Running is how I run away from my problems without really running away, let me explain. For me, the benefits of what is arguably the most tediously grueling form of exercise there is are strictly mental. Sure it is great for the heart and lungs, and sure I can still lay down a 10K in under 40 minutes, but the speed, time, and all the rest of the “measured” side of running is no longer the focus. When I run, I am able to clear my head and contemplate what is going on in my life. The anxiety that would otherwise cloud my judgment, falls away as I pound the trails or concrete. I do not listen to music and I seldom even record my runs anymore because I want to hear that inner voice. The voice I can only hear when I am too tired physically to overcomplicate things mentally. It could be a homework assignment, an issue in my personal life, or even joy. That tendency we have to blow things out of proportion (usually when things seem to be going really bad or really good), is refreshingly absent when I run. I am able to step away from a situation and then return with a fresh mind or sometimes even a solution I came to along the way. A lot of people do not like to run, I often hear people cite how boring it is as the reason they don’t do it. The truth though, is most people don’t like to run because they think it’s hard…. And it is! You are all on your own and you can stop at any point you want. The motivation has to come from you or it isn’t coming at all. Before I go any further, I will be the first to admit running for the sake of running is no longer something I have any interest in doing. I use it exclusively for the mental benefits and to get an edge in my other physical pursuits. These mental benefits are something I believe almost all of us can tap into and it doesn’t matter how fast you are or how long you go. Take all the measuring out of it! It doesn’t matter what you look like or if you have never done much running in the past. You can get in on this.

This clarity I am talking about has a scientific basis. You have likely heard the term “runners high”, but if you haven’t this is when your body releases “feel good” chemicals called endorphins when you partake in physical activity. It is a feeling like few others. You may be gasping for breath, your heart racing, but there is this relaxation that falls where none of that seems to be able to get in the way of you from putting one foot in front of the other. Newer research has suggested that this feeling may even be due to elevated levels of endocannabinoids after running. These chemicals are produced naturally in the body, but as the name might suggest they are similar to cannabis.

Whatever the cause, this awesome feeling is something we all can and should experience. I have been a consistent runner for over ten years, but the current level of appreciation I have for the activity is relatively newfound. If I had any advice for getting started it would be to get outside! Treadmills certainly have their place but today I feel like choosing a treadmill over an outside run, barring the weather of course, in some respects sacrilegious to running itself. Indoors you are far more likely to stare at a television or at the very least listen to music; no judgment here, If you can do a hard run on a treadmill with no stimulation you are one very tough person. I would not mess with you. However, if you’re looking for mental benefits as well, this is harder to achieve indoors. So go get after it alright? It isn’t about others, and it isn’t about how many miles you can jack up on Strava. If you live in Vancouver or the greater area, as I do, there is no excuse to not give running a try and to try it outdoors!