You have to want to run.

In this month’s issue of Runners World, the cover story is about motivation. Now, I’m new to the running magazine world, so I’m sure they have an article about motivation in every issue. But bear with me. In one of the stories, where the subject talks about how he entered 3 marathons before actually competing in one, he said that the difference between the marathons he entered and gave up on training and the marathon that he actually raced, the difference is that before he knew that he should run but now he knew that he wants to run.

That advice really spoke to me. Especially since I don’t feel like I’m there yet — running is still a chore, even if I love the way I feel afterward. Running hurts, and it’s cold, and I haven’t lost any weight or inches in the last four weeks, but I know that I should do it so I keep going. 

There are things about running that I want. I want to be fit enough to run a marathon one day. I want to lose enough weight to be in a normal body mass index, which is something that I’ve only been able to do for about 2 years of the past 14 of post-adolescence. I want to be able to brag to the world that I’m a runner.

But I have to want to run. From the article:

Our dedication to running won’t last if it’s fueled primarily by outside of superficial influences. … On the flip side, if you run because it’s fun or stimulating in some way… you’re much more likely to stick with it.

There are a lot of things about running that I like. I like all the things I see, and how much more accessible the world feels to me when I know that this store or this corner is only a 20-minute-run away. I like how usually when it’s freezing outside, your toes and fingers and extremities are the ones that feel the coldest but when you are running, your blood circulates and my fingers are toasty warm. I like seeing all the beautiful sites in my city (Lewiston has several beautiful churches and I run by at least a half-dozen of them).

And those are all things about running that I like that no other exercise can do. I try to focus on those things when its really hard to stay motivated.

Pattie Reaves

About Pattie Reaves

I'm a new mom and renegade fitness blogger at After the Couch. I live in Brewer with my husband, Tony, our daughter Felicity, and our two pugs, Georgia and Scoop.