I Believe in Running by Jenna Hoins

Olympic runner, Jesse Owens once said, "It was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs." I believe in the power, passion, and determination of running. Whether it's on a flat, concrete sidewalk or down a dirt trail covered in wood chips and leaves, the effect is essentially the same.

Running allows the body to experience a change that can help release stress and even change your entire body's view of life. I've ran cross country all four years of high school, but for my first two years I viewed running more as a chore that would keep me in shape rather than something enjoyable. But there came a point where I began to understand the beauty of running. Running allows a person to escape from everything else and have valuable time to think, to dream and to aspire.

I have been asked many times why I choose to run, and I have never really been able to give them a response. The feeling one has after a run is something you have to experience for yourself in order to know why. It is a combination of accomplishment, being really tired, and knowing your day has been that much better for doing something productive. You feel the greatest since of pride after a long, grueling, sweaty, so-sore-you-can-barely-walk-the-next-day run.

On a long Saturday morning run, my mind and body are at a continuous battle with one another. My body is telling me to stop and take a break as my legs become sore and my side starts to cramp up, but in my mind I know I have to keep going push myself harder than ever. Doubt starts to run through my mind, wondering if I'll even be able to take another step, but once again I keep on going breaking through a wall in my own mind. Once the finish is in sight, I feel a sense of relief and accomplishment. Nothing else has ever given me this same feeling of pride and achievement.

I run because it's my passion and not just a sport. Running, to me, is more than just a physical exercise...it's a consistent reward for victory, quoted by Sasha Azevedo, another Olympic runner. So what do I believe? I believe in running. It doesn't matter how, when or where, just as long as I'm going.