Where does running take us?

This image really caught my attention.  It’s been said a lot lately that I just seem to be running away from my problems, and I won’t deny that I’ve had a hefty share of things to work through lately. But I often find myself back where I started, generally wiser and occasionally for the better. The routes I run tend to be circular in nature, one way or another, as I always end up back at my house or my car. Running away? Not so much. Running to free up, if only for a short while, the constricting thoughts invading my subconscious? Absolutely. At the end of my run as I’m gasping for breath, having left everything I have to give out on the road, I’m calmer, more focused, and better collected. That’s what running gives back to me. If we could really run away from our problems more people would join the sport.



Running towards something?  Now there’s a concept to consider, I know I don’t do enough of that.  My races are literally my best examples, setting a goal to work towards which culminates at the finish line, but I'm still working towards moving other areas of my life in that direction as well.  Usually I just get it in my mind that I want to do or have something and I don’t let go easily while trying to obtain it.  But honestly what's more typical is that I've let life happen without a lot of direction on my part and or a lot of thought on where I was going or what my future would entail.  I have things I want to accomplish, but I haven’t generally found myself on a dedicated path to get there. This is finally changing, as I've started taking more control and ownership of my life and my future.

So while we may be inclined to try to run away from it all, we usually just end up right where we need to be.