The Power of Running

I started working at Fleet Feet a little over a month ago. I knew I would have fun because, well, it’s a running store and who among us doesn’t love being in a running store. And I would be lying if I didn’t tell you that I thought it would inspire my writing as well. I knew I would meet people who were just starting on their running journey. I would meet people who had already started seeing real health results from their running and I would meet people who were taking on challenges they had only dreamed of in the past. But I had no idea that the national campaign for Fleet Feet stores across the nation would coincide with my biggest beliefs on running.

For years I have written about the power of running. In August Fleet Feet Sports is kicking off a campaign called the Power of Running. As I sat watching the latest webinar on this program I wanted to get up out of my seat and cheer. This is what I have talked about for years. The power of running for good; the power of running for fun; the power of running with others; and the power of running to inspire.

I do not believe it is a coincidence that when one door closed in my life (the closing of Spark Running), this is the door that opened. I believe I have found a place that matches my love for running ounce for ounce. And it does it in a way that starts small, with the first customer that walks through the door every day and ends big, with a corporate backing that truly believes in the power of running to change lives.

If you have followed along with my journey in the past few years you know that running has taken a smaller role in my life. I have been focused on my family, our mental health and our mission to help bring depression out of the darkness. But running has not been pushed off the table and in the past several months it has once again changed the way I live my life.

The power of running for me right now comes from the power of running together. Whether it is with my Wednesday morning Moms Run Club or the rest of the week when I am up by 5am to run with my wonderful 21 year old son, I am motivated to run more every day because of these runs. Running with my group or with my son I feel the need to be up, whether I want to run that morning or not. I feel the need to work harder so I don’t slow them down. And to stay active on the other days in order to make my group days even better.

The power of running never fails to amaze me. More amazing still is how much my running life has flowed into my regular life and vice versa. Suddenly the power of running has become the power of living as a runner. After two years of struggling I find myself loving every minute of this running life again.