Friday Five: 5 Things I Love About_____

Every Friday, three DC area bloggers Mary at Mar On the Run, Cynthia at You Signed Up For What?! and Courtney from Eat Pray Run, DC to host the Friday Five linkup. Anyone can join with their own Friday Five post (yes, it must be a Friday Five!!) They encourage you to visit other blogs on the linkup, comment, share and engage!

This week, the theme is a Five Things I Love About ________ so I chose to write about Five Things I Love About Running:

(Yes, this a repeat and I am very sorry but this is the first week of classes where I work and I have been soooo busy. If you read last Friday’s post, you can stop reading now.)

1. Running makes me feel healthy.

I do not eat healthy most of the time. I do not follow any special diets. I don’t make smoothies or eat kale. I eat meat, I eat carbs and I love my sweets especially ice cream. Running is one of the few healthy things that I do.

running + ice cream = 🙂

2. Running helps me stay active.

I have a sedentary job. I sit at a computer most of the day. Some days, I don’t even leave my desk. I don’t belong to a gym. I don’t own any exercise equipment. Running gets me moving early in the morning or after work.

running in the park after work

3. Running gives me a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Even after a poor race, I know that I have done more than those who have stayed home. When I say that I ran 13.1 miles, people who are not runners are “in awe.” Every time I cross that finish line, I feel proud!

finishing a 5K

after my first half marathon

4. Running keeps me feeling young.

At 61, I may not be the fastest and PRs are getting harder to come by, but I still finish faster than a lot runners that are younger than me.

see those younger ones behind me LOL

this recent picture is featured on the race website – springrunoff.com

5. I am part of a community.

Runners are awesome people. Even when I go to a race where I don’t know anyone, I always end of chatting with someone. I have met so many people because of running, many of whom I now consider my “friends.” And then there are the bloggers…you are my “virtual friends.”