Journal #2 - Running and Nature

The Trinity Trails

It is crazy to me how a good run, and I mean a really good run, can make you feel like a brand new person. This is somewhat of a cliché among runners, how the activity never fails to clear your head. Does some creative block have you feeling stuck? A run can cure that! Are you deliberating between two life-altering decisions? Yeah, a run can also fix that. Are you stressed from work, school or life? Run it out. Are you having a “blah” day? Go for a run!

During my college career, I have become an extremely dedicated runner. I picked it up as a pastime my freshman year of college and as the years have passed, it has become a larger and larger part of my life. I ran a half marathon last year and am running a 20 mile race this year. People think I’m crazy when I say I run so much, but it is something that I can do anywhere, anytime, which never fails to calm me down and put the world in perspective.

So, why is it that I am writing about running in my nature blog? Yes, running is one of my favorite pastimes, but it is not just because of the act of running. It is so much more than that. One of the reasons I love it so much is the ability for me to connect with nature and the outdoors.

 My favorite types of runs are outside runs. There is something about being outside while on a long run that is truly calming. To truly disconnect from the world and just run. There is only the trail and I, with the sound of my breathing and steady “thump thump” of my feet on the gravel. On these runs, this is when I feel truly present in the world. I am not just going through the motions of the day-to-day tasks I need to accomplish. Instead, I am slowing down, clearing my mind, and appreciating all that the world has to offer.

Ever since I started my college career at TCU, the Trinity Trails have become one of my favorite places to run along. I think the river and landscape is beautiful to look at. There are some parts of the trail that always have lots of runners/walkers/bikers on them. However, there are also parts of the trail that get deserted at times. It is at these spots that I feel at one with nature. I feel like I absorb the most of what is around me—the blue water, green trees, the squirrels running up and down trees. And I listen. I listen to the sound of my feet underneath me as I run. The sound of my breathing as I methodically breathe in and out. The sound of the trinity river flowing.

Running has taught me to live in the moment and appreciate the world around me. Yes, this was an unconventional “nature” blog, but I felt like it was relevant to my life. Running has impacted my life immensely. It has taught me to slow down and appreciate the little things and to soak in the beauty that is nature.

There is one thing that I love to do at the end of my runs, and it is so simple, yet so empowering. I pause wherever I finish, close my eyes, breath in the air around me, and feel the sun beat down on my face. Life is truly amazing and I cherish living in the moment!