Why?

Why?

One of the most commonly question I'm asked about running (closely followed by 'Can't you go any faster?' and 'Can you get out of the way fatty?').

Motivation is of course an individual thing, for some people it's health related for others it's to achieve goals etc. Well this is my take on it:

• Health: 

OK, before we start I'm pretty much a wreck health wise. If I were a horse I'd be put down, if I were a dog, injection please, if I were a... you get the picture. Not counting my too-short-for-my-leg-so-gets-tight hamstrings, my excessive body weight or my history of knee injuries, I have type 1 diabetes and Asthma.

As a result of these ailments, an inactive me would be a pretty (more) messed up me. The physical activity, along side medication of course, helps me regulate both things to the degree where I still generally function as a person.

• Fun

This is the one that confuses people. It's fun, I'm usually pretty happy when running, in a group, on my own, in a race situation (as let's face it even in a race, I'm not in the race!) it's just a relaxing experience. This may just be me... but I'm confident it's not. If it were I suppose the taff trail would be a damn site quieter on a Sunday morning!

Ok, that's PenyFan... you find a better photo.

• Kids

The one thing I was always worried about, I never wanted to be the heffer of a dad picking his kids up that can't even run/waddle after them. I wanted to be at least normal looking so the other kids don't point out to the sprongs their dad has indeed eaten the majority, if not all, of the pies.

I think I look at least roughly normal now...

Of course if the kids ever looked up my race times... whole other thing to mock about.

There are many other reasons, but when I think of it, these are the biggies!