Some runners never race at all. Runners who do race, though, race for all sorts of different reasons. Your reasons for racing may change over the years, too. I do think it’s important to revisit your why. What is it about racing that motivates you? Why do YOU get out there to race?
Ironically, at the moment, I am not racing much. Even though I did a lot of races in 2018, my racing year didn’t even really start until July. It had been almost 8 months since my last half at that point; sometimes life (and Winter!) get in the way.
You can run without racing
Let’s face it, racing is hard. If it’s not hard, then you’re not racing. It’s hard on the body, too, especially when you run a lot of races with little recovery time.You can run without racing– heck, running is hard too; we all know that!
Running will always challenge you:
- Making time for runs
- Bad weather
- Those days when your legs feel encased in molasses
- Those days when it just doesn’t feel very good
When you’re running without racing it’s a lot easier to tell yourself: “I don’t need to run today; tomorrow will be better weather”. Or “There’s no reason to push myself if I’m not training for a race”.
Maybe you do push yourself even if you never race. Maybe that helps you stay sane. Or maybe you just love running fast. There is no right or wrong when it comes to running, there is only what is right or wrong for you.
Why do I race?
Like most people, there are many reasons why I race:
- To challenge myself
- To improve (which doesn’t necessarily mean a better finish time)
- To run in new places
- To work towards a goal
- To chase that runner’s high
- To push myself and see what I’m really capable of
- To earn cool swag
- To enjoy time with my running friends (sometimes)
When I began to race, I knew very few runners. I raced by myself. Some days I still race by myself. Is it more fun with friends? Sure! The reasons I race keep me racing whether or not my friends are with me.
I showed you mine . . .
. . . now you show me yours: your reasons to race. Drop me a comment and let me know why you race!
Do you like to race by yourself or with friends?
What is your number one reason to race?
Do you push yourself even if you’re not training for a race?
