This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Today was the PEI Marathon and I ran a 1/2 Marathon (21kms) with a group of friends. And what a great day!

This Post aims to report some lessons from this and benefits of running in hopes to inspire others to be inspired to run (or run more).

Benefits include:

1. Comraderie/Friendship: Having run with a group, it really built a sense of comraderie and brought us closer.
2. Positivity: The atmosphere was so positive throughout. People cheering in front of their houses, or on the streets. It’s very hard to be negative on this day!
3. Fall colours/Fresh Air: The run took us through some wooded areas with really beautiful fall colours. Super enjoyable!
4. Openness/New friends: People are open and welcoming. You meet so many people before, during and after the race.
5. Be a “Superstar”: The finish line includes a ton of people cheering you on, and a giant archway. You get to feel like a superstar athlete!
6. Feeling of Accomplishment: The feeling of accomplishment is tremendous. It’s interesting to think about “Why would we do something like this in the first place?” and yet when you finish, it’s more of a “Why wouldn’t anyone do this? This feels so great!”.

Today after the run, our group of 5 went out for Sushi, and we had a discussion on lessons of the day, here are the main ones that came out:
Lessons:

1. You are always capable of more than you think: All of us underestimated ourselves and thus we achieved more than we expected!  We concluded it was the fear of the unknown that limited us in our beliefs in ourselves, and afterwards we felt more capable than ever! You can do it too!
2. You’ll (More Than) Get By With a Little Help From Your Friends: Running is often seen as boring, long and annoying. Running with friends makes it social, enjoyable, pleasant and the time went by rapidly. We supported each other and got through together!
3. People are generous: Combine all the work that goes into organizing this event, all the volunteers that make it possible and all the people who came out to support, we learn how generous people are, and how contributing to community brings us closer and teaches us that the world doesn’t suck at all.
4. The Future is brighter than we think: The coolest one for me is this lesson on positive outlooks on life. At 8:30am, a few of us were dreaming of being back in bed, wondering what we were doing, dreading the hard road ahead. At the end of the run, the perception had completely flipped. Not only was the road not so bad, it was enjoyable, we had fun and it was not nearly as dreary as we had feared. I think this realizations applies to our everyday lives as well.
5. Anyone can do it: There were people walking, running, 5k, 10k, 21k, marathon. There was something for everyone. Anyone can participate and be active and be part of being active together as a group.

With this final lesson, I encourage all readers to participate or to inquire about participating next year (if you haven’t yet!) And if you’re hesitating, it’s not just about athletic ability, it’s really about community, positivity, having fun and being active.

Feel free to share your running stories, how you started, and if you were running today to share your story! And if you’re a runner, share your love of running in comments below! #running4thewin