I Run Because...

Last weekend, I ran in the Human Race – a 10 km course sponsored and hosted by Nike+. It was an incredible event that got about one million people racing in 25 cities around the world. In New York, there were more than 10,000 people who turned out for the event. Part of the proceeds from the race supported various charities.

It was pretty amazing to be part of something so big. But, with big crowds come big issues.

The event was horribly disorganized – there was a 30 minute start delay and when we finally got started, the course couldn't handle the large crowd. At one point, the race came to a complete halt as thousands of people tried to cross a very narrow bridge.

To top it all off, upon crossing the finish line racers were offered warm water and yogurt with granola. Mmmmm – there’s nothing like dairy to quench your thirst!

Over the years, many have asked why I run and I've always had a hard time answering them. Why? Well, because I both love and hate running (New Balance's recent commercials epitomize my feelings to a T).

There are the health benefits - I can stave off heart disease and other chronic illnesses. It also satisfies my need to compete and achieve - is there any better competitor than yourself? And, when I'm actually running, I feel strong, energized and empowered.

This is all great, but more times than naught, I loathe the effort involved. I don't like leaving my bed at 5:45 most mornings, I’m not happy about passing up my glass of wine when I’m training, I’m not a huge fan of sweating, and I could really do without the aches and pains that follow me after my outings.

So, why do I do it? Well, to be completely honest, there’s only one reason that keeps me going: food, glorious food! Really, is there any better reward than knowing you can actually eat - and eat well - without fearing (too much) the consequences of the weight scale?

On Sunday, after running for 1 hour and 10 minutes (my worst performance to date), I decided I was owed a little treat. Since Nike wasn't kind enough to feed me, I made a quick pit stop before heading home: