Running–We’re lovin’ it!

–by Ashley Zhou

If persistence is the hardest thing in the world, running is the second hardest. After running for a period of time, runners mostly experience two levels of changes, both physical and mental. Today, I want to take a look at how running affects people.

The first phase usually comes with some physical tiredness and uncomfortableness. Your limbs get sore, and you feel exhausted. Many people are not able to stick with running because they cannot get used to those symptoms. However, after this phase, running gets easier, and runners start to enjoy the subtle changes of their bodies. They become fitter and more agile.
Runners also feel accomplished and satisfied after finishing a long run. It is the same feeling as achieving a tough goal or overcoming an insurmountable difficulty, which can surpass their physical exhaustion. More importantly, running for or as a team makes running easier and the satisfaction more apparent. For example, our school’s Cross Country team has been working hard the entire year. They enjoy not only the pleasure of running but also the pleasure of working as a team.

Our team coach and also science teacher Mrs. Sackett said: “I have been running for many years, completing three marathons and countless 5K and 10K races. Now, I really enjoy working with student athletes. It’s great to see their hard work pay off with improved times. But the best part is seeing the camaraderie and support that develops among my runners. They find ways to make it fun in 110-degree heat! Practicing in the morning this year was a great way to start the day.”

David Kocen, one of our Cross Country runners, also shared his experience of running with us. “I always run in the morning because, more often than not, my run will be the hardest thing I do all day. Completing the hardest task first puts me in the right frame of mind for the rest of the day. Regardless of what else happens, I have already run three miles or more and that in itself is a great accomplishment. The best part about running in my opinion is its ability to help you cope with all of life’s stresses–be they standardized tests, social issues, or just feeling crappy. If I wake up stressed out about some responsibilities I have that day or something I forgot to do the day before, running allows me to re-sync my perspective on life and helps me realize that, in almost every case, the thing I am worried about does not warrant me getting stressed. I think there are two reasons running is able to do this. The first one is it simply exhausts all the worry out of me. By the end of a run, I am too tired to get stressed. I am just happy I finished and am too caught up with feeling accomplished. I cannot focus on trivial stresses. The second reason is that during a run, my mind continues working but experiences an altered perception of reality, sort of like when you are drifting into sleep. It is hard to describe what exactly changes, but this different form of thinking is really good at finding solutions to problems, enhancing perspective, and making me see that everything will work out in the end. I think this is part of the reason why I like running so much. It allows me to think and see life through a different lens, even if it is just a result of lack of oxygen to the brain.”

–Edited by Gaven Li