Running

This is just an essay I wrote for English....

I’ve been running for as long as I can remember. Running has always been attractive to me. Maybe it’s the wind rushing past me, maybe it’s the pleasure of moving my feet as fast as they can go. Whatever it is, running is one of my favorite activities to do. I’m glad it became a hobby of mine from a young age. It wasn’t until I started track, that I started learning how wonderful this hobby of mine really was. Running is important because it keeps your body healthy, it brings a sense of accomplishment, and you can learn many life lessons from it.
I know that when I run, my muscles are getting stronger and healthier. Another wonderful aspect of running is that it not only exercises your external muscles, but also your internal muscles, such as your heart and lungs. Getting your heart pumping expands tiny blood vessels and helps make new pathways. Running is also great for loosing weight because it burns more calories than just about any other activity. Studies have shown that when woman run, they cut in half their risk of getting breast cancer. Running can also produce healthier skin because it helps flush out waste products.
Running keeps your body in great shape, and it can also bring a great sense of accomplishment. I remember when I decided to run my first half marathon. It wasn’t until the starting line when it really hit me; I was going to have to run thirteen point one miles, and there was to getting out of it. I had to endure the race before I could get any prize. So, I did run it and it took a very long time, but the feeling I got when I crossed the finish line was like no other feeling I’d ever had. I just stood there with pain shooting up and down my whole body and I was so happy. I had done something hard and I had done well. I didn’t have to win first place to get a sense of accomplishment I just had to cross the finish line.
I have learned more life lessons on my running path than in any book or class that I have ever read or taken. I can remember so many times while running when I’ve wanted to quit. When the pain stabs at my side, and I feel as if I can’t suck anymore air into my lungs, yet I keep on going, that is when I know I have learn perseverance. Learning to keep on running even when it hurts has also taught me to push through in other areas of my life. I have also learned that during long runs, after a while patience just comes naturally for me. It is easier to apply patience when it comes to other situations because of the practice I get when running. I’m so thankful that I had experience on the running trail before I got into hard situations in life because I knew that if I just pushed on a little farther there would be a prize waiting for me at the finish line.
Running is not and easy activity to do, but it pays off in many ways. It keeps your body healthy and lowers the risk of certain diseases. Once you have endured the difficulties of a race, you can enjoy an amazing feeling of true accomplishment. Some life lessons are easy to learn when you use running as a tool to help you improve.