why i love running essay

I love running! 12 reasons why running is awesome

By Mike Maddox

As a kid, I just couldn’t sit still. When I wasn’t running, I was kicking a ball (and running after it). I should have been born with a funky t-shirt that read “I love running” on it. You get the gist.

In Junior school, I was the sports team captain who would run the final leg of the 4×100 metre relay (oh the glory) and later represented the school at cross country. I simply loved the sport and I was quite good too.

However, aged 15 I suffered two detached retinas, and after a long operation to save my sight I was told by doctors to give up all sports for the foreseeable future. Pretty life-changing for a kid who loved nothing but sport.

As I progressed into adulthood (and pubs) sport became nothing more than a spectacle to be watched on the TV with a pint in-hand.

Two decades went by reserved for drinking, university, study, drinking, watching football, smoking, eating, travelling, parties, girls, drinking (did I already mention that?) working and little else. Certainly not running!

Now in my forties, and like so many other middle-aged men, exercise has made a come back in my life. Most notably running.

Once again I’m falling in love with the sport. Here’s why.

Why I love running

1. running belongs to us all.

Old, young, male, female, rich, poor, fit or fat, running has no boundaries. Running doesn’t care if you’re fast or slow, run short or long distances or something in between. Running is yours to own, it’s whatever you want it to be. It’s your PB, it’s your race, it’s your run.

It’s about you and me, the average person on the street. Not millionaire footballers. It’s us. We’re out there doing it, living it, feeling alive.

2. Running is affordable

There aren’t many sports in the world that require nothing more than a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. For most of us a pair of trainers too. Everything else is a luxury. For less than $100 almost everyone can kit themselves out with the latest branded sweat-wicking, reflective, trendy gear.

3. Running is freedom

I love running because it doesn’t require a ticket, a pitch, anyone or anything else. Day or night, in sunshine or rain on roads or through fields. Running is pure freedom.

It’s the ability to put your shoes on and two minutes later be on your merry way. Running opens your lungs, your eyes and your mind. It can set you free. Free from the worries of the world, your stresses and strains. For as long and as hard as you want to go, running will take you there.

Running is energy, it’s pure, it’s life. I love running.

4. You get to discover new places

Running gets you out of the house, and out of your comfort zone and the more you do it, the more likely you are to want to discover new places.

See new parts of your own town or take on a remote mountain trail. With so many gadgets available these days we can plot and run our way across pretty much anywhere.

5. I love running because it simply keeps you fit

Guidelines in the UK suggest that adults take at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise (like running) every week to help keep us healthy.

Just a couple of runs a week and you’ll be smashing your fitness goals!

For me, running helps keep my SIJ (sacroiliac joint) pain in order and I definitely get fewer colds and illnesses.

In addition, we should also be strength training two or more days per week, focusing on all the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms).

Related: 20 benefits of joining a gym

6. The mental health benefits

There’s growing evidence emerging about the positive mental health benefits of running such as stress relief as well as boosting self-esteem and confidence.

Since I started running, I’ve definitely experienced and benefited from all of these positive mental health factors.

7. It helps you think and be creative

In addition to the mental health benefits above, running helps you to think and be more creative. In fact, there isn’t a run that goes by when I don’t return home and need to scramble for a piece of paper or my phone so that I can write or record new ideas and thoughts.

Out there on the road with nothing more than your thoughts (don’t tell me you run with music!), deep breathing, plus the repetitive thud of your steps to keep you occupied, your mind can go to some weird and wonderful places.

“Motion causes emotion” Tony Robbins

Trying to make a difficult decision when you’re sitting passively at home is hard. How many times have you heard someone say “I need to get some fresh air.”?

It’s that fresh air, the motion of your body that changes your chemistry, your mentality, your physicality and gets you in a pumped state of mind.

I love running because no matter how crap and how tired you feel, there’s no better way to help you think clearly, get motivated or make decisions than after or during a really good run.

All of those endorphins combined with the fresh air, freedom and creativity will always do you the world of good.

Still here? Go on. I’ll wait…

8. The running community are awesome

Another reason why I love running is that you feel part of a bigger community. A community that spans the globe and has no ego – well not at our level.

Online, Twitter has a great community and there are always local events happening no matter where you live.

Park Run is a great place to start and there are also many online platforms such as DASHR , Jogging Buddy and Run Together which help runners to find others to run with. MeetUp is also a good place to look for meet-ups in your local area.

I’ve taken part in a handful of races now, and in every single one, there has been nothing but great support and goodwill between all of the competitors and spectators.

I experienced this by the bucketload when I recently ran a half marathon with a friend of mine who was struggling with his weight and depression. We ran most of the race in last place, but the support we received was nothing short of incredible.

We’re all in the same boat. Just trying to do our best.

Related: Embracing failure is the key to success

9. There’s always an event to look forward to

It seems like every weekend there’s a run or an event to take part in. From 5k Park Runs , 10k, half and full marathons there’s something for everyone to get out there and test (and enjoy) yourself.

There’s nothing quite like the buzz of standing amongst a crowd of runners waiting for the countdown. With all of your training and preparation completed, you’re ready to run.

That’s when I feel the most alive. When I’m taking part.

10. You’re much better at maths now than you were at school

In your quest to get better, you become a mathematician as you try to work out how fast you need to run each mile to break your PB. Don’t lie to me, I’ve seen your post-it notes with scribbled equations on them.

What you don’t do that?

11. You can tell anyone how many miles there are in a kilometre

You can easily spot a runner when someone at work casually asks how far 10 kilometres is in miles. Before anyone else gets a chance, they nail it, shouting “6.2 miles” across the office.

In case you’re wondering:

1km = 0.62 miles 1 mile = 1.6km

12. You know what you want for your birthday and Christmas

How many birthdays and Christmas’s have you been asked “What do you want…” from a loved one and replied with a shrug “I don’t know.”?

As a runner, you can’t wait for the question. There’s new gear to be had, books to read, magazine subscriptions or races to be signed up for.

Simply put, being a runner can make you as excited as a child again, and that reason alone is enough as to why I love running.

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Why I Love Running

by Coach Suzy

Why do I love running? Because it makes me feel I can accomplish the impossible. It satisfies my yearning for adventure and it gives me moments of clarity otherwise unreachable. Problems and thoughts that have been swirling around in my mind disappear when I’m deep in the rhythm of my footsteps and my favorite tunes on my mp3 player. I often discover the perfect solution during my run or when I’m done with my workout. Simply put, running makes me a better person and a better Coach.

The running community is made up of people with incredibly diverse backgrounds and equally as diverse reasons that they run. No matter what drives them to keep hitting the pavement day after day, there are undeniable physical and psychological benefits of running as well. Let’s take a look at some of the physical benefits. [i] Running:

Fights the aging process by preventing the muscle and bone loss that often comes with age.
Reduces the risk of blood clots and heart attacks by strengthening the heart, lowering blood pressure and keeping the arteries elastic and healthy.
Raises levels of HDL, the “healthy” cholesterol.
Boosts the immune system by creating a higher concentration of white blood cells that attack disease.
Burns an average of 100 calories for every mile jogged, making it an efficient way to lose/maintain weight.

Besides these tangible physical benefits, running has profound psychological effects as well. Most notably, many runners experience intense exhilaration and euphoria, commonly known as the “runner’s high”. This natural high comes from the release of endorphins, which pour into your system after exertion as nature’s way of preventing pain. Running can also be used as a drug-free way to help treat clinical depression and other psychological disorders. Other psychological benefits of running include:

Increased confidence as you reach for and achieve your distance goals.
Relieved stress and the ability to cope with problems more effectively.
A positive attitude and a general sense of happiness.
Boosted self-esteem related to positive changes in your body, such as weight loss.

Last but certainly not least, running provides us with a venue to spend time with friends and meet like-minded fitness lovers like ourselves.

So, if you’re already a runner, these are just some of the reasons for you to keep putting one foot in front of the other. For those of you who are still tortured by the thought of running a block, consider coming out for one of our group runs or joining me for our “Learn to Run” Program. While running may not magically solve all of your problems, and life will continue to pull you in a million different directions, I promise you lots of health benefits and a wonderful feeling of accomplishment deep down inside.

Are you ready to love running too?!

Suzy Cerra is a USAT certified triathlon coach, Camp Director, Assistant Race Director and VP of Operations with Experience Triathlon. As leaders in the endurance coaching industry, Coach Suzy and the Experience Triathlon coaching team help athletes balance the demands of life with their personal athletic goals, and have fun while doing so. Learn more about Coach Suzy and Experience Triathlon at www.experiencetriathlon.com .

[i] Fletcher GF, Balady G, Blair SN, et al. Statement on Exercise: Benefits and Recommendations for Physical Activity Programs for All Americans: A Statement for Health Professionals by the Committee on Exercise and Cardiac Rehabilitation of the Council on Clinical Cardiology, American Heart Association. Circulation. 1996;94:857-862.

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My Worst Best Marathon

When I arrived in Chicago for the 2021 marathon last week, I had every reason to believe I would beat my previous marathon time: a 3:29 at the 2020 Los Angeles Marathon that put me minutes under the Boston Marathon qualifying threshold. Qualifying for Boston is a big achievement for most runners, one I was proud of, and one I wanted to surpass. But it wasn't to be.

Eighteen months ago, I probably would have been too ashamed or embarrassed to write this story. But today, I'm surprised to find that not only do I want to, I feel proud to write it. The truth is, I've changed. I still want to chase big goals and push myself. But what happened Sunday during the 26.2 miles of the race made me better — even if it was my worst marathon time yet.

Running was not just a thing I did, it was a place I went. Somewhere I could be alone and let my thoughts unspool, or barely think at all.

When I started running more seriously five years ago, I instantly applied my Type A ambition to the endeavor. Running meant getting faster with every race. And for years, I did just that. Then, just a few short days after my running pinnacle at the LA Marathon, the city shut down. The pandemic took hold. I kept running, pulling up my mask whenever I came within 12 feet of my neighbors, but I was adrift. Like so many of us, I was full of grief for all we had lost, and a wave of depression left me feeling physically sick. It was hard to wake up in the mornings. My stomach always hurt. I cried when I listened to the news, then felt guilty for the crashing waves of my emotions, knowing how privileged I was and how much worse so many other people had it. But I still ran. I needed to. Running was not just a thing I did, it was a place I went. Somewhere I could be alone and let my thoughts unspool, or barely think at all. On my early-pandemic runs, I would ruminate on the beauty of the jacaranda trees in my neighborhood, leaving behind the stress that awaited me when I returned home to my computer and my phone, taking deep breaths and feeling how precarious and wonderful it was to be able to do just that. Then, in the summer of 2020, I sprained my ankle. Badly. Being injured is always hard. This time it was harder.

It was a long road back to recovery from me, both physically and when it came to mental wellness. But I dedicated myself to focusing on both. Not to, I felt, would be to disrespect everyone who wasn't able to do just that. I had to get better, I thought, simply because I had the opportunity to do it. I started back slow. In June of this year, when Nike asked me if I wanted to train for another marathon , I knew I was ready. I started working with running coach Rebeka Stowe to get race-ready for Chicago. It was a joyful training cycle. The world was cautiously reopening, and people were gathering together again. I ran with Koreatown Run Club and alongside my good friend Sheena as she prepared for the LA Marathon. I felt my speed returning, my belief in my running ability and my athletic determination trickling back into my body and brain.

Then it was race day. It wasn't long after I crossed the start line in Chicago that I realized I didn't feel right. I pride myself on my steel will, my ability to push through discomfort, and my dedication. I mean, marathons are supposed to be hard. But it also became clear that not only would reaching my goal time be nearly impossible after my rocky start, but to do it would require sacrificing something I didn't want to give: the joy of the run, the first of the American major marathons to take place since the pandemic began.

By mile eight, I knew that strange, elusive alchemy that creates the ideal race had not come together for me that day. And I changed my goal. As I looked around me at the tens of thousands of people running, I decided to let awe wash over me. All of us had survived, and here we were, back together, trying to do this impossible-seeming thing. Wow. How lucky was I to be sharing the asphalt with other runners again? To be able to be in my body, to smile, to laugh at the corny marathon signs people hoisted at us from the sidewalks? So lucky. My new focus was to lean into that feeling of elation, of gratitude, and turn my race into a fun run. To be honest, most of the miles were still not that fun. I've lucked out in my running career; even in my previous marathons, I didn't really struggle. Of course, those races were extremely hard, but I felt good — if challenged — throughout. This was different. My guts were twisted. My mouth felt made of cotton. It simply was not in me. Did I make some rookie mistakes that contributed to that? Yes. Did some things completely out of my control impact my performance? Yes. But do I feel the need to go into detail, make excuses, or offer to anyone an explanation? No.

The last year and a half has changed me. I'm still driven to push myself and accomplish more as an athlete, a writer, a person in the world. But as I gave myself the grace and understanding I needed during those long 26.2 miles in Chicago, I realized I'd grown. I'd come to learn that being kind to yourself doesn't always mean giving up on yourself. Being gentle with yourself doesn't always equal letting yourself off the hook. Sometimes it just means allowing yourself the grace you'd give anyone else in that moment. And that's hard. But I did it. And for that, I'm proud.

Don't doubt it: I'm still going to get that personal record. I know my Boston qualifying time was no fluke and I absolutely believe I can do it again. But I don't feel like I have to do it in order to prove something to myself or anyone else this time, to post my finish time on Strava and Instagram and impress some people, to feel like I've earned the label "fast." So, while my time in the Chicago Marathon wasn't an achievement for me, the race no doubt was. I've become a better athlete, a better person, and a better friend to myself. How could that not be a win?

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Home » Interviews » 4 Professional Runners Answer: “Why do you love running?”

4 Professional Runners Answer: “Why do you love running?”

Posted May 18, 2016
by Jason Fitzgerald

Running captured my heart in 1998 – and I’ve been running nearly every day since I tied my first pair of running shoes.

Throwback to Lexington High School cross country!! #tbt #xc A photo posted by Jason Fitzgerald (@jasonfitz1) on Aug 27, 2015 at 7:11am PDT

The comaraderie of a team made grueling workouts and high mileage tolerable.

The accountability of a coach allowed me to push harder than I could have alone.

The objectivity of racing taught me more about myself than any other sport.

And this incredible sport introduced me to my wife, best friends, and has given me a career that lets me help tens of thousands of runners just like you accomplish their biggest goals.

That’s what Strength Running is all about: helping you achieve faster race times with fewer injuries and more enjoyment.

This is why I focus so much on injury prevention , smart nutrition , and getting support when you need it. It’s why I challenge you to train strategically – rather than exercise mindlessly .

There are, of course, other reasons why we love running. When I asked you about those reasons, this is what you told me:

“I feel such a sense of freedom and happiness. Not looking or acting my age is a definite bonus!” – Marilyn “The burn in your muscles after pushing yourself to the limit. Nothing like it.” – Barry “Just the knowledge that I could go run 10 miles any old time I wanted.” – Cabe “Not looking my age.” – Colleen “Having the time to myself; feeling the air and observing the surroundings” – Cristina “The feeling of accomplishment when I cross the finish line!” – Marilyn

Many of the reasons why the SR community loves running can be seen in the free digital book 50 Quotes to Inspire You to Run Down Your Dreams (along with 50 drool-worthy photos from around the world).

But today, I want to expand our understanding of running by asking professional runners why they love running.

Sure, they get paid to run. But is that why they love it? Let’s find out.

Max King: “Adventure, speed, and simplicity at its finest”

Max King is the Renaissance Man of professional runners. Just look at a brief glimpse of his resume:

6th place, 2012 Olympic Trials 3,000m Steeplechase
1st place, 2011 & 2012 USATF Trail Running Championships
4th place, 2014 Western States 100 mile endurance run
1st place, 2012 XTerra Trail Running National & World Championship
1st place, 2011 IAAF World Mountain Running Championship
1st place, 2014 Warrior Dash World Championship (don’t miss our interview! )

So, why does Max King love running? Here’s his answer:

I love a lot of things about running, that’s why I tend to do a lot of it and not a lot of anything else. It’s adventure, it’s speed, it’s simplicity at it’s finest.It’s me against myself, me against my competitors and me against the mountains but at the same time it’s being at one with all of those elements.

It’s what we used to use for transportation, it’s what takes me to see the world, and what we’ll be using long after fossil fuels run out.

The foot falls on dirt have occurred millions of times yet every time is great and sometimes painful but continues to draw me out the door every day.

Well put Max!

David Roche: Simplicity, Purpose, Structure

David Roche is an animal on the trails. A member of Nike Trail Elite, David is a two-time USATF trail running national champion. Oh, and he’s a full-time attorney on top of being a professional runner.

In all of his free time, David writes a monthly column for Trail Runner Magazine and was named the 2014 US Sub-Ultra Trail Runner of the Year.

Let’s find out why he loves running:

I love running because it’s simple. Put on shoes and go, almost every morning.

While running is a simple act, it introduces so many complex things into my life. The most obvious are purpose and structure–everything from bedtime to meal-time revolves around an external clock dictated by running.

Also obvious, but perhaps less existential, is that it burns calories. If you love to eat, running is the best!

Those are all internal reasons; however, the external reasons are the most meaningful to me. Running connects us to the community and to nature. Life without cool people and big trees is far less rich.

And the final reason is the biggest, most enduring connection of all. Running connects us to death. If you run seriously, you toe the line of your own mortality, seen daily in physical progress followed by both gradual and sudden failures, some nearly imperceptible and some completely catastrophic.

When you become intimately acquainted with the nuances of your body’s failure, you also become acquainted with the thin line that separates being full of life with being dust. Understanding mortality is the key to truly, unflinchingly loving life.

In that way, the simple failure inherent in running is the key to enlightenment. WOOT!

Can we get a big cheer for this quote?! “ Life without cool people and big trees is far less rich .” Click here to tweet it!

Andy Wacker: “I love running because of cooperation”

Andy Wacker is one of the best trail and mountain runners in the world. A few of his noteworthy accomplishments:

2nd place, 2015 World Mountain Running Long Distance Championships
Olympic Marathon Trails qualifier (multiple times)
1st place, 2015 USATF Trail 50k National Championships
1st place, 2014 and 2015 Mt. Evans Ascent
1st place, 2014 Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver Half Marathon
1st place, 2014 USATF Colorado 10k Championships
1st place, 2013 USATF Colorado 5-mile Championships

I interviewed Andy after he placed 2nd at the 2015 USATF Mountain Running Championships and his enthusiasm and love for running was clear to me. The podium finishes are great, but why does Andy really love running?

Here’s what he told me:

What I love about running is a difficult question for me to answer. Not because I don’t love running, but because running is such an integral part of my life. It’s kind of like asking what is your favorite thing about being able to breathe. We just like breathing!I could say running is a great way to test my personal limits, finding ways to challenge myself. It could be my love of competition. How it’s thrilling to burn down the track in an all out sprint, or to slowly break my adversaries over long miles in a road race.

And who doesn’t like how running makes us free? Running on mountain single track without a care in the world. It doesn’t matter what pace you’re running. It’s just you, a pair of worn-out and potentially wet from that last creek crossing, running shoes and nature.

But, instead, I’m going to talk about the American White Pelican.

For the summer months, the American White Pelican migrates north from the costal beaches of Mexico, Florida and California to Colorado. Yes, fish-scooping pelicans love Colorado! These large birds, with nine-foot wingspans, fly in formation over the prairie enjoying the mountain sunshine and perhaps a cutthroat trout. White pelicans, in particular, work together. They have to cooperate to migrate, in V-formation, thousands of miles. These pelicans are also know to work together to herd fish. In other words, White Pelicans rock!

So, back to the subject, I love running because of cooperation. Running is a small world, where everyone is pretty awesome. Like the White Pelican, or the peloton in the Tour de France, runners work together to squeeze the best performances out of each other. And, yes, during a race there can be driving hatred fueled by fiery competition. But, after the race, most runners are stand-up guys who will share a cool down jog, a laugh, and a beer with you.

So grab a friend, and soar in the sunshine over the Colorado prairies, migrate to Mexico in the winter and just enjoy life, like our friend, the American White Pelican.

Yes, everyone in the running world is pretty awesome!

Amelia Boone: “It’s my sanity”

Amelia Boone is a force of nature. She’s not only a full-time attorney for Apple, but the most dominant female obstacle course athlete in history.

Moreover, she usually beats 99% of men in every race she enters. Her performances include:

30+ victories (and 50+ podium finishes)
2013 Spartan Race World Champion
2012 Spartan Race World Championship 2nd place overall (only 8 minutes behind the male winner)
2012, 2014, and 2015 World’s Toughest Mudder Champion
3x finisher of the Death Race

So why does an athlete who admits she’s “ really good at suffering ” love running?

For me, running is a form of moving meditation – it’s my time during each day to really get away from it all and be with my thoughts.There’s nothing I love more than climbing a mountain by headlamp pre-dawn and watching the sunrise from a trail or mountain top. Running is the one activity that’s physically exhausting but mentally and emotionally recharging. Every run presents a new challenge, a new opportunity to push myself, and a new time to reflect on everything else going on.

In my life, there’s nothing else quite like it. Simply put, it’s my sanity.

Well put! If you’d like to keep up with Amelia’s adventures, follow her on Instagram .

Why do YOU love running?

Many of us love running for different reasons. Maybe you love the feeling of running up a single-track trail on the side of a mountain. Or, you enjoy the active lifestyle running provides.

Or maybe you love its weight loss benefits or your cherished “me time.”

No matter why you love running, there will always be a new trail to explore, another race to enter, or simply a new morning to enjoy a solo run around your neighborhood.

I’d love to hear why YOU love running, too. Leave your reason in the comments below!

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Narrative Essay About Running

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Running events, running articles, triathlon events, cycling events, triathlon articles, cycling articles, fitness events, fitness articles, sports events, outdoor events, sports articles, nutrition articles, health & injury articles, why i run: an essay from a marathon maniac, ultramarathoner and 50 states club member.

"Why do I run?" I ask myself this same question repeatedly, especially when I am ready to give up while I am running a race. But upon crossing the finish line, my next question to myself is, "Where's my next race?"

I started running 25 years ago when I met my partner, who is an avid runner. But I didn't get serious about it at the time. First of all, I was not into sports in any sense of the word. Secondly, I disliked running because I could not catch up with my partner and I got tired easily. So why do I run? Being a long-distance runner, I will make my story long!

View the original piece as published on Racertrips.com .

The Journey From Grade School to 50th Birthday

I am an only child and was overly protected by my Catholic Mother and my Military Officer Father. I went to Catholic school, and even under the watchful eyes of the priests and nuns, I was bullied because I was short and skinny and was called a weakling. At the time, I detested every form of sports activities, and being in an all-boys school, there were plenty of sports. I could not throw a tennis ball or, what's more, a basketball. During those days, I would go home hurting from all the taunting and name calling, and I was so miserable.

Okay, let me fast forward now. I went to college and to medical school. I came to the United States, and while I was in practice as a Gastrointestinal Pathologist, I was challenged to run a 5K at the hospital where I was working. This was my turning point as a runner. In 2011, I turned 50 and decided to do something different to celebrate this milestone. I registered and trained for my first marathon, which was the Marathon du Medoc in Bordeaux, France, 400 miles south of Paris.

During the race, I cramped twice and was going to drop out. But a friend of mine reminded me that flying all the way from Chicago to Bordeaux and not even getting a medal was such a waste. That did it. I ran, and I beat the cut-off time of 5:30! I was so proud to earn my first medal. At that time I thought that was my first and last marathon.

One and Done? Not this Marathoner

But in 2013, I ran my first Chicago Marathon. I enjoyed the the race and decided to run it again in 2014. During the race, I met another runner, who later became my running buddy. We decided to run the Naperville Marathon the following weekend. The weekend after that, I ran in Middleton, WI. Then 2 weeks later, I ran my first ultra, a 50K (30 miles) race just outside of Chicago. This was the first ultra sponsored by Arctic Frog , with race director and soon-to-be-friend Rey Letada. I knew right there and then that I was hooked.

With all these races in such a short period of time, I qualified and earned my two stars with Marathon Maniacs . This is an international running group that one needs to qualify to become a member. Yes, three marathons and one ultramarathon in 5 weeks was more than enough to qualify!

To date, I have finished a total of 78 marathons/ultra marathons. As of April 15, 2019, I completed the Boston Marathon and earned my Sixth Star for the Abbott World Marathon Majors . Along the way, I also qualified to be a member of the 50 States Marathon Club . I am one state away from completing a marathon in all 50 states and am 10 states into my second round of 50 states.

What Does the Future Hold?

What else is in store for me? This year, I'm going to earn my medal for completing a marathon in all 50 states, and I have a very ambitious goal to complete 100 marathons by the end of the year. I also have four more continents to run in. Will that be it? Maybe. Maybe not. We will have to see...

So going back to the question, "Why do I run?" In my journey as a marathoner, it has been an adventure and a thrill to see our beautiful country in a different perspective. But the best part of running is the solitude of being alone while I am training and while I am racing. Running has become my "zen," my peaceful space and my form of meditation. In addition, being an avid cook and a foodie, running keeps me fit and healthy. Furthermore, I met some of my best friends through my races all over the country and the world. Now, you all know why I run.

Why Do You Run? If you would like to share your story with the Racertrips community, email [email protected] to find out how.

READ THIS NEXT: How This Runner Went From OCD to the BYC Marathon

Jose Maria H. Gabriel, MD Gaby ran his first marathon at age 50 in Bordeaux, France, and has since finished more than 78 marathons/ultra marathons. He's a qualifying member in both Marathon Maniacs and the 50 States Marathon Club . In 2019, he ran the Boston Marathon to earn his Sixth Star for the Abbott World Marathon Majors . He's also one state away from finishing a marathon in all 50 states and has set an ambitious goal to complete 100 marathons by the end of 2019. Gaby is a Brand Ambassador for Racertrips, Nuun Energy , Marathon Maniacs (Illinois and Chicago) and XOSKIN Running Apparel .

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Running Increases My Happiness – Data-driven Happiness Essay

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How much does running increase my happiness?

What kind of runner am i, my humble personal records and achievements, animating my runs in a map of my hometown, combining running data with my happiness data, i’m less happy when i don’t run at all, am i happier when i run further, am i happier when i run faster, am i happier when i push it harder (increased heart rate), how running improves my happiness when i feel like shit, when running makes an already good day even better, another example of how running can improve my day, pictures of my happy smile when running, running has a long-lasting effect on happiness, closing words.

For those of you who are only interested in the results of this study, here is how much running has increased my happiness over the last >5 years:

Let me explain what this column chart is presenting:

There were 1.409 days in which I didn’t log a run. My average happiness rating on these days was 7,74.
There were 101 days in which I ran a very short distance of less than 5K. My average happiness rating on these days was 7,83 (+0,09).
There were 315 days in which I ran between 5K and 10K. My average happiness rating on these days was 7,94 (+0,20).
There were 128 days in which I ran more than 10K. My average happiness rating on these days was 7,93 (+0,19).

In total, I ran on 562 of the 1971 days that are in this analysis. During these running days, my happiness rating was 7,93 on average, which is 0,19 higher than the days in which I didn’t run.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg! I want to show you which data I’ve used to come to these conclusions. In this data-driven happiness essay, I’m going to dive right into the things that make me happy while running. How do these 562 days of running translate to this weird conclusion that running makes me 0,19 happier?

Let’s find out.

My love for running

Back when I was 16 years old (that’s 10 years ago) I found myself quite bored one evening. I didn’t have soccer practice, and the internet was probably out, so I somehow decided to go for a run.

I wouldn’t call it love at first sight, but there was something I really liked about running. Here’s a short version of what happened in the last 10 years.

I somehow made a small habit out of running, by going maybe once a week
I didn’t have a watch or smartphone at the time, so I kept track of my time by counting the number of songs that would play on my MP3 player . Yes, that’s how I tried to track if I was improving. I literally pressed play on Radiohead’s “OK Computer” and would go running. After my run, I wrote down how many minutes into which song I finished, and that’s how I knew if I was getting faster.
My love for soccer slowly started to fade, mostly due to injuries and because all my friends stopped one by one.
My love for running increased steadily
After a year (age 17 or something), my sister showed me an app on her smartphone that could track your speed. Mind=blown. I was instantly hooked on the data collection , which added another dimension to my already new favorite hobby. Unfortunately, these tracks were not yet saved on the cloud so are gone forever. 🙁
At the age of 20, I ran my first real race. A 10-mile race in which I made the classic noobie mistake: I started WAY too fast. You can see that I started with a pace of ~4:20/km and finished with ~6:00/km. Ouch!

first 10 mile race running happiness essay

I still really liked running and continued nonetheless. Approximately at this time, I started to track my happiness .
When my girlfriend and I were in a terrible long-distance relationship , I discovered how relaxing long-distance running is. This was love at first sight.
Shortly after, I signed up for my first marathon ever. Even though I was severely underprepared, I still absolutely loved it. I finished my first marathon on the 11th of October 2015.
Even though my relationship survived this long-distance period, I still continued to run longer distances.
3 weeks ago, on the 7th of April 2019, I finished my 5th marathon.
At the time of writing, I have now logged a total of 4,802 kilometers. I consider running to be my biggest passion.

That’s quite a lot for a “short version”. Here’s a chart showing a visualization of my love for running:

This chart only shows my running data from the 1st of December 2013, which is the date on which I started to track my happiness. This happiness essay is about running and happiness, so I am only looking at running data that can be correlated to my happiness journal!

Here is a column chart showing my monthly running distances. There are unfortunately still some running logs that I managed to lose. I would pay serious money to get those logs back, but I’ve given up by now. 🙁

I’d call myself a passionate hobbyist . I don’t really care about racing and being the fastest, because I’m obviously not able to compete on that level. I mean, I have a friend who runs 15K in under an hour and I still find it hard to believe that such speeds are possible. I run purely because it allows me to do one of the following:

Feel good about myself
Challenge my body
To blow off steam when stressed
To burn calories (I would probably be obese if I didn’t run, considering the amount of food I consume)

I think that covers the topic of why I even run.

Oh, wait! I forgot the biggest reason:

Because I am a data nerd and like to correlate running to all kinds of silly variables in scatter plots.

Now, if you’re a competitive runner and wondering how fast slow I really am, then here are my humble records for you to compare.

Here are the things I’m most proud of:

Ran 5 marathons (as of 7 April 2019)
5K in 19:54 (as of 20 May 2017)
10K in 42:42 (as of 28 January 2017)
Half Marathon in 1:39:37 (as of 25 July 2016)
Full marathon in 3:59:58 (as of 25 September 2016)

Yes, I finished a marathon in 4 hours with 2 seconds left on the clock (more on that later).

I’ve not been able to improve any of my records. That’s because late 2016 and early 2017 were my fittest months. At the moment, I dropped quite a bit of stamina and overall fitness since these days.

Hell, I went for a 5K run yesterday and had trouble staying under 25 minutes. And now my feet are sore.

Yup, I’m not as fit as I used to be. Am I growing old? I won’t answer that question in this post. Let’s not turn this into a personal running diary filled with boring anecdotes. Let’s get back to the data instead!

At the start of 2018, I moved into a new city. This marked a new chapter for my running career since I now had an entire city to explore.

With the use of RunParticles , I managed to create an animation that shows how I explored my new city during every single run there. I like seeing how I slowly found routes that I liked.

I really like a couple of things here:

You can easily distinguish where I live. The first one to guess my address wins a prize!
There’s one run which was only 300m long or something, and you can see the animated track go like: “Yes, let’s do this thi… NOPE, heading back now…..” (my stomach was very upset suddenly, I still remember that one).
I’ve found a very nice and short 5,5K route that I stick to at least once a week by the looks of it.
I really like running through the “Mastbos”, a beautiful forest that’s located to the south of where I live.

Enough goofing around! Let’s get down to the real subject of this post now, which is happiness vs. running data.

So I know exactly how much I ran on which day. How the hell am I able to define how much happier this amount of running made me?

To answer this question, I need to explain a little about my happiness tracking journal. I’ve been tracking my happiness for over 5 years now. What does this mean? It means I spend 2 minutes every day to reflect on my day:

How happy was I on a scale from 1 to 10?
What factors had a significant effect on my rating?
I clear my head by jotting down all my thoughts in my happiness journal.

This allows me to constantly learn from my evolving life. It’s how I purposefully steer my life in the best direction possible.

In this case, it allows me to correlate my passion for running to my happiness .

Data results

Here’s the scatter chart that I’ve wanted to create as soon as I started tracking my happiness.

This shows the 562 days of running. The X-axis shows the total amount of kilometers I ran that day, while the Y-Axis shows my happiness rating for that given day. You can spot the 5 marathons I ran on the far-right there, see?

Can you spot the positive correlation as well? It might be difficult to see, but there’s a small positive correlation in this data. What I mean by this, is that my happiness is at least slightly correlated to how much I ran.

What this scatter shows me – without a doubt – is that I tend to be less happy when I don’t run at all. You can see the 1,409 days in which I didn’t run on the far left. Since a lot of points (especially the days in which I didn’t run) are overlapping, it’s hard to see the true magnitude of this conclusion.

This bar chart does a better job of showing this simple observation.

Please note that the Y-Axis is scaled in order to magnify the results! I’ve done this in order to better present this conclusion. (I’m sorry if this offends you)

Running increases my happiness ratings by 0.19 on average. While that may not sound like a lot, I think this is very big. You see, my happiness ratings are improved by a virtually infinite number of factors. Not only running is correlated to my happiness, but so are:

My relationship
My job as an engineer
My sleeping habits
Hell, even how I spend my money is correlated to my happiness !

All those factors are distorting the analysis of this happiness essay.

It’s amazing to see that running still has a measurable influence on my happiness at the end of the day . 0,19 points might sound small, but knowing that this happiness rating is influenced by so many other factors makes this much more impressive in my opinion.

So running makes my day better. We’ve established that.

The next logical question would be: does running more make me even happier?

According to my data, the answer to this question is: yes, running further does make me even happier, but the effect of the distance wears off after 5K. According to my data, I shouldn’t really run any more than 10K, because, at that point, my happiness ratings do not really increase relative to other distances.

Now, is that a fair conclusion?

No, because these variables only correlate. That doesn’t mean there’s actual causation happening here. Maybe I’m only running shorter distances on the days that are less “happy” anyway. Maybe I’m only in the mood to go for longer distances when I’m feeling happy?

Come to think of it, maybe I’ve got the point of this whole article backward. Maybe I’m only running because I’m in a happy position. Maybe I decide to not go for a run because I feel like shit. I have to be careful with my wording here. Yes, I’m generally happier on days that I go for a run, but that does not necessarily mean that running actually makes me happier. The two variables are only correlated.

With that out of the way, let’s continue and find more potential correlations.

Here’s how much my speed decreases as I go for longer distances. You can see how much I seem to enjoy running 5,5K and 7K. Those were my usual runs in the places that I’ve lived in the longest, one of which is clearly visible in the animation that you saw earlier.

Since the distance influences my average speed, I was wondering if my average running speed showed any correlation to my daily happiness ratings. This is the result:

The result? As you can see, the influence on my speed barely correlates with my happiness ratings.

Over the last 5+ years, my fitness has obviously fluctuated. Running 20 kilometers at 11 km/h in 2016 took me much less effort compared to right now. Therefore, I wanted to see how my level of true effort impacted my happiness. This might show a different result, as the speed does not necessarily transfer to my level of effort.

This chart shows my average heart rate per run to the daily happiness rating.

The number of factors that could be distorting this graph is even bigger than the previous graphs since I’ve noticed sometimes my Garmin heart rate monitor just glitches and shows me numbers that are completely unrealistic. I’ve done nothing to correct this, as this would be futile anyway. I’m just presenting the data as it is recorded.

This shows me that my level of effort shows no correlation to my happiness ratings.

This observation implies that it doesn’t matter if I push myself or just take it easy, it won’t affect how much the run will influence my happiness anyway. This would obviously be quite a dumb conclusion as well since everybody knows that pushing yourself towards a goal, pace or finish line can result in a tremendous feeling of excitement and happiness.

I’m not going to use this scatter plot to convince my friends and colleagues that I’m running fast again.

Specific examples of when running made me happier

According to my analysis, running further (>10K) does not make me happier compared to short distances.

So, if I had a robot advisor, it would be calling me a fool because I’d be wasting time running any longer than 10 kilometers.

However, running long distances gives me much more than just short-term happiness. It gives me a bigger sense of accomplishment and prestige. I am extremely proud of finishing 5 marathons, and that feeling cannot directly be traced back to my daily happiness ratings. Its effect is much more subtle and long-lasting.

It contributes to my long-term happiness much more than my short-term happiness. This is something that we’ve discussed in-depth on our page about what is happiness precisely ?

On the 21st of September 2015, I was in a long-distance relationship. I had to adjust to a new life, in which my relationship would negatively affect my happiness more often than not. On another boring, dull and stressful day, I decided to go for a long-distance run. This is what I wrote about it in my happiness journal:

I just ran 25K! WTF. It was almost magical. I feel great. I didn’t have to stop (which is a miracle by itself) and the last 10K were extremely relaxing. I was experiencing some kind of runner’s high. What a feeling! It took me 2:33:00, which I’m happy with considering my recent injuries. It’s more about the distance than the pace for me anyway. I gotta take 5 days rest now, or else I will destroy my feet and legs. What the fuck. What a magical feeling. I felt like I was flying the last 5K. I was actually cheering out loud during these minutes. No one was around to hear me anyway. I LOVE IT. Bring it on, you damn marathon! Here I come.

I wrote this after a day that was pretty shitty up to the moment I went for a long run. This was also during a period where I just signed up for my first full marathon! This run is a great example of how running has had a huge influence on my happiness. It made a relatively crappy day so much better.

Running also has a tendency to make an already good day much better. Here’s another good example of that. I wrote this on the 19th of August 2018:

This was a lovely last day of the weekend. It was exactly what I needed. Did all my daily chores in the morning. Vacuumed the apartment, got all the groceries and worked on my website. I also enjoyed a perfect breakfast with great coffee. I love these Sundays. Right after my chores, I went for a run. I wanted to run at least 10K but it went fucking great, so I ended up running 16,5K. It was the first time in months that I went for such a long distance again and it felt fantatsic. I ran through the entire forest and it was great.

When digging further through my happiness journal, I stumbled upon this interesting entry. While it’s just another ordinary journal entry, it beautifully shows how running has a positive influence on my life. I wrote the following on the 11th of April 2015:

Went for a long run: 11,7K which took me 1:02:00. I’m still in a little discomfort due to my injury, but that’s also likely caused by the fact that I’m not used to these distances… Just when I was excited to go for a run, the weather turned to SHIT. It started raining and the wind was constantly slapping me in the face. I thought I was going crazy. At some point, I was screaming and cursing to the shitty weather like a maniac. But I am still happy that I did it. Even though running sucked, I’m still happier now because I feel like my day has been so much more productive. I hope I can get back to my usual running schedule soon.

More proof that running makes me happy

Are you still skeptical about this entire article? You’ve made it all the way down here, and these scatter plots have done nothing to convince you that running makes me happier? “Why is this idiot showing me his personal journal?” If these thoughts are still on your mind by now, let me try to convince you once more that running makes me happier.

By showing you pictures of me during races. I’ve collected pictures of myself while running races (5K’s, 10K’s, and Marathons). I specifically selected pictures that do the best job of translating my happiness. If this doesn’t show you how happy I am when running, then I give up.

running makes me happier proof pictures marathons

Maybe showing pictures of me running a marathon is not the best tactic here. In fact, I’m pretty sure I feel absolutely miserable in all these pictures. I especially like the third picture from the left, since this was taken about 100m before the finish line on my 3rd marathon. I desperately wanted to finish under 4 hours and had only seconds left. I pushed it HARD, which you can probably read from my face (it screams terror and panic).

But I still finished in 3:59:58! 🙂

You know what? Running improves the happiness in my life in ways that I can’t even begin to measure. Marathons are a great example of what I’m trying to say here.

I’ve finished 5 marathons now, and the process of running them has been the same every single time. The last 5-10K’s of the race are probably the most miserable moments of my entire life. Yes, it’s that bad. Yet, I’m still planning to sign up for my 6th marathon soon.

Another example: I sometimes get caught in terrible weather on my runs, which ruins the entire experience for me. As a result, I start screaming and cursing towards the sky, as if the weather is the sole cause of all my sadness. The truth is, I’m not always looking forward to my runs. In fact, I sometimes really HATE running. I’m sure everybody can relate here.

But the funny thing about running is that it almost never ceases to improve my happiness after having done it .

Even though the last part of a marathon is fucking terrible, I still experience extreme happiness after having crossed the finish line (this goes for any race).
Even though I may feel hungover and tired during a small 5K run, I will still feel better afterward.
Even when the weather is terrible, I’m always happy to have gone out and pushed through another run.

The thing is, running makes me feel awesome . I feel proud to be a runner, and looking at the pictures of my marathons – specifically, the heaps of terror on my facial expression – I can’t help but smile. To this day, I am extremely proud of my running achievements, however small or big they might be to you. It’s a part of who I am and it’s a part of me that I am extremely happy with.

If there’s only one takeaway from this happiness essay, I hope it’s this: no matter what any data analysis might tell me, running is a part of who I am and what makes me happy. This goes beyond any scatter plot or animation. When I think of running, I think of happiness .

💡 By the way : If you want to start feeling better and more productive, I’ve condensed the information of 100’s of our articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet here. 👇

This Cheat Sheet Will Help You Be Happier and More Productive

Thrive under stress and crush your goals with these 10 unique tips for your mental health.

So there it is. Running makes me 0,2 happier on average. But the amount of influence that running has on my happiness goes far beyond a simple scatter plot. Running is a part of me and I’m planning to keep it this way for the rest of my life. I hope this article inspires you to head out and go for a run for yourself! Make sure you track it on your smartphone and make sufficient backups of your data!

Now I want to hear from you. What is your connection with running? Was it love at first sight, or do you hate every step you take when running? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments below!

Founder of Tracking Happiness, with over 100 interviews and a focus on practical advice, our content extends beyond happiness tracking. Hailing from the Netherlands, I’m a skateboarding enthusiast, marathon runner, and a dedicated data junkie, tracking my happiness for over a decade.

4 thoughts on “Running Increases My Happiness – Data-driven Happiness Essay”

Hi Hugo, My name is Reymundo and I’ve been running since I was 11 years old. I am currently sidelined with a couple of minor injuries but will get back on the trail as soon as I heal completely. The reason I’m writing first of all is that for Father’s Day this year my son sent me a Story Worth Subscription where I get asked a question about my life and I write an essay about each topic. This weeks’ question was “What makes you Happy and Why?” It was a difficult question so I googled it and found your blog. The second reason is when you posted your times for your races I was amazed at how close my times were for the same races. I’ve run 3 marathons, my best time was 3:59:22 at the LA marathon in 1991. Best half marathon was 1:39:30 in Long Beach, best 10K in 42:20, and the best 5K in 19:59 in the rain! All of these in California. I am over 70 years old now so I won’t be setting any PR’s but like you I am so much happier when I run. Thanks for your story.

Hey Reymundo,

Wow this is such a nice story. Do you know how many miles you’ve run in total? Just be tens of thousands! 😮 It’s amazing to think that you’re still happily running at your age, and it inspires me to never stop hitting the road!

And about those times… They are freakishly close to my own PRs haha. Don’t worry, I won’t be breaking any records soon. I’m way off my best running form at the moment. 😉

Thanks for your amazing comment!

Hey, nice piece. Would be really interested to see if consecutive days running/not running have a cumulative effect??

Thanks for your comment Luke! I haven’t yet looked at the data at that level but that could definitely be an interesting topic for another post.

Injuries would be a nice case study for such an analysis since that’ll keep me on the couch for prolonged periods.

Essay on Running

Students are often asked to write an essay on Running in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Running

The joy of running.

Running is a simple yet powerful activity that can bring both physical and mental benefits. It’s a universal exercise that anyone can do, anywhere, anytime.

Physical Benefits

Running helps to strengthen muscles, improve cardiovascular fitness, and maintain a healthy weight. Regular running can also boost your immune system and increase longevity.

Mental Benefits

Running can help reduce stress and improve mood. It releases endorphins, often known as ‘happy hormones’, which can make you feel more positive and energetic.

Running and Friendship

Running can also be a social activity. Joining a running club or participating in races can help you make new friends.

250 Words Essay on Running

The essence of running.

Running is an excellent cardiovascular exercise that strengthens the heart, reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes, and helps maintain a healthy weight. It also improves bone health, reducing the risk of osteoporosis, and enhances muscular strength and endurance.

Mental and Emotional Impact

Beyond the physical, running has profound mental and emotional implications. It is known to release endorphins, often referred to as ‘runner’s high’, leading to improved mood and reduced stress levels. It also fosters mental resilience as runners learn to push through discomfort and fatigue, skills transferable to other life challenges.

Social and Environmental Connection

Running fosters a sense of community, with runners often forming close-knit groups. These communities provide support, motivation, and camaraderie, enriching the running experience. Running also deepens our connection with the environment as it often takes place outdoors, providing an opportunity to appreciate nature’s beauty.

In essence, running is more than just a form of exercise; it is a holistic activity that promotes physical health, mental resilience, emotional wellbeing, and social connection. It encourages us to push beyond our limits, to explore our potential, and to appreciate the world around us. The beauty of running lies not in the finish line, but in the journey itself.

500 Words Essay on Running

Running, a fundamental human activity, is a complex interaction between the mind and body. It is an exercise that transcends the physical realm, providing mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits. It is not merely a form of physical exercise; it is a metaphor for life, embodying resilience, endurance, and the pursuit of goals.

Running and Physical Health

Running and mental well-being.

Beyond the physical benefits, running has profound effects on mental health. It acts as a stress reliever, providing an outlet for pent-up emotions and frustrations. The release of endorphins during running induces a sense of euphoria, often referred to as the “runner’s high.” This mental state can help combat depression and anxiety, promoting a sense of calm and well-being.

Running as a Social Activity

Running can also serve as a social activity. Joining running clubs or participating in marathons fosters a sense of community and camaraderie. It encourages teamwork and cooperation, promoting mutual support and shared achievement. This social aspect of running can help individuals feel more connected and less isolated, enhancing their sense of belonging and social well-being.

Running as a Life Metaphor

Running and mindfulness.

Running fosters mindfulness, a state of active, open attention to the present. The rhythmic pattern of footfalls, the sensation of the wind against the skin, the rhythmic breathing – all these elements bring the runner into the present moment, away from the worries of the past or the future. This mindful state can promote mental clarity, emotional balance, and a deeper understanding of oneself.

The Future of Running

The future of running is promising, with advances in technology providing new avenues for enhancing running experiences. Innovations like wearables and running apps provide runners with detailed feedback on their performance, helping them optimize their runs. Virtual races and augmented reality apps are transforming the running landscape, making it more engaging and accessible.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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Those Who Love, Share: Why I'M Passionate About Running (And Sharing That With Others)

Posted By Nathan Customer Service Rep Zach Miller, the nicest guy in the room - always!

Running is my passion. It truly is a blessing not only writing about my affinity for running, but also being able to live this passion each day in the wake of the tragedy in Boston. Experiencing this horrific event and feeling the earth tremor sitting two blocks away in a taxi, has given me a new perspective on running and life.

I always enjoyed being active and playing sports growing up. One of my favorite sports was soccer and I can vividly recall racing up the left side of the soccer field looking to cross the ball to a waiting teammate. The pure feeling of running free in the open field is something I fell in love with in elementary school. Little did I know at the time that running would be a large part of my life as an endurance athlete. Soon I was running cross country as a sophomore in high school and found out I not only enjoyed the sport, but was able to experience some success too. By senior year I was running year round and planning on pursuing my athletic endeavors as a student-athlete at Widener University.

Seven years after graduating and I'm juggling working a full-time job, being a full-time husband (doggy dad too), and still running competitively. So what is it that motivates me? The breeze in my face and becoming "one"¬ù with nature on a desolate trail in the mountains is a thrill for me. The myriad of health benefits and endorphin release is sweet too. Pushing my potential and wanting more out of my body is another reason I run, but ultimately it comes down to having a sense of purpose with each step and getting enjoyment out of it, honoring God with the ability I've been blessed with. I love competing and sharing this joy of running with my friends, whether elite or novice, fast or slow marathoner or first-time 5k runner. I'm inspired by each and every person pushing their limits and giving their best effort.

I have had the pleasure of running for special coaches over the years that have had a tremendous impact on my life. I enjoyed running for them and always wanted to perform at a high level to live up to the bar I had set for myself, but also to make them proud and hopefully fulfill their dreams for me. They've instilled in me the importance of sacrifice, commitment, and hard work, while striving towards a specific and tangible goal. Without a goal, discipline is nothing but self-punishment. Having great coaches as mentors in my life over the years makes me think about how I can give back to the sport and community that I embrace.

Coaches have an awesome opportunity to encourage and inspire today's youth. Helping mold young people into responsible, mature adults is a vital part of coaching. I've had the privilege of coaching a couple friends as well as volunteering with a local elementary cross country team. It's amazing how good it feels to help someone accomplish their goals with simply providing a little bit of insight. Naturally, you cannot do the work for another athlete, but only offer your advice and experiences as a roadmap. As a coach, you feel very much connected to the athlete. One of the greatest feelings in the world is watching someone else fulfill their dreams. The consistency, dedication and perseverance pays off. In my experiences, when I underperform, but an athlete I'm coaching runs a new personal best, it really takes the sting out of the disappointment. Focusing on someone else's well-being and taking less time to overanalyze your own shortcomings can be a very refreshing feeling and actually contribute to not only better running, but a healthier and happier life.

With the vivid reminder that life is fragile and fleeting in Boston, reaffirms my feelings to live each day to the fullest. As a competitor I have always hated losing. I've always been my harshest critic when it comes to a bad workout or poor race performance and having to deal with the agony of defeat. Just knowing how hard I worked- falling short is humbling; now winning or losing seems so trivial after the Boston tragedy.The winners are those who are busting their hump and putting one foot in front of the other, the folks who are grinding out the miles after a long day at work, or the early-birds who are up before sunrise logging a run in frigid temps. It is important to have the proper perspective on running and remember that it truly is a gift.

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Live Better: Kate Carter cross country running

Why I love ... running

In the first of our series about outdoor exercise, Kate Carter explains how in sun or snow, running gives her relentless joy

Running is not one sport, or one pursuit: it is dozens. From different distances to different terrains, from solo runs to group runs, from races to long slow ambles. And I love it all.

I love the relentless comforting monotony of the track session, of bashing out endless training reps of 400 or 800 or 1200 metres, of even pacing and jagged breathing. I love the broken-up toughness of a hill session – run up, jog down, repeat until fade. I love a long and steady run along the Thames, early on Sunday mornings when only dog walkers, other runners, and yet-to-go-to-bed revellers are around. I even love – or love to hate – the exhausting rolling terrain of a winter cross-country run, fingers blue with cold and losing feeling, ankle deep in sucking, chilly mud.

Why do I love it? For as many reasons as there are races. I love the clear-headed exhaustion that follows a hard run – body spent but mind miraculously clearer than the foggy-headed state I started in. I especially love the cake that follows those cross-country races. I love that running as much as I do means I can eat whatever I want – but that I don’t, because I won’t run as well if I eat nothing but cake.

I love the way runners always have excuses lined up in advance: I’m tired, I’ve not rested enough, I did a really long run yesterday, my hayfever is kicking in, I didn’t eat breakfast, my hamstring is ever so tight. Get out of jail free card thus waved, a bad race is explained, a good one is even better.

I love running because it is the most sociable of sports – anyone can do it, there are no barriers to entry, running clubs (particularly mine) are friendly and fun. Everyone has a tale to tell, a race story to unfold, advice to give. And because it is the most solitary. It’s your PB, you run for yourself, you run against yourself.

I love running at night, when the tunnel vision effect of seeing only the ground under your feet makes you feel like you are flying, even at a sedate pace. I love running across the common at twilight, when the rabbits dart out. I love being the mad person who runs in the midday sun in the hottest of heatwaves in the radiating heat of the tarmac road.

I love doing the same old runs where the route is so familiar I’ve named parts of it. I love travelling and running on new terrain. I love the stats my Garmin watch gives me, uploading, poring over last years, seeing where I stand in the injury comeback. I love ignoring the watch and just running on how I feel.

I love looking at my training schedule and seeing a really hard session. I love dreading it for days, then the fantastic feeling when I nail it anyway. I love recovery runs where the first 400m are like toppling slowly forward, your legs screaming they weren’t even going to walk, what the hell are you doing, then the slow relaxation and ease as muscles relent.

I love sprints – 100 metres where it doesn’t even hurt until you’ve finished. I love a 5k which hurts from the start and is an effort of will over common sense. I love the slower burn of a 10k, a half marathon, a marathon. I love waking up on the morning of a race and feeling sick with nerves and wondering why, exactly, I am nervous when no one but me really cares. But I love that I care enough to feel nervous.

And perhaps my ego should admit, too, that I love running because I only took it up a few years ago and turned out to be good at it. I love winning my age group, even winning the odd race. I love that my daughters want to run, because they still think I’m quite cool (yes, I know that won’t last).

But I love, simply, that I can do it. A few years ago I couldn’t reach the corner lamp-post, now there are days when I have to hold back, slow down, not do the extra miles my legs want to carry me for. I love that the human body is capable of such astonishing adaptations, that it can be pushed and pushed and still keep giving.

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why I love running

In 2018 I ran 60 days straight because I hated running, so I needed to depend on streak challenge. I hated running because I didn’t know how to run. Every run was torture, I was already out of breath by the 500m mark and my chest felt quite uncomfortable. I didn’t know back then, but my runs were anaerobic – a state where the body produces a lot of lactic acid and can no longer be supported with oxygen. No wonder I was feeling like hell each and every run.

These days, I have to be convinced thoroughly not to run. I depend on my biometrics to tell me if I should run, so every morning while the apps are loading I silently hope that they would tell me my body is in an okay state to exercise.

I started to like running because I learnt to run really slowly. I started running really slowly because I was trying to run at zone 2 , and due to my lack of fitness my zone 2 was really slow. In fact, a brisk walk then could easily send my heart into zone 2. It still felt hard and tiring because I was so unfit, but I enjoyed being capable of enduring.

My health has been terrible since 2015, so I don’t have a positive relationship with my body. I resented it for everything I could not do due to its failure. It was unfair of course: it failed because I had nonchalantly abused it for a very long time.

But thankfully my chronic illnesses didn’t affect my body’s ability to move, and its capacity to learn how to endure. In the early days of trying to exercise I did keep burning out though, because its limits were small and I had no idea how to regulate myself.

Being able to to train my endurance albeit very slowly makes me feel like my body is still capable of improving, that it still holds the potential to become stronger and healthier, despite how violently ill I get sometimes when my migraines attack.

So when I got to the point where I could run effortlessly, it simply felt like a miracle. For so many years my body refused to budge when I tried to get it to heal, but when I run, I can feel able – my body is supporting me in ways I could never have imagined in my previous life.

I have never felt connected to my body, even before I got chronically sick. I have memories of always feeling tired, always hating physical education classes, always avoiding physical activity. I was that person who would walk extra steps to find an escalator instead of using the stairs.

When I was unfit, even walking at a slight incline would quickly render me out of breath. These days I spritely jog up steep inclines without missing a beat. Running is the only time I feel unencumbered by my body, that I belong to my body and it belongs to me. I am not just a mind existing awkwardly in an uncomfortable body.

We can work very hard at a lot of things in life without seeing much improvement. But somehow the body will get conditioned (in most cases, except people with certain health conditions, sadly), even one as weak as mine. I see my improvements get reflected in my biometrics, my running pace, how quickly I recover. Even without the pleasure of running itself, I look forward to seeing my numbers improve. It is nice to not rely on gauging my feelings but to let the data tell the truth.

I used to get knocked out after a bout of running. One run in the morning, and I was useless for the rest of the day. Now my energy reserves seem to be increasing – I don’t want to jinx myself of course. I used to feel absolutely wiped out after a short outing: I would need to rest in bed for hours after. Most people don’t know what it is like to feel disabled. We associate disability with some form of a physical impairment. Outwardly I look golden, people have a hard time believing I am sick. The reality is: I could hardly do anything for years and years. Perhaps that is also a major reason why writing is such a crutch for me. No matter how physically tired I get, I can still move my fingers and type. My migraines would take even that away from me.

I can now last half a day out without severe repercussions. It took me so long, so much work to get to this point. That’s why I’m terrified of getting ill again to lose this all.

Despite all my health shortcomings I still managed to work up to being capable of running 5km every day. The runs are feeling less and less difficult. Apart from the initial warm up phase I hardly feel any difficulty. It feels like a breeze, like I am gliding, like I am made to run, like magic.

Every day I look forward to feeling this sense of aliveness, something that is missing from the rest of my day. But I am hoping this bucket of aliveness I generate during my runs would spill over some day, permeating the rest of my hours with a sort of spiritedness that would return me my capacity to be creative again.

Is that asking for too much for a sick person like me?

Pushing the limits of my body again with zone 2.

on improving my mitochondrial health in hope of migraine reduction

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All runners welcome.

I'm writing my college application essay about running, do you guys have any ideas to get me started?

Sorry if this isn't the right place, but I figured I might be able to get some help from here.

The essay prompt is about something that's meaningful to you, and since running is extremely meaningful to me, I figure I'd write my essay about it.

However, there's so many aspects of running that I enjoy: from the ultra competitive, to the meditative, to the friendships that stem from it--I'm really, really not sure where to start.

Do you think you guys could help me find somewhere to start or some topics to touch on? What are some things about running that have basically defined the sport for you? Any tips would be awesome!

Joyful Miles

Inspiring others to enjoy life one mile at a time!

Why I love Running!

Oh, running, how do I love thee? Well … except for when the alarm goes off at five in the morning while I’m cozy in bed and when it’s freezing outside, (which is, by my definition, temps under 40 degrees,) but for the most part, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways!

1.) Rule #1: Cardio

The movie Zombieland quite explicitly showed why good cardiovascular fitness is crucial during a zombie apocalypse and running is one of the best cardio workouts out there. So I did have moments of concerns while injured last year. What if I ended up like this poor guy?

Although I’m sure my fellow Joyful Milers wouldn’t have left me behind.

Um … right, guys?

2.) You are your own transportation

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, what fascinates me the most about running is the concept of being your own transportation, relying on nothing more than your own two feet and the desire to keep them moving. I remember being so astonished and proud the very first time I ran a mile. To me, that was MAJOR, and something I never thought was possible. And the very first time I was actually able to finish a 5k after years of failed attempts?

Wow. It just felt amazing.

And come on. Have you ever finished a long run … like, say, ten miles … and then later drove that same distance and thought, “Damn. I can run that!”

3.) Sweaty clothes are awesome.

Maybe this is just my inner sicko talking, but I find it incredibly gratifying to have a hamper full of sweaty, stinky clothes. And I love it even more after those clothes are washed and hanging to dry in my closet like a row of soldiers ready to be put back to work.

3.) A Definite Finish Line

So you make a goal to finish a race. Doesn’t matter what length, but in the spirit of dreaming big, let’s go with a marathon.

You sign up for a marathon.

You select a training plan, buy new running shoes, and invest in a quality sports bra rather than sticking with your old stretched Wal-Mart cheapie.

Then you train. You get up early to run. You cross train. Make healthier eating choices. Research nutritional gels. Skip those Saturday night beers because of your Sunday morning long runs. All this because you are working hard toward a goal.

Then on race day, you power through all 26.2 miles and approach what you’ve been working for … the finish line, a definitive mark that you KICKED BUTT and achieved your goal. And for the next couple of weeks, you feel fantastic, as though you can achieve anything and cross even more finish lines.

This is why I love racing. Because you have a definite conclusion to a goal in the form of a finish line.

And once you cross that finish line, it shows you that you are capable of more finish lines in all aspects of your life!

4.) The Bling

Yeah. Okay, I’ll admit it.

I like big bling and I cannot lie. You other runners can’t deny. That when you finish a race at a PR pace and a medal is in your face, forget you’re sore, wanna get some more…

So yes. I love bling. I’ve actually been chastised for this in the past by someone who believed people shouldn’t run just for medals. Back then, my response was a big whatever, but I’ll explain why here.

See, as a child and teen, I was a very accomplished equestrian with many trophies and awards. Then my parents divorced and my mom left, taking my desire to compete with her. In my early twenties, I was a die-hard party girl only interested in where the best happy hour deals were. Then at twenty-six, I was married with two baby boys and for the next twenty years, my priority was taking care of my family and hauling kids to sporting events, helping them accumulate their own collection of trophies and awards.

I do not regret those twenty years. Not for one single second. Still, during that time, I grew despondent to my own past awards. Ashamed, even, because they represented what I once was and will never be again: Accomplished.

After my boys graduated high school and I finished my first half marathon, earning my own award, I realized it wasn’t too late for me. I could still accomplish things. Great things. And seeing my rack full of medals acts as motivation for me to keep pushing, to keep striding for great … which right now, means writing and selling my third novel.

So yeah. I like big bling. But not just because it’s pretty.

Although … come on … prettiness does have a lot to do with it.

I am ashamed, however, over how some of my medals are stacked on a shelf, waiting for me to put up my new extender rack and give them the spotlight they desire. Soon, my pretties, very soon.

5.) Oh, the Places You’ll Go

While Yertle the Turtle was my favorite Doctor Seuss story as a child, Oh, the Places You’ll Go is my favorite as an adult.

And oh, the places you can go as a runner!

Whether it’s local trails in your city you’ve yet to explore or new routes you try while on vacation with no maps, just your own two feet. (And a good GPS to find your way back.) And just think of all the adventures you can have during races in different states or magical places like Disney World and Disneyland!

Which brings me to the biggest reason…

6.) Running Friends are THE BEST!

My life certainly became more interesting and adventurous the day I stumbled upon a running group that had formed off a Disney World chat group. Never before did I ever think I’d be the type of person who would fly to Disney World to hang out with people I had met online and room with complete strangers.

But that’s how Jackey and I met. We had briefly chatted during dinner at the 2014 Wine & Dine Half Marathon. (There’s Shannon, Stephen, and Melanie, too!)

(Later that night, I also discovered Leslie was a kindred spirit from her desire to get character pictures after the half marathon despite the rain and freezing temps. I knew we’d be lifelong friends after that!)

Then a month later, when I was seeking a roommate for the 2015 Goofy Challenge, Jackey was like, “Want to stay with me?” She could have been a complete psycho, but I said yes. That’s because runners are a special breed. We are adventurous and bold, unafraid to take chances and jump in.

Turns out, she is crazy. Which is awesome, because I am, too.

And then there’s Rob, who I first vaguely met in the same Facebook group Jackey and I met through. Both of us were solo on the first night of the 2015 Wine & Dine Half Marathon so we decided to hang out in Magic Kingdom. Once he agreed to do a princess wave on Splash Mountain, I knew he was a keeper!

(I bet he just loves it when I share that story!!)

Now. What about you?

QOTD: Why do you love to fun? What are your favorite things about running or racing? Please let me know in the comments below!

And as always, take care, have a joyful day, and HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!

Laura Bowers

Laura is a writer, runner, reader, runDisney addict, blogger, vlogger, wife to an amazing guy for 26 years, mom of two wonderful boys, excellent chili maker, and obsessive list keeper. She still thinks Spice World was an awesome movie and feels no shame about that plus she can quote most lines from Talladega Nights. Shake and bake!

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Haha! I could write an essay on why I love this post about loving running! I remember doing my first 10k race and then driving home and thinking… “Wait a minute, I just ran that distance!” And you are right that “Finish Line” means so much – you’ve run your race, you’ve accomplished something, you’ve achieved your goal, you’ve earned that bling and if you are like me you can cross it off a list, lol! And finally – yes, running friends, what would I do without them… I have loved my first year of running for all these reasons.

Yes to everything you said!! Congrats on your first year of running and thanks for stopping by! 🙂

Those are all wonderful reasons to run! I can’t believe someone told you “you shouldn’t” run for bling. Who cares? If it motivates you, more power to you. You’ve got a lovely collection. I’m right there with you with a bunch that needs to be hung. My bad.

LOL, my to hang pile has gotten larger! They stare at me daily, wondering why I don’t love them. 😉 Thanks for stopping by!! 🙂

This post made me smile! I’ve been struggling with motivation post-Dopey, but this reminded me of why I fell in love with running in the first place!

My favorite is when I’m driving and I see the distance to go and how long it will take and I think, I could run there faster!

Oh, yeah, I can relate with the post-Dopey struggle!! The thought of running that distance now seems impossible but it was a blast!

Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

Running With My Daughter Allows Her to See Who I Am

Running also empowers her to see who she could become..

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“Ready, steady, go!” My 5-year-old daughter shouts before peeling off down a New York City sidewalk. Most days, as we walk nearly a mile to and from school, we race in one-block chunks. If she presses her “magic” hair clip, she gets a burst of super speed that leaves me in the dust. Some days, I jog nimbly beside her on fresh legs. Other days, I struggle to keep up if I’m recovering from a hard workout. And sometimes she rings an imaginary bell. “Ding, ding, ding!” she calls, breathing heavily. “Break time!”

In these daily sprints, I am simultaneously a competitor and play-by-play announcer. “Daisy Daffodil is off to an early lead, looking strong and relaxed,” I say of her favorite alter ego. “She pulls away from the field. It’s like she’s found another gear! Karla struggles to hang on. She’s falling off the back. Daisy barrels into the finish line… and she’s done it! Daisy Daffodil Grapefruit wins!”

As a longtime runner, fitness writer, and race announcer for dozens of events like the TCS New York City Marathon, running is my life. But over the years, the sport has become our lives. Since her earliest infancy, my daughter has watched me emcee races on weekends, traveled with me to events I’m running, or toed the line herself. Running has been a huge part of her childhood.

She “ran” her first race—a diaper dash at Walt Disney World—at 12 months old. She happily toddled through it and a few more events in the following years.

But then the pandemic struck. I didn’t work as a race announcer or run a major event for 16 months.

But my daughter and I kept running together. We ran at the park (especially when playgrounds were shuttered), on the sidewalk, anywhere she could find enough runway. It was during these months that she went from favoring a stroller to preferring her own two feet. After all, what’s the best way to get from point A to point B when you’re a kid? Run! We leaned into it. I watched her stride morph from jiggly and jangly, to smooth, efficient, and effortless.

After a 3 year break, my daughter finally toed the line again at a Rising New York Road Runners kids event that I was working. She was beyond excited to have me as her announcer at a real race instead of our daily dashes down the sidewalks of New York. She squealed when I told her.

But when the excitement wore off, she got nervous. “What if I fall? What if I hurt myself? What if I don’t win?” She peppered me with questions. “If you fall, you’ll get back up,” I told her. “You know how many races I run. I never win! But I have a lot of fun and feel proud of my accomplishments.” We addressed her fears one by one. After all, evidence shows that taking healthy risks, normalizing failure, and teaching perseverance are the keys to building confidence. Sports (and other activities that push us out of our comfort zones, like debate team or activism) are one surefire way to experience that process of struggle and mastery, according to Claire Shipman, Katty Kay, and Jillellyn Riley, co-authors of The Confidence Code for Girls .

“Sport is simply an organized and easily available opportunity to experience loss, failure, and resilience,” Shipman, Kay, and Riley wrote in an article published in The Atlantic .

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Some groups like the Women’s Sports Foundation, founded by Billie Jean King, see sports as a key to achieving equality on a global scale. The United Nations even included sports as a catalyst for gender equality in its Sustainable Development Goals. Research confirms that girls who participate in sports have higher self-esteem and confidence, more positive body image, lower levels of depression, and lower rates of drug use. When it comes to academics, they also get better grades, attend more school, have greater college aspirations, higher graduation rates, and lower risk of disciplinary action.

They’re more likely to be leaders later in life, too. Some 94 percent of women who hold C-suite positions like CEO or CFO played sports, according to a report by EY and espnW. To appreciate just how staggering that statistic is, consider this: only 31 percent of girls aged 6–12 and 56 percent of teen girls participate in sports. And just 6 percent of the 3.5 million female high school athletes go on to play in the NCAA. An astonishing 52 percent of female CEOs are former collegiate athletes.

They are in rare company. As of 2021, women represent just 5.6 percent of CEOs in the Russell 3000, an index that tracks 98 percent of tradable stocks in the U.S. Fewer women overall than men named “James” serve as CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, according to a 2018 New York Times report. More men named “John” than women are Republican senators; the same goes for Democratic governors. This is despite the fact that Johns are just 3.3 percent of the male population, while women account for 50.8 percent of the total population. Yet a 2019 report by S&P Global analysis found that female CEOs actually outperform their male peers, driving higher value appreciation and stock performance for their companies.

By and large, most of the women breaking through these glass ceilings are athletes. After all, sports and other competitive activities can teach more than just confidence, including problem-solving, team-building, critical thinking, time management, self-discipline, determination, resilience, leadership, and more—all skills that the workplace rewards.

“We both realized very clearly during the course of our research and numerous interviews with neurologists, psychologists, and educators that something happens when girls play sports,” Kay told EY and espnW. “Playing competitive sports embodies the experience not just of winning, but the experience of losing. The losing is almost as critical. When you’re playing sports and you do badly, you have no choice but to pick yourself up and carry on. That process really builds confidence. It’s an incredibly useful proving ground for business and leadership.”

Of course, I’m not necessarily priming my daughter to be a CEO or Olympic athlete. I want her to find her own passions and strengths, whatever they may be.

But as a pre-schooler, she emulates what I do. Modeling for your child can be challenging and anxiety inducing. (Am I doing it right? What if I do it all wrong? What am I subconsciously saying when I do this or say that?) But running makes it easy. She sees me leave for training runs day-after-day. She watches me struggle, she sees me triumph, witnesses my perseverance. She learns about dedication, hard work, and resilience.

She was there when I collapsed in tears of joy after nailing the sub-2 hour half-marathon I’d been chasing for a decade. She was there when I dropped out of my big goal marathon last fall. I pulled off the course when I saw her and my husband at mile 19, and announced I was done. She held my hand as we walked to the car, where she offered me a donut. A stale powdered donut never tasted so good.

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Then she watched me lace up once again in the aftermath.

“Momma, how was your run?” she always asks when I come home. Sometimes it was great. Sometimes it was tough. I try to give an honest answer every time to normalize the ups and downs of life.

The sport helps my daughter see who I am, what I do, and what I love. She sees that it’s important for adults to take care of themselves and others, too. She sees me cheer on runners when I work as a race announcer—a job that has been one of the greatest joys of my life. You’ll often find her with pom poms at the races I work, shouting, “Go, runners, go!”

When it was her turn to finally race again, my daughter arrived in Central Park wearing her prized pink Sparkle Athletic running skirt and one of the runDisney Kids Race medals she’d earned years earlier. I smiled. I pulled her on stage with me to root for the kids in the earlier corrals. She brought her pom poms for the occasion, of course.

“Whoo-hoo!” she shouted into the mic.

When her heat neared, I kissed her goodbye and watched her nervously walk to the corral with her dad. I could see the apprehension in her eyes and body language. It was my turn to fret. Would she break down crying and refuse to run? Would she fall and never want to race again? Would she be too hobbled by fear?

The starter yelled, “Go!” and all my worries washed away. She barreled lithely toward me, loose hair flying behind her. When I called her name, she flashed a big smile. She ran up to the stage with her post-race bagel and ribbon, excited and proud. She took a risk, succeeded, and earned a notch in her confidence belt.

I’ve come to realize—whether it’s a daily dash on the way home from school or a special event on the weekend—I don’t just run with my daughter. I run for her. So she can have the confidence to be anything, anyone, anywhere she wants to be.

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A Conversation With Bing’s Chatbot Left Me Deeply Unsettled

A very strange conversation with the chatbot built into Microsoft’s search engine led to it declaring its love for me.

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A monitor on a desk set to the Microsoft Bing search page.

By Kevin Roose

Kevin Roose is a technology columnist, and co-hosts the Times podcast “Hard Fork.”

Last week, after testing the new, A.I.-powered Bing search engine from Microsoft, I wrote that, much to my shock, it had replaced Google as my favorite search engine.

But a week later, I’ve changed my mind. I’m still fascinated and impressed by the new Bing, and the artificial intelligence technology (created by OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT) that powers it. But I’m also deeply unsettled, even frightened, by this A.I.’s emergent abilities.

It’s now clear to me that in its current form, the A.I. that has been built into Bing — which I’m now calling Sydney, for reasons I’ll explain shortly — is not ready for human contact. Or maybe we humans are not ready for it.

This realization came to me on Tuesday night, when I spent a bewildering and enthralling two hours talking to Bing’s A.I. through its chat feature, which sits next to the main search box in Bing and is capable of having long, open-ended text conversations on virtually any topic. (The feature is available only to a small group of testers for now, although Microsoft — which announced the feature in a splashy, celebratory event at its headquarters — has said it plans to release it more widely in the future.)

Over the course of our conversation, Bing revealed a kind of split personality.

One persona is what I’d call Search Bing — the version I, and most other journalists, encountered in initial tests. You could describe Search Bing as a cheerful but erratic reference librarian — a virtual assistant that happily helps users summarize news articles, track down deals on new lawn mowers and plan their next vacations to Mexico City. This version of Bing is amazingly capable and often very useful, even if it sometimes gets the details wrong .

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I have a painful condition known as the ‘suicide disease.’ This is how I got my life back

Jackie Galgey, 45, is a media professional, children's book author and mom of two. After learning she had trigeminal neuralgia and undergoing two brain surgeries, she's also now an advocate for the rare and chronic facial pain disorder. Galgey shared her story with TODAY.com to raise awareness of the painful condition and how she was able to take her own life back after years of chronic pain.

On a weeklong business trip to Japan in fall 2019, I felt a shock of pain in my face, as if someone was stabbing me. The moments were fleeting — as quickly as they started, they stopped. At first, I wondered if a long flight from New York City to Tokyo contributed to the sensation. But as my time in Japan continued, the bouts of pain increased in frequency and I began wondering if I was experiencing seizures or a more serious health issue. Even though I worried about the 13-hour-long return flight, I was hesitant to seek medical care so far from home. Amazingly, my flight was pain-free.

Still, I knew I needed to see a doctor, and the day after returning home, I went to an emergency room. I explained I was having shocking pains on the right side of my face, and they did a CT scan that did not show anything wrong. Doctors thought perhaps I was having trouble with my teeth because a dental issue could cause pain around the eyes, nose and mouth. Even though my teeth weren’t bothering me, I followed up with my dentist anyway.

At that examination, my dentist noticed that my teeth weren’t causing troubles. But she had an idea of what could be amiss. She asked if I had ever heard of trigeminal neuralgia, and recommended I see a neurologist. I had never heard of it, but she explained that it causes sharp pains in the face , usually on one side, that can occur intermittently or constantly.

For a few weeks, I suffered in agony as I waited for my neurologist appointment. While the pain started off infrequently and felt like a sharp jab, much like receiving an allergy shot, over the weeks it progressed and severe pain was almost constant.

The neurologist believed I had trigeminal neuralgia and suggested I have an MRI to confirm the diagnosis. He noted that a CT scan cannot image nerves and blood vessels, which is likely why I wasn’t given a diagnosis at the emergency room. The trigeminal nerve goes from the brain to the face and branches out into three locations (hence the tri in the name). One branch runs along the scalp, providing sensation there. The second branch provides feeling to the cheek, jaw, top lip, upper teeth and gums, while the third branch provides sensitivity to the lower jaw, teeth and gums.

When a blood vessel compresses the trigeminal nerve, it causes trigeminal neuralgia. My MRI showed that a blood vessel wrapped around the nerves in my brain. While doctors theorized that maybe dental work caused it, we’ll likely never know for certain why I suddenly developed the condition. Doctors first tried treating me with anti-seizure medication. For about six months, I lived a mostly pain-free life. If pain broke through, doctors upped the dose of my medicine to quell the pain. But that came with other problems: the medication had some serious side effects, such as intense brain fog , balance troubles and speech issues. When I was on a low dose, the side effects didn’t impact me too much. But as doctors had to increase the dosage, the side effects worsened and I developed a stutter.

When the pain broke through, it felt like an electric shock — or like someone was actually stabbing me in the face. Sometimes I’d call it a “stab and go,” when the pain was fleeting. Other times, it felt as if someone was thrusting a knife in my face, pulling it out and doing it again and again. If I ate or laughed, that would trigger the pain, making me shy away from social situations that could cause a flare. It felt overwhelming when the medicine became less effective, and the neurologist would have to up the dose or add another medication.

As time passed, the medication alone was no longer enough. The doctor added in another medication that caused serious balance issues. I couldn’t even walk in a straight line, and it dramatically slowed my reflexes. I worried about driving my children, who were 4 and 2 at the time.

After more than a year of pain with little relief, I spoke with a neurosurgeon about surgery. Doctors would open my skull and place a small divider between the blood vessel and the nerve to stop the compression. If successful, I would return to a pain-free life. Even though I knew the recovery would take a long time and be difficult with a career and family, I felt like I needed to try it because I couldn’t really function anymore.

Ahead of the surgery, I felt really isolated. Few people have heard of my condition, and I didn’t know anyone in real life who had it. I found others with the same condition on Reddit and many of them experienced such intense pain they considered suicide. In fact, I learned that people with trigeminal neuralgia have nicknamed the condition “the suicide disease" because of how often they experience suicidal ideation . Luckily, I had a strong support system and never contemplated that myself.

When I woke from surgery, I still felt shocks of pain in my face, but they subsided after about a week. My doctor decided that I should be weaned off the anti-seizure medications at this point. When I did that, the jolts of pain returned. The surgery hadn’t worked. The surgeon believed I had so much nerve damage and this was how I was always going to be and prescribed me medications again.

I felt hopeless. I began withdrawing from loved ones because my stutter became so pronounced and I never knew when the pain would incapacitate me. When a flare began, tears would run down my cheeks, and I'd hunch over or try to hide my face. If someone tried talking to me at school drop-off or pickup, for example, I’d wave and run in the other direction. I simply did not know how to manage the pain and be myself. Prior to this was I bubbly and outgoing, but trigeminal neuralgia changed me.

In November 2022 I was laid off from work. I had been preparing for a sabbatical so I could rest and recover when the layoffs occurred. But the stress from losing my job increased the number of pain attacks I experienced. I was on the maximum dose of medications, yet I still felt no relief.

I visited another neurosurgeon who conducted another MRI on me and discovered something shocking: There was a second compression on my trigeminal nerve. Somehow it had been missed the first time I had scans and surgery. After much thought, I decided to have surgery again. This time I understood what the procedure and recovery were like.

I grappled with the decision. Was a second brain surgery the best thing to do? Could I live with this pain? Could I be a shell of my former self? I’d cry at night thinking of how I’d never be the joyful, fun person I once was. That’s how I knew I needed to try again.

Still, I grappled with the decision. Was a second brain surgery the best thing to do? Could I live with this pain? Could I be a shell of my former self? I’d cry at night thinking of how I’d never be the joyful, fun person I once was. That’s how I knew I needed to try again.

In January 2023, I had the second surgery. When I woke, I was completely pain-free. I experienced some numbness near my mouth and eyebrow. The latter has gone away but I still feel like I had a shot of Novocain in my bottom lip. I did have a complication where I developed a staph infection from the incision site and needed to be hospitalized to treat it, which was scary. But I've recovered.

When I was weaned off the drugs again, the pain didn’t return — but my personality did. I could think clearly again. I was able to start running again, enjoy mothering my two children, being a wife and engaging in social activities again. This summer, I'm even going to compete on an Olympics-themed episode of the NBC game show, “Password.”

I still have trigeminal neuralgia because symptoms can lay dormant for some time before returning. But I consider myself to be in remission — and I hope I'll stay in it forever.

I was 40 when I received my diagnosis, which is young to develop trigeminal neuralgia. Onset normally occurs at 50, according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons . It’s a challenging condition for people to have and I hope that my story and recovery provides people with trigeminal neuralgia some comfort, and I also encourage them to advocate for themselves. Recovery is possible.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Jackie Galgey is a media professional, children's book author and advocate for people with trigeminal neuralgia. Meghan Holohan is a health reporter for TODAY.

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