From Co-Creator of Viva Wellness, Rachel Gersten
Surprisingly (or maybe not), I’ve been asked why I run a lot. It’s usually in response to me saying I’m doing something a person finds crazy, like waking up at 5am on a Saturday morning to run 10 miles. Other than “because in July the heat after 9am makes me feel like my brain is slowly boiling”, there’s no short answer. Most people are just asking out of sheer disbelief anyway. 5am is early!
I’ve always been active.
First it was swimming, followed by ten years practicing martial arts, and then nothing. I moved to New York for graduate school, followed by my first real job, and spending hours participating in a sport just wasn’t a priority. I’d hit the gym and take my spin classes (still love those, by the way) but it never felt the same as when I was swimming or doing karate. I had always been inspired by the road races I would spectate, but due to some long term orthopedic struggles, I was always told I couldn’t run. Up until 2013, I listened.
After following the advice of doctors for years, I was still experiencing pain – sometimes to the point where it would affect my daily activities. I was immensely frustrated and defeated. Luckily, I’ve also never been good at taking no for an answer. I turned that frustration into pure stubbornness and said “Well, if I’m going to hurt anyway, I might as well run”. I decided to train for a half marathon. What was the worst thing that could happen?
Training for my first half was hard.
Really hard. Turns out, my body is just as stubborn as my mind, and it did not want to run. Things hurt – a lot. But I was determined. I was going to run that half marathon.
I crossed the finish line of the 2014 NYC Half, and it was one of the best moments of my life. It felt like 13.1 miles for 13 years of being told I couldn’t. Well, I did. Even better than that, I was hooked.
Over 15 half marathons, 2 marathons, and countless smaller races later…
I’m still running. I’m always working towards new race goals, and getting stronger and faster. Running changed my life in ways I never would have expected when I decided to train for that first half marathon. The feeling of crossing finish lines never gets old – and it’s the absolute best. I feel strong, powerful, and that I can do anything. That doesn’t just stop after the race. It bleeds into other areas of my life, and I find myself taking chances and having the confidence to jump into new adventures in a way I don’t think I would have before I became a runner. I learned that I live life based on my limits, not someone else’s. Despite what many medical providers said, I’m in less pain on a regular basis now than I was before I started running.
Running is still hard.
It still hurts. I have runs that are frustrating and awful. I have days when I question my life choices, like when it’s pouring rain, 90 degrees, or snowing and I find myself heading out to Central Park for a training run anyway. Even when I’m pretty sure I’m about to die and think WHY ON EARTH DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF, I’m always so incredibly grateful that I get to run. And the runs that don’t hurt and aren’t awful? They’re always the best part of my day.
Maybe one day I’ll have to stop. My body might finally tell me that enough is enough. Today, however, is not that day. Until it is, I’ll be crossing finish lines. I never thought I’d become a runner, but nearly four years after that first NYC Half, it’s one of the greatest decisions I’ve ever made.
Author: Rachel
Rachel is a licensed therapist and co-founder of Viva Wellness. She gets most of her inspiration for the blog while on the run, and if you ever need to find her, she’s probably in Central Park. If she’s not running, you’ll find her planning the next time she’s going to eat, exploring all things wellness in NYC, or raising her stress level by watching her sports teams.
