I am sure some readers have noticed by now that I have taken a few days off here and there this week. However, I wanted to write this post for Christmas Eve and Hanukkah (and Kwanzaa and the Solstice or whatever you celebrate).
I think of running as the best holiday gift I could give myself. As I was running around (pun intended) getting last minute gifts and wrapping, I really started to reflect on the idea of running as a gift. When you stop and think of all the things that running can give you, it is a pretty amazing list. Here are a few things running has given me:
- Extra years of life. Running helps to keep you in great physical shape and, when combined with a healthy diet, can keep you in excellent cardiovascular health–preventing heart disease and stroke.
- Energy. I don’t know about you, but I always feel like I have more energy after I run (well, maybe not a long run!).
- Stress relief. Running is a great release for stress and anxiety. No matter how wound up I am before a run, I am always more relaxed when I get home.
- Self-confidence. There is such a sense of accomplishment that comes from getting a PR or completing your longest run ever.
This Christmas Eve and Christmas, I will enjoy my last few days before half marathon training begins on Monday. Today, I was like a kid on Christmas morning when I opened this month’s training schedule from my coach. I am nervous, but very excited at the same time!
Happy Holidays everyone!
Happy Holidays to one of my favorite Mother Runners…look forward to more of your blog in the New Year. Cheers!
I’m so looking forward to starting my training plan on Monday. I’ve been doing way more running around than running these past couple of weeks. I saw someone running while I was driving home from the mall and I was more than a little jealous.