Why write? Why run?

So, the thing that is going through my head right now is, "Why am I writing this?".  You may ask yourself the same question about this blog, so I will try to explain in this introductory post. First of all this is primarily meant as a journal. It is intended for my benefit and a way for me to work through some things in my head. It is a way to keep me motivated and honest in my running goals. Secondarily, I realize that some people might end up reading this, and they may share some insight that can be useful to me. So, you see...this is a self-centered blog for my benefit. I do hope for a tertiary benefit from these writings. That hope is that there may be others who can find some sort of inspiration or motivation from my struggles (and maybe even successes) in training. I also believe that running and training for racing can provide powerful metaphors for the journey through life. Unless, you are trying to earn a living doing it though, it is not a good idea to forcibly draw any of these conclusions. You just have to let them happen and pray that you don't miss them. So, let's start.

If you haven't figured it out, the title of this blog is a play on the phrase, "The Runner's High".  I've actually written about that subject before, and I've even tried to explain it to people. Most likely that will not be discussed in this forum. There are many more lows and painful uphills than highs when it comes to training. If you disagree with this, then don't let me dissuade you, but I strongly believe that if you don't believe this then you're not really training. Your running is more of a escape as opposed to a journey. This site might not be for you.

I find myself often with the time and ability to run, but I either lack the motivation or the planning to fit it into my schedule. Usually the latter is just a way the former manifests itself and little to do with poor organization. The number one rule for this blog is intended for negative reinforcement (something that resonates with me more than positive reinforcement). If I miss a training day on a day that I planned to workout, then I HAVE to write. The intention is to encourage myself to get out there and to avoid having to write about it.

I also want to write about how my running is going and I intend to post my runs here when I have time. I probably won't have the time to write about every single one, but I will do my best so that anyone can follow what I've been doing and see the effects.

My relationship with running is a complicated one. It is a up and down partnership, but we've never completely broken it off. I often don't enjoy it and sometimes outright despise it. A good characterization is that I love running a lot more than I like it. The problem is that I still realize some utility from the undertaking, so I can't rid it from my life.

I will get deeper into my story over the coming weeks, months, and maybe years, but for now I'll let you know that there are still some goals that I want to accomplish. I've missed some opportunities in the past. I don't know if I'm trying to redeem myself or if I'm trying to reinvent myself, but there are some things I want to do, so hopefully this is one step along the journey.

--Gotta run.