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Why I Run - Why I Run - Michelle Gates

Why I Run - Michelle Gates
Club: Phoenix, Montreal

Why do I run? That’s really a hard question. I spend like half my life wondering why people don’t run? Still don’t know, but I guess I could understand, because there was a time when I didn’t like to run.

Hal and I started running when we were about 13. I used to do those West Island races, always the 1k. I thought it was so hard, and I never made it to the end without stopping. 1k was so far. Back then, Hal ALWAYS beat me, and that’s just the way it was. In grade 8 I did outdoor track for school and I sucked really badly. I did the hurdles and 200m and the javelin. Then that summer I joined the West Island Track Club and had to run every day because there was practice every day. I hated it, but for some reason I did it anyway.

After awhile I joined the McGill Olympic Track Club, that’s when I was 14. This place was nuts. Every practice was all-out, and the workout was always a surprise. We used to do track 2-3 times a week, 400s, 300s, 200s, stuff like that. Compared to everybody else there, I was really slow, so I always had to run extra hard to try to keep up. At that club we did a lot of races, I always did the 1500m and the 3000m (torture), and occasionally the 800m (bad idea), and I ALWAYS finished last, usually by a lot. That worked wonders for my self esteem. I think my worst running memory has to be the time I did the McGill indoor Open race when I was about 16 and I was running against all these men and I got to choose my starting position since my time was so much slower than everybody else there. I was lapped so many times, it was the worse race ever. Not long after that I vowed never to run a track race again. Anyway, after awhile I actually started to like running (wow), but the competition at this club was becoming too much for me. Let’s face it, I’m not planning on becoming elite or something, so I’m not going to train like a lunatic. After a few conflicts, and major burnout due to over training (too much track!), I decided it was time to leave that club for something better.

In November sometime when I was 17 I joined Boreal (Phoenix). I remember my first practice was at the Jetty and we did 4 x 2k. I never had done intervals like that before, but it was fun! I remember I was running with Bill, and on the last interval he disappeared. Turns out he busted his hamstring or something, hahaha! Back then, for some reason I didn’t know that there was a long run, so I never came to the Saturday practice. Then one time I heard about it so Hal and I showed up and ran the whole 17k. We thought it was so far. I remember not being able to run for a week or two after that. Hihihi.

Anyway, since then running has only gotten better and better. Since following Bill’s training technique, I’ve learned that you can run and have fun at the same time! (who knew?) So ya, I really don’t know why I ran in the past, cuz I didn’t even like it, I don’t know why I started or why I kept at it, but I’m happy I did because now I love it! Can’t say that’s the only reason I run now though. I also run because I’m lazy at heart (I was born like that). If I had it my way I’d never even lift a finger. But then I’d die at 40 and I’d live a sad life. If I never ran I think I’d be a slug, lethargy at its best. I run because it’s better than lazing around doing nothing. I run to avoid heart disease, diabetes, chronic diseases, and to make up for my unhealthy childhood (laziness and junk food to blame there). I don’t want to be a statistic. Inactivity can cause a lot of bad things. Then of course there’s the simple fact that running is an addiction. If I don’t run for 2 days straight I might as well die because I can’t stand it! Need the runner’s high! I also run in hopes that one day maybe I’ll get faster, that would be good. And because I don’t like most of the other sports. And of course I run because I can, so why not?

Michelle Gates