Your WHY will change - let it
How my 'why' as runner has stretched in new ways and evolved with me.
Every runner has a ‘why,’ but no one tells you that your ‘why’ can, and likely will, evolve. Like relationships, jobs, and other ambitions, it pushes you to grow. If you’re open to it, running will challenge you in ways that lead you toward new opportunities and directions you never imagined when you first started.
Your first and foundational why is, in my opinion, the most important one to return to on the days of doubt, but if you stick with running long enough, it won’t be your only why.
The Foundation that Started it All
I was fortunate to grow up in a household where health and wellness were a top priority. My parents set the example that you start your day off right and strong with a workout. Whether it was going for a run, teaching a spin class, or lifting weights, movement mattered.
Running wasn’t the sole focus for me, yet, but movement, health, and wellness were. Exercise wasn’t treated as an option, but a necessity for a happy, balanced life. This is why, at a young age, I fell in love with sports and competing.
(And spoiler: I never became a XC runner)!
So in my experience, my why, in a way, wasn’t always conscious. It was inherited.
Fitness has been ingrained in my routine since I was a kid. I loved sports, competing, and being on the go.
Drifting From the Why
As I got older, went off to college, and retired from those sports, I had to be intentional about maintaining a fitness routine. There weren’t practices, teams, or coaches to hold me accountable anymore. I had to learn how to be disciplined on my own.
To be honest, I veered off in seasons and lost my consistency.
But in one of those messy days during my 20s, which I am sure we can all relate to, I found myself thinking, I just need to lace up my sneakers and move.
This was the moment my first real why was born.
My First Why: Healing
Life took a sudden turn in my 20s, and I found myself leaning into running. In this season, I was yearning for clarity, a sense of control, and anything that could make me feel like I was enough.
*Enter the gateway drug of endorphins*
Hitting the pavement quickly became my safe space for an escape. Healing and finding myself again were a core part of my why at that time.
The sport reminded me how powerful my mind and body were. It helped me see and believe that I was capable of hitting lofty goals. That my past and pain weren’t going to hold me back from what was out there or the woman I was becoming.
Running was the fuel to keep me going on days that were hard, and extra joy on the days worth celebrating.
The Shift: New Ambitions & Milestones
After missing a sub-4 marathon by two minutes in NYC, I knew deep down I could do better. So I chased it in my next marathon, 30 days later, and ran away with a 20-minute PR. That jump showed me the potential I was sitting on, and while it was scary, I set out for the next ambition - qualifying for the Boston Marathon.
And here is the truth, I wasn’t running to heal anymore. I wasn’t running to prove something to people who probably weren’t watching. I was running for me. To see what I was fully capable of.
Now, I’d be remiss not to acknowledge and be grateful for the role my upbringing and initial whys played in leading me to this epiphany. Without the foundation my parents built, and the pivotal moments that pushed me to leverage running as a healing tool, I wouldn’t be in this new chapter.
My Why Today
As time went on, and I hit the milestones that once felt out of reach, my why shifted again.
Hitting the pavement is still incredibly therapeutic, but it’s now expanded into new avenues like coaching XC, community, leadership, and chasing new PRs. It gives me something I craved for a long time: a sense of belonging and purpose that extends far beyond the miles.
Never say never!
A comment I often hear is, “I don’t know how you run so much, I could never.”
And I get it. I never thought I would run THIS much, either. Sure, I knew fitness would be a priority, but I didn’t imagine being this serious about a sport at the age of 30.
So here’s my take: once you uncover your why, hold onto it. Grip it until your knuckles turn white and let it guide you. This will carry you on the long runs, pull your butt out of bed on the cold mornings when the sheets are warm, and push you to the finish line on the races that feel impossible.
As a runner, my why has shifted over the years.
In my early days, my why revolved around proving myself to others: I’ll show you, I’ll show me, I can do this. (I know, it’s giving live-laugh-love sign in Home Goods energy, but it was real).
Now, it’s no longer about proving anything. It’s about purpose, passion, and seeing what’s possible when I commit to myself.
Your initial why isn’t the end all be all. While it’s important, it’s just the starting point.
It will grow with you, stretch you, and if you allow it…
it will change you.
Hit the pavement and honor your why!