aside, I do actually love to run. I love knowing that my body can do hard things, and I can push myself to hit certain paces and distances. I love how cheap it is to just go outside and get a workout in. The views of NYC from the comfort of the Weehawken and Jersey City waterfronts are unbeatable. Most of all, I love being able to clear my head and work through my issues. I’ve been able to figure a lot out during my runs recently, which has been lovely. I can’t wait to get better at running and watch my pace and overall times improve. I’ve managed to keep my Strava account on the down low, and hopefully, after this article is published, it can stay that way (lol I’m on private mode)! I’m grateful for my rediscovery of running, and I look up to all of the endurance athletes out there.
