Why? This is a question that I ask myself constantly through training (albeit mostly hard workouts) and even during my non-running times of marathon training.  Why do I subject myself to going to be before most 85 year olds on a nightly basis?  Why do I get up to run 13 miles before going to work at 8 AM? If my coach gives me a range of times to hit in a work out, why do I always shoot for the fast end, and then am pissed off if I don’t hit it (even if I’m w/in the range)?  Why do I continuously execute workouts that leave me visiting the bathroom for the next 14 hours? Why do I put up with the people that constantly yell things like: “Nice shorts” or “Run Forest Run”? Why can’t they be more creative?   When I ran cross country, why did I kill myself all week, just to have my hardest run on Saturday morning? Why is it that I dedicate three months each year to train for one marathon?  Why is the only thing I can do when a non runner asks me specifics about marathon training, and they question my sanity, all I can do is offer them an awkward smile? Why do I do this?  The best answer I could come up with is that the only thing worse than going through the previously mentioned situations, is NOT being able to go through them.  Whether it’s hitting that split, beating your high school rival, winning your age group in a local race, or pushing through the times when it’s soooo much easier to slow down – those feelings are why this sport is so addictive.  This is why we do it. If you don’t run, you probably won’t understand; and you probably won’t be on this site.  If you do run, continue to smile awkwardly when you explain to someone you did an 8 mile tempo run 3 hours before they woke up, and when those thoughts of negativity creep into your mind – just remember how lucky each of us truly are to be able to run.

–Scott Wandzilak