I think running without a race in mind takes MORE discipline than training! It challenges your commitment to running on a whole other level. You have no "real" reason to get out there.
There is SO MUCH more to running than training or a race!
1. It's cheaper than therapy! The renewal of the mind that happens when you are running at a consistent pace for a distance is just incomparable. To do something where your mind is "sorting through" all the crap that gets all jammed in there is like therapy or more practically like going through your computer files and putting all your pictures and documents in the right files after you have just dragged them to your desktop for months.
2. It releases stress. This includes stress that you don't even know you have. You may be able to identify the stress in your life - like put a name and face to it. But some stress is just normal life happening that builds up. Stress goes somewhere in your body and sets up housekeeping. I am convinced of that! Stress is an energy and mostly a negative deathlike energy. When it comes in, it finds a place to "stick". I believe - and this is just my little ole belief - that stress ("a negative & killing energy") sticks and manifests itself in the form of sickness and disease. It can find itself a place to stick on your thyroid (my personal stress home) or anywhere else and begin to accumulate and to kill what it sticks to. So the vital thing is to find a "stress releaser" and running does just that. It is like a "back door" where stress that has come in goes right back out! All that pent up energy is released as you exert your energy into running. The weight of the world literally is lifted.
3. It helps you sleep. This is probably because of #1 and #2. I find if I am having a restless night I stop and always realize I haven't run in a couple days. When I run my mind is at ease, my body is de-stressed and frankly I'm worn out and I fall into a deeper and longer sleep. This is all the reason I need to get out on the trail!!!
4. It opens my Spirit. This is something deeply personal. When I run I am captivated for an hour or so. While I'm running my time is locked in as well as my mind and body. God goes deep into my "business" when I'm running. I usually spend a lot of my time completely surrendered to whatever God is speaking to me. I "get real" with myself and with God. I can't tell you how many times I have gone down my list of "forgive and release" and it's a thorough work in my spirit! I have to be honest and say I probably would have found a way to avoid that list in my usual prayer time. But God has used my running to work through some really rough things in my heart and if it weren't for running that would have never happened.
So I want to make it clear. Running isn't something I do to SHOW OFF or get flattery or awe inspired "comments on my facebook posts"! It isn't to get a medal or be able to make a list of "look what I can do" for people to see. Running has saved my life and my sanity. It has been a deeply and I mean DEEPLY spiritual journey. I refuse to CHEAPEN it with any of that other stuff.
So, I run.
