Why I Run

I feel like this is a pretty good explanatory topic, because it may seem crazy to devote an hour or so of nearly every day of my life to such a pursuit. Well, here's a personal perspective of why I do it:

Well actually, first, a little explanation of why I did it in the first place, because I knew nothing about running when I first started:

• It was peer pressure. Honestly. Positive peer pressure. It exists. I was sort of thinking about running track towards the end of my middle school career, so when my freshman year of high school rolled around, it was an easy decision to join the track team after several of my friends (who were on the team) started encouraging me to start running.

Why I continue it today:

•  Cheap and convenient fitness. Straight up. It's a lot easier for me to just pull on a pair of shorts and some shoes and run out the door than to get a pricey gym membership, or even worse, space-and-money-eating home gym equipment. 
• Cardio benefits.  One of the core rules in Zombieland, it applies to real life as well. As the key component of fitness, being a runner will give you an edge in most any other sport, even if you aren't so talented in it. Soccer, Ultimate, full court basketball. Feeling tired? Not as much as everyone else is.
• The only thing I have to buy is a pair of shoes. I buy a $60 pair of shoes once every 4 to 6 months. When that pair seems to be getting run down, I buy another and the old pair becomes my walk around shoes. With the barefoot running craze, one day running may have virtually zero input costs. Shirts, shorts, under armor - buy these things once and they last almost forever, I've found.
• Social aspect. It's easy to meet new people as a runner. There are a ton of running groups, clubs, and races out there that are great opportunities to meet new people. Also, it's easy to reinforce friendships with people you've known for a while. Nothing to do? Call 'em up, go for a run.
• Transportation aspect. Now this is something I'm slowly getting more and more into. In Raleigh, it's a lot easier to just go for a run to knock out some errands. Saves gas, efficiently combines things you would normally do separately. I mainly grab snacks on my way back from runs.
• Connection to the outdoors. Alright, so this might not be the most concrete reason on the list, but it's a really big reason I run. Can't get a camping trip together? Ultimate Frisbee game fall through? Just go for a run. I like to go on exploratory runs. I've found that the less you know where you are, the faster and longer you will go. This especially applies to the middle of Pisgah Forest.
• Cuts stress. Running may be the main thing that allowed me to stay sane my Junior and Senior year of high school. Got a huge test in college, worth maybe 40% of your grade? Stressed? Not any more, thanks to those endorphins (chemicals that cause the runner's high).

It could be argued that any cardiovascular centered sport could reap these benefits. Perhaps. But in fifty years do you really see yourself still playing pickup bball with your buddies? That's all I got.