Why I’m Taking Up Running.

Have you ever faced a challenge you thought would be unsurmountable, and then succeeded? Just the other day, I was watching the Diana Nyad movie on Netflix, and I was stunned by Ms. Nyad’s ability to persevere in the face of extreme challenges. On one of her attempts to swim from Cuba to the U.S., she was stung by a jelly fish, but nothing stopped her from getting right back in the water, and trying again, until she finally succeeded in her record-breaking journey.

 I, of course, am not even going to begin to compare myself to Diana Nyad—however, like her, I have so far been able challenge myself by completing something that has taken great effort and will power. That “something” for me is running.

 In high school, for P.E. class, we regularly took a bus to the local YMCA, and it was there that I began running on the treadmill. For our physical fitness tests, we had to run a mile in a certain time, and I was able to pass. However, running was no fun for me, and I regularly struggled with going long distances. At that time, I did not envision making running a permanent part of my life.

 However, for the past few months, I have been working out regularly at 24 Hour Fitness with my dad, as well as taking bi-weekly Zumba classes there with my Grandma Melinda. I wanted to take things to the next level, and, while I was giving a presentation at Toastmasters about working out a little while ago, a random thought popped into my head: Why don’t I try running? This new implementation could theoretically be the “cherry on top” of my new fitness routine.

 I typically tend to think of myself as a highly motivated person, who can eventually achieve anything he sets his mind to. This, of course, includes running, as I was about to find out. Once I proposed the idea to my dad, who has run in dozens of marathons and half-marathons, I could tell that he was overjoyed at my suggestion. I was incredibly excited to begin.

 A few weeks ago, my dad and I went on our first run together, as father and son. The distance was a mile, and before we left the house, I did not know what to expect. However, as soon as our feet hit the pavement, I felt a burst of confidence, and by the time we finished the route I was beaming with joy and satisfaction. We finished in roughly thirteen minutes. Since then, we have run several times, and now our new distance is two miles.

Taking up running has been extremely rewarding for me, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is seeking to up their fitness game. The vast part of the challenge is all in your head, in my humble opinion. Once one realizes this simple fact, they empower themselves to succeed, not just in running, but additionally in all other areas of life.

Me running by the beach in Ventura.