Why do you run?

People often ask me, "Why do you run?" I wish I could say," because I am fast" or" I look really good in running shorts," but the truth is-I like to eat. Not just eat, but I like to eat carbohydrate laden junk food. I have never met a brownie I couldn't turn down.With my propensity for pastries often driving my eating habits, I have to counter act it with something, or I would blow up like Violet in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  People who know me say, "You're not fat. You don't have anything to worry about." But, the truth is I do. I polished off four boxes of Lucky Charms in a couple of months all by myself. They are delicious one small bowl at a time! But small bowls add up quickly, and  I soon found myself unable to button my pants. Who among us has not encountered the same problem? We get a little lax with our eating, stop exercising, and soon find the dial on the scale moving in the wrong direction. Personally, I can't afford to buy a new wardrobe every year because I have put on ten pounds worth of Lucky Charms.  Running helps me to balance my food intake. I have found over the years that when I am exercising, my eating habits begin to change. I eat less junk food and a few more healthy things.  When I am consistently running, I have little more discipline and self control in the nutritional area of my life.  I still enjoy a bowl of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream, with chocolate syrup, whip cream, and sprinkles, but once a week instead of every night. I might even have an apple for a snack, instead of peanut M & M's.  For me, running is the one thing that continually brings balance to my life-especially in the area of eating.  It is the check that balances out my passion for Panera because I am not fast, and no one really looks good in running shorts. (Okay, I saw a few people today who looked good in them). I am counting the miles, because the calories count!

The Start

Today is the first day of my blog. I can't believe I have actually started to do this. I have thought about it for a long time, but have never ventured into the cyberworld of writing, until today. My relationship with running is very similar. I reluctantly began running in college, but soon fell in love. Once the miles became less laborious, and my mind was free to wander untethered by the cries of my lungs, legs, and feet, I caught hold of the joy that running can bring . Each run brings with it a set of challenges, joys, pains, triumphs, and lessons.  This blog is about the things I have learned along the miles I have run. Because in life, just like in running, every mile counts.