I can come up with tons of reasons not to run, especially during the colder months: That arctic blast that blew through the Metroplex. Twice. Dark streets at 6:00 p.m. Getting it going in the kitchen early enough that my toddler doesn’t eat four things out of the snack basket before I can get dinner on the table.
But if I can just make it out of that door, the 30 minutes to 1 hour that I can spend pounding pavement has so many benefits — from health and mindfulness to strength and patience.
I do all types of different studio workouts, but running is what I always come back to. It’s my constant. I remember detesting it the first time my then boyfriend talked me into taking a 20-minute scenic run downtown. Now my husband, he takes ones for the team as he pushes the BOB with our son during the races I do all over town.
Our community has many resources: Luke’s Locker and The Fort Worth Running Company offer the basic couch-to-a-5k training programs and you can download a training guide from the Fort Worth Marathon’s website.
The Benefits
1. It’s free. Put on my tennies. Step outside. Go.
2. It keeps me healthy. My heart rate, blood pressure . . . even my weight is better than it was when I was in high school.
3. Mindfulness. Or not. Seriously. The constant, steady pace can be meditative. But it can also be mindless. When I’ve had a long day and just need to move and not think, running is a cure-all.
4. Patience. I was not born a runner. I had to build. Build. And then rebuild. Running showed me that if I took a patient approach, I could accomplish anything. I’m still proud of that half marathon. That and the aforementioned 30 minutes to an hour of alone time, and you have what continues to bring me sanity in motherhood.
I also like the fact that I’m showing my son that you should lead an active lifestyle. It might be one of the more important lessons I teach him.
Plus it’s a fun community. You have all types of organized runs in Fort Worth . . . from runs that raise money for good causes to night runs that end with a cocktail and camaraderie. There are many regularly scheduled social run events throughout town, like the Margarita Moonlight Runs held every second Tuesday at the Woodshed, Rahr’s Oktoberfest series that hosts 5k social runs throughout the year, or Social Running Clubs Foodie Runs (the first one in 2015 is February 28).
Upcoming Runs
Hot Chocolate Run (15k/5k)
February 7, Dallas Fair Park
The Cowtown (marathon/half/10k/5k)
Feb. 28-29, Will Rogers Memorial Center
Panther City Half/5k
March 14, Martin Brewing House
Zoo Run (5k)
March 28, Fort Worth Zoo
Victory Over Violence Run
April 11, Trinity Park
The Color Run (5k)
April 11, La Grave Field
Joe’s Run (5k/10k)
June 6, Panther Island Pavilion
