Running.

A lot of people don't get it. They say we runners are crazy.

I say, maybe we are. But how could we not be crazy about something as amazing, as wonderful, as rewarding as running is?

There is no feeling like it. It doesn't matter if your day has been chaotic or crazy or awful, going for a run will make you feel a hundred times better. It's a chance to have something stable, something consistent, something personal, something dependable to turn things around when the world becomes messy. Feeling the pounding of your feet on the ground in a steady rhythm, your elevated heartbeat, the endorphins racing through your veins, is one of the most powerfully calming things in the world.

Plus, running allows you to connect with the landscape, to experience the space around you in a unique and intimate way. You get to engage with it, instead of just exist in it. Especially when traveling, running lets you see more, feel more, do more with the new and exciting places you visit. You can explore the area on foot, becoming much more familiar and appreciative of it than if you were to stick to driving or walking. You can find unknown panoramas from the top of hills, backroad sunsets that fade seamlessly into the horizon, and all of the other hidden local wonders that elude a typical tourist.

Running also allows you to connect with yourself. It is a time to take a step back, to analyze mentally, physically and emotionally how you are doing, which, in the bustling daily schedules we follow, is something of a luxury. It can be both a time to reflect or a time to zone out, depending on your needs at the time.

Running makes you feel powerful, accomplished. Whether you train to race or just to stay in shape, whether you are really grinding it out on the trail with a speed workout or just keeping to rhythmic mileage, following through with the goals you set for yourself brings you success.

And beyond all of this, running brings happiness. As much as I may try to describe the feelings that this amazing sport delivers, it just boils down to the purest form of joy. As simple as that. Really, only runners can fully appreciate what I'm trying to say, because the joy of running isn't an explanation, it is an experience, and one that I highly recommend.

I am a runner. I love to run.