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Why I Run - Why I Run - Darron West
Club: Mr Price Celtic Harriers, Cape Town, South Africa
www.mpceltics.com
www.twooceansmarathon.org.za
The question, "Why run?" is often posed to runners by non-runners, and by runners themselves in the throes of fatigue. My wife and I ran the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon together in March 2005, and this event made me ask and answer the question.
We can very quickly move past the sometimes flippant and often more obvious answers: "I run to keep fit", "I run for fun", "I run because my mates do", and others like them.
At 44 kilometers, my mind was asking my body, "Why run?" and my body didn't have the answer. My legs were sore, I was nauseous and tired, and it was clear that I was going to miss my objective of finishing within 6 hours to earn a bronze medal. I had reached the end of my tether, and I just wanted to stop.
My wife, a woman of steely determination, urged me to continue. She held my hand and pulled me up Constantia Nek. She gave us little goals like, "Let's walk to the next street lamp, and then run past the following two. Then we can walk again," and eventually, "I'm also sore. Just do it for me." It was at that point that I pulled myself together, bit down hard and ran through the pain to the finish.
And in the days following the race, I figured out why I run. I run to prove to myself that I can. I run to be humbled, and see the good in the ups and the downs. I run so that I can give of myself to others when I am able, and so that I can have the grace to accept that I can't always do it alone.
I run to learn more about life, and so be a better person.
Darron West