Why Do You Run?

     Sitting in Sbux at the well-used table by the barista's bar, I sipped the Venti Skinny Mocha and flipped the pages in a fitness magazine that I picked up at the Surf City Half Marathon post race exposition.  "Why Do You Run?" in bold font was printed on the cover with a red-headed woman staring out at me.
     There were the pedestrian answers, "I run because I like to eat," or "I run because I like the jewelry."  Others run because they feel strong, want to be alone or outdoors, or faster than, "...guys twice my size." Some went full Descartes with, "I run therefore I am." It has not taken much time for me to answer this question today.
     Kierkegaardian/Nietzschian existentialism (though let's not get into the argument of existence or non-existence of god) formulates the basis for running.  I am an individual who embraces life passionately. I am responsible for keeping my muscles firing, strengthening the marrow in my bones, and developing skills.  Running, along with so many other things I do (learning languages, cooking and tasting fine foods and wine, watching tv with the family, yoga, RAGNAR, traveling, golf, teaching, reading, meeting new people, loving) gives my life meaning despite obstacles of fear, angst, hate, doubt, alienation, absurdity (see Kierkegaard's absurdism), placed in front of us.
     I run because it is something that I value and it brings meaning to my life.  Plus, had Nietzsche been around for Shorter or Prefontaine when he said the following, "All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking,"  he might have included running in his quotation, too.