The crowd above is the start of a half marathon — one banner, a couple thousand people, all about to do the most basic thing a human can do. Here's why I'm one of them.
How it started
I started running seriously in 2019, when my daily commute changed. Then 2020 happened, and the pandemic turned out to be great for my running — I logged 332 runs and 874 miles that year. These days I keep it more modest: about 2.6 runs a week, roughly 2 miles a run.
Dissolving the negitrons
Running is meditation for me — a way to clear everything else out. I have a theory that negativity accumulates in your blood as little particles I call negitrons, and a vigorous workout is what dissolves them. Whatever you want to call it, a run gives me something immediate and real to focus on — the breathing, the physical effort, just getting through it — instead of work, anxiety, money, problems. Just run.
The one thing we're built for
Here's a fact that doesn't sound right but is true: running is the most basic exercise there is, and humans — above every other creature — are built for it. Our bipedal setup makes us remarkably efficient on our feet. I know, RIGHT?
Free, simple, and good company
It's 100% free. No membership, no sign-up fees. And there's a great community out there — plenty of people to run with. As for gear, I'm Nike-loyal, though not really for the quality — a cheap pair does just fine. The soles wear out, breaking them in takes about two weeks, and that's fine by me. I'm not a high-end runner. Keep it simple.