“My running journey started in 2018 when I decided to sign up for the Queenstown marathon, with the only goal being to finish. All I wanted then was to be able to say that yes, I have done a marathon in my life. There was minimal training involved. I virtually knew nothing about running in terms of pacing or nutrition and hydration. I just went out there and ran. Needless to say, it was quite a painful day but I made it to the finish. And as my girlfriend came over at the finish line to give me a hug, the first thing I said to her was “I’m sure I can do better than that”.
What was supposed to be the end of a once in a lifetime thing became the starting point of something larger altogether. I started running more and signed up for other races and distances. As I did this over the next year or so, I started noticing changes. It was no longer about being able to do a certain distance or a certain time, just to be able to say that I’ve done it. I suppose the ‘why’ changed during this journey. It evolved from something I did to stay active, to an almost therapeutic thing – my version of mindfulness and meditation I suppose.
I started noticing that I was feeling better mentally on the days that I went running too. I also
recognised that every time I got back home from a run (even in torrential Fiordland rain), I was almost always happier than when I left the house. There are obvious physical benefits to running but for me, I noticed that the mental benefits far outweighed the physical.
Up until about 2 years ago I perceived running as a solo activity, some ‘me time’. Then I found other people to go running with and the ‘why’ evolved again. I found great joy in group
runs and sharing that connection. Around the same time I decided to get Mister, short for Mister Doggy Dogster (yes, that is his actual registered name). He keeps me company on all my recovery runs and is the best companion I could’ve asked for. One of the reasons for getting a dog was to have a companion during runs.
Running is a great leveller. We all go through highs and lows, euphoria and misery and to be able to share these feelings with others going through similar motions formed some really cool connections. So the ‘why’ then evolved to being part of such a cool community – to feel supported and be able to support others.
At the end of the day, I think I run because I’m a nicer human being for it. I feel calmer, more connected and more confident due to running. The journey isn’t finished though and I am excited to see what the future holds for me.”
Sagar
(Te Anau)
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Portraits of Runners + their stories
@RunnersNZ
