It’s not my intention to sound like a self-help influencer, but running has changed my life. I learned to enjoy exercise and have grown more connected with the world around me.

I started running in 2019 during my freshmen year of high school. At the time I was a teenager having a hard time dealing with the stress of being a student and an athlete who was likely the worst on the team. 

I played basketball in high school, and while I enjoyed playing, I couldn’t handle the competitiveness and found myself cracking under the pressure. 

The bench practically had my name on it and my self-esteem tanked. 

I didn’t understand that my Division I-committed teammates had personal trainers and I felt like no matter how much I practiced I just wasn’t good enough.

Once the pandemic hit and the public basketball courts closed, I started running at the local trails in Santa Cruz just to pass the time. 

For the first time, I simply enjoyed movement without a coach yelling at me. 

Running is an individual activity; it’s just your body and your mind. For me, not having the pressure of coaches or a team was what I needed.

It is a hobby that is great for challenging the body and mind to persevere even when you want to stop.

Now, six years later, the “runners high” is what makes me keep lacing up my sneakers.

The runner’s high is when the brain releases endocannabinoids after prolonged exercise, resulting in a sense of inner peace and contentness, according to an April 2, 2021 article by World Athletics.

After a long week, there’s nothing I crave more than running a few miles. Afterwards I always feel accomplished and like my anxiety has turned off for the night. 

Running helped my mental health because I know I have a reliable method for stress relief.

Physically, I feel my heart is stronger. I have more trust in my body to persevere and recover after a minor injury.

Consistent running leads to improved blood flow, meaning your body can mobilize its cells to repair damage from an injury, according to an article by DOC on the Run.

Under ideal circumstances, my favorite method of running is on a trail or levee with other runners, surrounded by nature and far from cars. 

This phenomenon is known as green exercise. Running outdoors is a grounding and connecting activity, as the runner shifts awareness to the environment, according to the same World Athletics article.

Being outdoors, no matter what I’m doing, puts me in a good mood. It gets me out of my head to  witness the beauty of nature like watching the sunset or listening to a bird’s chirping.

Much of our modern life requires us to be indoors, intentionally setting time to be outdoors with a run allows me to get some vitamin D and exercise.

Running outside also reduces feelings of loneliness and isolation, according to an article by WebMD.

While some like to compete in marathons or join a school’s track team, that’s not my style. I respect the dedication to improvement, but my running has never been about that.

Perseverance is what guides me to keep coming back no matter how many walk breaks I need or how slow my mile is compared to last week’s.

I use the Nike Run Club App to track my mileage. 

In my six years of data, there’s personal records next to walks, but I know it doesn’t make me any less of a runner.

In many ways, running feels like something in my blood.

So I encourage anyone with the physical ability to run, to grab some sneakers and start with a walk and slowly pick up the speed. 

Running is forgiving and will always let you start again, and I plan to start again every day until I physically can’t.