I Run to Feel Alive

Today is National Running Day. Guess what I did this morning? Cycling? Nope. Lifting? Nope. I bet you thought kickboxing right? Nope. Running? But of course! I actually sort of planned my running days this week just so I could participate this year.

I didn't get to run last year and didn't even know about it the year before. But running has become such an integral part of my life and who I am, that I couldn't miss this year. Basically, I run to feel alive. It calms me, it helps me work through life, it's often a reason to get out of bed. No matter how tough a run is, it makes you feel ... period.

My plan was to get in 5 miles (got in 5.5 actually). It was about 10 degrees warmer this morning and definitely more humid. That always makes for a tougher run. We decided to take a different route today. Well, it was really only a few streets over different, but still. The point is we took a different street. Sometimes that's good, sometimes not. I did realize this particular road has more of an incline than I ever realized.

Yesterday we had run relatively fast. She had also done weights that evening. So today we were both sort of feeling the after effects of yesterday's workouts. Couple that with humidity and you get a much slower run. Though, we really needed the slower run, tired or not. We have a tendency to just go all out all the time without ever really scaling it back unless we're forced to because of heat, humidity or injuries.

So, not the easiest run, not the worst run either. Always good conversation and a great way to start off the day - especially National Running Day!

In honor of this day, I thought it might be fun to do a little bit of a random/fact-ish type post. Mostly because I was thinking this would be the day to not say certain things to a runner. So, here's my list of What Not to Say to a Runner:

• Running is bad for your knees. Research shows that running could actually protect you from future joint damage.

• Why on earth do you run? Um, why do you breathe?

• Did you win the race? Runners rarely win the races. We're usually there for fun. Only a handful are fast enough to win. And that's ok.

• You already ran this week, why are you running again? Because I want to?

• I hate running, absolutely hate it. That's fine. You don't have to love it, but you don't have to blatantly bash it either. I'm not demanding that you go run.

• Did you go for a jog today? No, no I did not. I ran. I did not jog.

Anything you'd ad to this list? Or what is something you shouldn't say to a weight lifter or perhaps a crossfiitter (sorry if that's an incorrect term)?

It also happens to be Way to Go Wednesday so I wanted to give a couple of shout outs.

Kierston at Candy Fit for recently competing in the OPA Ontario Championship. This girl rocks!

Katie at Katie Moves for finishing her 2nd half marathon despite the hot hot hot temps.

Anyone you want to send a shout out to?