The Value of Running

I would say, “I can’t run because I’m not a runner.”  I believed that I was not a runner because I wasn’t fast enough, fit enough, or strong enough to run.  In fact, just the thought of running or walking 3.1 miles seemed like an impossible feat.

In 2016, I decided to join Fleet Feet’s "No Boundaries" program with the motivation to try something new and challenging.  When I first started the program, I had anxiety about running in public and the fear of being left behind.  Fortunately, after the first few weeks of training those anxieties and fears quickly went away and I began to treat each mile as an opportunity to meet new friends and achieve new goals.     

Towards the end of the program, I began to learn the true value of running.  The value of running is not measured by your heart rate but by the determination in your heart to finish.  The value of running is not measured by the pace you keep during a run but by the positive attitude you keep during an unfavorable run.  The value of running is not measured by the miles displayed on your Garmin but by the smile displayed on your face. 

After completing the "No Boundaries" program, I’m able to say with confidence, “I can run because I’m a runner.”     

-Jeff Burnett, No Boundaries Learn to Run