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Why I Run: Tracy Rudnik
Growing up in New Jersey, the New York City Marathon was an all-day television event and I was glued to the TV set from start to finish. Some years it rained, some it snowed, some were sweltering hot and others were cold. No matter what the weather conditions thousands of people from elite athletes to weekend warriors ran 26.2 miles spanning all five boroughs. I often imagined what it would feel like to cross the finish line, but never actually thought that one day I would. Now in my 30's I can proudly say that I have run the New York City Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Kona Marathon, Disney Marathon and Marathon of the Palm Beaches. I belong to an elite group of rather ordinary people who make up the 1% of the population that have completed a marathon. When people hear about these accomplishments they often smile and say to me, "Run 26 miles, I don't like to drive my car 26 miles." They continue by asking what would ever possess me to run a marathon. I have often asked myself that same question when I am waking up at 4:00 am on a Sunday to beat the sweltering south Florida heat and get in a long run before the sun rises. I think about this question once again while I am eating breakfast and reading the paper before most people have rolled out of bed to brush their teeth. The satisfaction I feel after completing a morning run is immeasurable. Why I started to run and why I continue to run are two very different things. I started to run to stay healthy and challenge my body and mind. I continue to run because it has opened my world to a whole new lifestyle and allowed me to meet some of the best friends I have ever had. I now run because I belong to a running community of wonderful people who, if I had not started to run, I probably would have never met. As someone who never gave themselves credit for their accomplishments or thought that anything they did was good enough, I can finally step outside of myself and be proud of what I have done. The marathon medals that hang in my home may as well be Olympic medals. They are mine, I worked hard to get them and no one can ever take what they represent away from me for the rest of my life and then some. Why do I run? Because I can... and if I can, so can you! Tracy Rudnick |
