Running: a recipe for happiness.

I was talking with a good friend today about running. Put simply, he said, “I hate running." After thinking that hate is a really strong word, I began to wonder why some people feel this way. After all, we evolved into upright primates so we could run and hunt for our food.  How can a basic skill be so bad? I have noted time and time again that I am neither fast nor graceful when it comes to running.  I barely use the heels of my feet to strike the pavement.  I am a mechanical mess. Despite this, I am drawn to it. I believe so much in the power of a natural dopamine high that it led to the creation of Go Far.   For every perfect runner out there, there are many of us that run with faults.  Despite the shaky footing some runners may have, the positivity that comes from it takes precedence. Just this week, an article spread like wildfire on the Internet suggesting that one in ever 5 Americans have suffered from mental illness over the past year. “The research defined a major episode as at least a two-week period when a person is depressed with a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities, while also experiencing at least four of seven symptoms defined in the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.” I personally blame this epidemic on a sedentary lifestyle. But I believe that running can be a game changer. It has proven to be a successful coping mechanism for the many stresses that life throws at us. My husband often runs home from his stressful job as an anesthesiologist.  His run allows him to detox from the pressures of work. Those stresses are checked at the door allowing him quality family time diminishing any baggage that comes with his job.  After his run, any emptiness he may have inside, is hungrily satisfied with a bowl of pasta.  For my son, running comes out of necessity. His natural ability to run placates his resistance to sit still during school. At a young age, I realized that for his teachers’ sake, a pair of running shoes for the boy would be a must. Running has taught him things about himself that couldn’t be learned via parenting, through textbooks or an Xbox. It’s helped define who he is and who he wants to be. It’s given him life skill sets that include navigation, road safety, and parental independence. With every step he makes, a decision is made and he learns quickly to think on his feet. Personally, running brings my creative thoughts into crystal clear focus. The seeds planted in my mind during a run tend to grow into realistic goals and projects. It is here that any misguided thoughts are booted out and the positive ones take their place. It helps me be a more effective parent and keep things in perspective.  My daughter is a reluctant runner. Despite her resistance to run, the effects of the sport in her life are undeniable. As I see it, the sport will have a more deliberate effect on her. Over the years, she’ll come relish in the family traditions that running has created. At seasonal events such as Turkey Trots or marathons, up to twelve  immediate Schulten family members may gather to race together. Like the rest of us, she cherishes those times realizing that a family that runs together, stays together. Starting a running regimen takes little more than having a decent pair of sneakers. A runner’s first weeks are  undoubtedly the hardest and may feel downright insidious. The heroic dopamine in our body is at war with its sinister foe, lactic acid.  But as luck has it, this too shall pass and better runs are in store for the future.  Add running into your long- term goals and you just may find yourself in a better place. Stick with it, and you can truly Go Far.