A Valentine's Day Things I Love About Running List

I took a cough-free three mile run tonight, and I was grateful for it. I hacked up a lung when I got home, but I had a great three miler while I was out there, and I was formulating my top five things I love about running in my head. I don't think these are actually my top five. But these are the top five that came to mind. 

5. Snot rockets. Seriously. In no other area of my life, can I just stick my finger to the side of my nose and blow and just keep right on running. Bodily functions don't really fascinate me in the way they do a lot of people, but there's something just so freeing about blowing your nose tissue-free. And when a car swipes too close, well, let's just say it's good to have something in the arsenal. 

4. Gear. Running can be as gearful or gearless as you want it to be.  Sometimes, I kinda dig the gear. I have every version of water bottle available to fit in every hydration belt or camelback out there, and yet I still manage to find more versions to try. I'm a few years behind in my GPS technology, but I have two different versions of GPS watch and at least one GPS-equipped cell phone. I can find the perfect long-sleeved, short-sleeved, or no-sleeved shirt for any sweating occasion. And the shoes. Oh, the shoes! 

3. Not having to have gear. While I have all the stuff, I don't always like to use it. And that's the beauty of running. A pair of shoes, socks, shorts, and a sports bra, and I'm out the door. Any of those four pieces is missing, though, and it's run interrupted.

2. Having a secret running life. It's not always easy to compartmentalize, but I love going out and running a solid long run on Sunday and then heading into work on Monday knowing that I'm doing something most people don't know I do or probably don't think I could do. And if something at work is driving me insane, I get to go work it out on a run. Now that I think about it, the folks  at work may have caught on by now; I tend to use a lot of running metaphors. 

1. My crazy-gene-sharing, number one favorite "thing" about running is Jen.There's a great fellowship in running because runners all have to share the same crazy gene.  Most of my favorite running stories involve Jen or Jen's family. If you don't have a Jen, you should get one.