Running was my first love

Running was the first sport I was truly excited about. When I was in elementary school, we would have a gym elective class three days a week. At the end of every class, we had to run a lap around the fields before returning to the classroom. The boys would always start first and the girls would follow once they were halfway around the field. I was curious because I was catching up to some of the slower boys even with a thirty-second delay, so I asked the coach one day if I could run with the boys. He was ecstatic to see if I could catch them and encouraged me to line up with the boys at the end of class. As I sauntered up to the faded yellow-painted line, the boys groaned in protest and feigned offense. They looked back and forth between me and the coach, but he just gave a thumbs-up. When that whistle blew, I pushed off as hard as I could to get in front of the crowd. Once I pushed past the sandy play area and could see the basketball court, I gave it my all. I managed to pass 11 out of the 12 boys in my class. I ran with the boys every day after that; they began to push themselves harder to prevent me from beating them and incited some great, friendly competition. My love for running blossomed and hasn't dwindled since.

I ran competitively all throughout middle and high school. Even though we were the smallest team in our school, I loved being on the cross country team. The friendships I made were some of the strongest in my whole high school experience. I wasn't quite fast enough to consider running in college, but I still ran through campus at night with my dog. Now, I mostly run for fun (crazy I know). It feels almost meditative to pop in my headphones, play my favorite music, and run through my favorite parts of town. I don't have to think of anything other than the lyrics of my music and putting one foot in front of another. I love how universal and accessible running is as a sport. You don't need any fancy gear - at least at first. All you need is a good pair of shoes and enough courage to take the first step outside.

When you want a goal to train for, there's a surplus of running events you can sign up for. The excitement on a race day is unmatched. There are often lots of vendors, food stands, and even runners in costumes! You can't help but have a huge smile on your face when an older man passes you in a race wearing a turkey on his head. Runners are truly some of the most welcoming and kind group of people I've ever met. No matter where you are in your running journey, runners are always ready with tips, tricks, funny stories, and a positive attitude to welcome you into the community. Running was the best introduction to fitness I could have asked for and a truly great equalizer.