The Heart of a Runner

For the last year, I've been a member of an incredible site for runners aptly named "The Runners' Lounge." I found this site by accident, but it has been a happy accident, indeed. During my membership, I have made some amazing running friends, like Amy, B.V., and Joy. I look forward to hearing from them in the forum I created known as "The Fat Runners Society."

As a runner of nearly a dozen years, I encounter all sorts of people. Non-runners ask me all the time why in the world I would want to run. There used to be this guy I played fastpitch softball with that always would say, "why run when you can walk...why walk when you can hit a three-run homer." I must admit, prior to becoming a runner I felt the same way. I thought runners were nuts. How could anyone find running fun? But, until you've done it, you'll never know the pleasure of a long run or how quirky a bunch runners can be.

Runners have big hearts. They live big, often right on the very edge of life every day. We have wild and amazing stories of what brought us into the sport. My friend and fellow lounger, BV, inspired today's post. He sent me a message on my forum asking if I was all right after what I wrote in yesterday's blog. I've never met BV, but I share a kinship with him forged in a sport we both love and participate in every day. BV's a runner, but he's more than a runner. He's a man with a big heart or else he wouldn't have asked how I was and if he could help. He even gave me his private email address if I wanted to just "talk." How cool is that?

Running brings people together. No matter the color, creed, financial status, their body type...we all come together as a special group of people sharing a special sport. Our sport isn't necessarily a competitive one like football or soccer. The only competition we have is ourselves. I run to make myself better. I run to live life on the edge. I run to escape a world that is closing in on me and my running brings me closer to the God I love.

Thanks to all you runners out there, large and small, that have big hearts and refuse to live an ordinary life. Be barbaric in everything you do. Make someone smile and maybe bring someone that doesn't run into our fold.

God bless you all with great running!



TFR