Why Kaitlyn Runs...

The first thing I’d like to state is that running does not come easily to me…but that doesn’t mean that I don’t like the challenge that it presents or the accomplishment and feeling of wholesomeness that is the ultimate outcome of running. As a child, running was the easiest form of transportation, particularly when you don’t have a license and don’t have the coordination to manipulate a bike yet. Running became a kind of necessity in order to not be left behind in the traditional neighborhood pack of kids. During school, running was a social event…tag, sharks and minnows, and foot races were all popular on the playgrounds of my elementary schools. In high school, running became somewhat of a social and bonding activity for me, specifically in regards to soccer, volleyball, and basketball. After all, there’s nothing that can form a stronger or more tight-knit bond within a team than enduring the same pain…and that was and still is the philosophy of many of my coaches. Of course I also run to be healthy, both physically and mentally. I enjoy the way that I feel after a good run, commonly referred to as an “endorphin high,” and the process of running itself, with its calculated breathing patterns and tempoed strides, often puts me into a “zen-like” state that allows me to relax on deeper levels of my conscience.