This post is the next in the series of “What is your purpose in Life”, and it deals with running. It may not be so much that my purpose is to run, but that running has made my purpose in life better. I promote exercise to my patients daily. I practice what I preach. Running, and exercise in general, has been my escape over the years, to help work out problems, and to help solve them. It has been immensely helpful as a stress reliever. Running has taken me places I have never been before, and sights I have never seen before, and brought me in contact with people who have been my closest friends. And it is also how I gained the attention of Sarah before we started dating.
When we were in medical school, we did not start dating until our second year. I definitely noticed her, and I knew she was a runner. I would see her out running some days during that first year. She moved into a different house with several other roommates, and it was like 2 blocks from the medical school. I would see her sitting and studying through the dining room window when I went home. I conveniently changed my running route to go past her place on the way out, and then again back home. Those initial hot days that Summer of our second year was convenient as I ran past her house without a shirt on. (Hee Hee! I did what I had too!) Of course, she noticed, and then we started running together a few times, and then the rest is history. If it had not been for running, who knows if that relationship would have developed.
I started running Cross Country and Track as a senior in High School. I can’t tell you how much confidence that gave me going forward. Enough confidence that I ran both sports in college all 4 years of undergrad. It set the tone and gave me the confidence to believe I could do what I wanted to do in life…become a doctor! I will elaborate more on this in the final series of “purpose in life”. Running had become my purpose, and it helped me develop purpose in my life.
I have learned this more and more over the years. It is not the times of the races that matter, but the races I have done over time that matter. Each one brought a different experience. Each one helped fulfill a new goal. Each one allowed me to develop more friends and increase the number of training partners over the years, and those training partners have become some of my best friends. We kept working on the running, and importance of exercise, with our kids as well, and if they did not run in High School, they do now!
Running has been a huge bond between Sarah and I, ever since that first time I saw her running, as well as the first time I ran with her. Our life has been an ongoing marathon since, with no foreseeable finish line coming yet. New adventures and things to do and see that we would not have done had we not been runners.
Not all runs are great, but by far and away, the majority of them are. Sarah and I still have a lot more runs, and races to do as we get older. When we get to the point of retiring some day, we are going to travel the masters circuit and do more events together.
Together, we are going to “run after life”, and “through life”. Again, my purpose in life is not to run, but running has given my life purpose, and it always will. I definitely want to be remembered as a runner. We are promoting running, and exercise, all of the time in Watertown. We run events, sponsor events, and want everybody to get out and move, and be in better control of their lives.
Exactly! A very good summary! We all need to work on this. Have purpose in our lives. Be able to look past the bad times. Learn determination, discipline, and set new goals in life. Learn how to not give up. Make your life have more purpose in it and live it to the fullest! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day of New Streak: # 1057
