We all can agree that exercise is something important for our overall health. The benefits of exercise go beyond the physical aspect. It can help with your mental health and overall stress reduction. Most people have particular exercises that they stick to because they enjoy doing them and they get the results. However, more often than not, anybody that I talk to that is into fitness will say that the one thing they hate to do more than anything is running. On the surface, it appears as a monotonous task, almost like a hamster running on a wheel. It's because of this perception that most people will avoid running or only do the bare minimum to help facilitate their overall results. That being said, I also understand that running at a consistent pace for an extended period requires a lot of effort and stamina. I was the same way in the beginning, until I found that balance and was able to be consistent in my own effort and stamina. In doing so, I have been able to find serenity in my running. Running is also more than just stationary on a treadmill; inside a gym. Living in the southwest gives us the benefit of amazing weather 9 months out of the year and quite a diverse ecosystem to experience outdoors. I believe it’s in this appreciation of the world around you that makes running more enjoyable. Running is far more than a boring, monotonous activity and when I run, I’m able to not only nurture my mental health and free my mind, but develop stronger friendships and connect with the nature around me.

While running solo, I am allowed to be alone with my thoughts and sort out things that have been plaguing my mind. Oftentimes, my daily life can seem so overwhelming. It's like every hour that passes, a new weight is tied to my ankle. Pulling me down and gluing me to the earth, preventing me from going forward. All these different stimuli that are put in front of me daily are like grabbing a remote and flipping through random channels every 10 seconds, with no time to fully understand or connect one moment to the next. This is where I’ve learned that solo runs can provide a quiet environment for me to sort out all the chaos that has been attacking me all day. Once I could build up my stamina, I focused on the sound of my feet against the ground. It became rhythmic to me like a metronome playing to the rhythm of my steps and heartbeat. It was hypnotic in a way where all of the chaos was suddenly gone. I no longer felt like it shackled me down and I could finally process my day. This allowed me time to reflect, and the silence helped me focus. I could finally appreciate the things that were happening in my life and see the path in life that I am taking. Once can achieve this feeling, it’s as if you're tearing off the blindfold and headphones that you have been navigating the world with. It opens your mind to experiencing the joys of life around you. By the end of my runs, I feel relaxed and light as a feather floating through a gentle breeze. I had found serenity and peace in an exercise that most despise. Running hasn’t only benefitted my mind, but it has also helped me become much more social and develop new friendships.  

While running, I have been able to improve on my social health and develop many more friendships. I have always been an introvert and had a hard time making friends. It has never been because I am anti-social, but more about how I’m able to connect with another person and become synced. It's an uncomfortable state where you don’t know each other and what to do or say. To be honest, it's a lot of effort. Picking up on physical cues and everything else becomes exhausting in the amount of processing and quick draw responses you want to come up with feels like it takes a college degree to master. That being said, once I joined a cross-country team and was running with athletes of similar endurance, I found that those ice-breaker situations have become easier. With distance running, you really don’t have the opportunity to have a full-blown, in-depth conversation, it's rather short and to the point. This is perfect for me to avoid the awkward moments of not knowing what to say and dreading what their reaction could be. In the same way I’m able to let my mind wander when I do solo runs, having the short, small talk during my runs, has made me more comfortable with opening up different conversations. Things I wouldn’t normally consider, but it's that serenity in running and becoming one with your body and the world around you that makes this possible. I now appreciate the conversations I have during runs. I think about our glowing red faces, gasping for breaths and all the inside jokes we now share as teammates. The sweat filled faces have taught me humility and managing external stimuli rather than viewing it like I’m being attacked by swarming bees. Running has allowed me to develop amazing friendships. I have gained confidence in having conversations and crawled out of my introverted shell. I now see conversations like a boomerang where I will throw something out and a teammate will eagerly throw it back at me. I’ve learned that those conversations and connections are gifts we give and receive. Occasionally, you won’t be able to run with others and must be able to distract/entertain yourself in a different way. So, I find myself observing the nature and landforms around me.

I have been able to appreciate the nature around me to a much greater extent. Living in Arizona, I have grown to appreciate the desert southwest. Yes, it is as hot as the surface of the sun with tons of dirt and cactus, but it is also littered with life. I’ve taken the silence in my trail runs to appreciate every aspect of the desert, from the grains of sand I dig my shoes into, to the spines on the cacti that are like a million little knives ready to jab you if you're not paying attention. Typically, you think that the desert is barren, desolate and dead, but when you look a little deeper, you understand how complex of an ecosystem the desert really is. Occasionally, I will see a small lizard sunbathing on a rock soaking up every bit of UV rays the Arizona sun can offer. I’ve come across small snakes scurrying across the sand looking for a hole to slither into. Where I live, I will even see donkeys in small groups just staring at me almost in as much awe as I am to see them up close. The possibilities of what you can encounter in the desert are limitless. You find yourself on that boundary between the endless desert and civilization. It's a stark contrast to see this untamed world right on the horizon, nestled against the inevitable tamed urbanization. A perfect example is how you can pick up a rock and find a scorpion underneath the rock just waiting to ambush its next meal, but look a little deeper and see a small hole under the rock that could be home to a prairie dog, spider or snake. It's through all of this silence and calmness in running, that I have been able to take a step back and truly see the beauty that many of us take for granted living in Arizona. Running as a whole has benefitted me long term in ways I could have never imagined when I decided to take it up as a hobby. 

There are moments and experiences that help to shape the person we will become in this world. We live in a fast paced environment that is constantly changing and stressful. We are simply small cogs in a huge wheel going round and round. Running has helped me figure out how to manage stress, create friendships, and reflect on my day. We often get so caught up in the day to day routines that we forget to take time to reflect back on what we are doing and if we are doing what makes us happy. I was able to find this balance of serenity in an activity that most find boring and uneventful. It wasn’t because I focused on the task itself, but rather what the task allowed me to do with my mind. I challenge anyone who is considering running for exercise or stress relief, to approach it with an open mind and embrace the silence. With all the chaos around us, you would be surprised at how much you can grow through the silence and then appreciate the world around you with a fresh set of eyes and ears.