The Washington Post wrote an article the other day about how millenials have adopted running as a lifestyle and how race organizers are adapting to that. I’m technically a millenial, and I like running, so it was a quick and interesting read for me. I can see its points.

I’ve run semi-consistently since high school when I began preparing for my first Army Physical Fitness Test for my scholarship. I continued running in college on our cross-country team, and made lots of friends along the way. I transitioned to road races my junior year of college when I first ran the Army Ten-Miler and then to longer distances the summer after I graduated.

Racing in college

Running has been a constant for me, and helps me bridge my past to my present. I remember my dad training for marathons and going for long runs. To me, running has just always been something that you do, like brushing your teeth, and eating your dinner before your dessert.

I suppose it makes sense. There are more and more people registering for races like the Boston Marathon and the Chicago Marathon. There’s also more people trying out running for fun and for fitness, not necessarily competition. One of the nicest things about running is you’re only against yourself really, and you can track your progress over years.

My second marathon, the Seattle Marathon

I run less per week than I did before Dopey, but I still consider myself a runner. Whether I run multiple races a year or take a year off from racing and just putter around the city streets, I’m a runner.