Distance running has always been something that I dreaded. Whether it was conditioning for soccer, wind sprints for basketball, or when my friends convinced me to join the track team in middle school. Like eating vegetables, it’s always been something I had done because I knew it was good for you but never truly enjoyed. I would go on runs during the off-season, to stay in shape for soccer but of course loathed every minute of it. It wasn’t until towards the end of high school, when I finished playing my final season of soccer, that I began to start running regularly. At first it began as just a way for me to stay in shape, in lieu of the countless hours of soccer practices and games I usually had per week. Somewhere along the way I grew to like distance running. I fell in love with the endorphins that kick in after completing a run and the liberating feeling of being able to metaphorically run-away and de-stress. I came to like discovering new routes to run around the city, the extremely steep hills and the long, flat stretches, I loved all of it. It became my escape, my outlet, like soccer once was.

As satisfying as running as a hobby was, there was nothing competitive about it. This was a huge change for me as the world of competitive soccer was just the exact opposite. There was no outlet for the competitive streak in me instilled by soccer. The idea of racing, distance running as a sport instead of a hobby, seemed unappealing to me-- that the seriousness would ruin the appeal of running for fun. I decided to become my own competitor. With the help of a fitness tracker app, I started to keep track of the amount of miles I ran per week. It turned into a game for me, how many miles I could run at a given pace. I loved the feeling of accomplishment after a run because the results were solely up to me.

Unlike soccer, running wasn’t a team sport. I was in charge of how rigorous a workout was and could progress at my own pace. This was both a positive and negative. In soccer, I was used to relying on my coaches and teammates to help me improve. I was able to keep better track of my progress based on the results of each game, how well we played as a team. With running, it was different; there was no one to push me except myself. I soon realized that running was a sport of extreme mental strength. I began challenging myself to run more and more-- gradually. Believe me, it definitely was not easy at first. As time went on, I realized that as long as I put my mind to it, there was no telling where or how long I could run. Two years passed and my love for running as a hobby only grew. December of 2015 rolled around and I decided that this year, I would stick to my New Year’s resolution. With the help of the fitness tracker app, I set out to run 1,000 miles in 2016. 10 months later, running 18-20 miles a week, I am currently less than 180 miles away from reaching that goal-- with 2 months left to go in the year. It’s been a long process but I’ve found that running has been such a positive influence in my life. It’s a stress reliever, a healthy habit, and a hobby that I actually enjoy.

Never in a million years, did I ever think that I would actually enjoy distance running-- especially as much as I do now. And although I’m still chasing my goal of reaching mile number 1,000, I hope to improve upon this goal annually. Running has taught me so many things. From goal setting, to self-confidence, to knowing that anyone is capable of achieving anything, as long as they put their mind to it. I’m in it for the long run. Mile number 1,000 here I come.