RUNNER'S WORLD

"The beauty of running is that it's so simple, so adaptable, and so positive. Any healthy person can run. (And many others, despite assorted physical and mental handicaps, have also succeeded.) You learned to walk when you were a child, right? Well, running is nothing more than glorified walking. You can do it.

I'm currently loving J's book.

You might not run fast. And you might not run far. But you can do it. And even if you have to mix walking with your running, you'll lose weight, lower your blood pressure, reduce the stress of daily life, and feel a surge of energy.

And those are only the physical benefits. The mental benefits include lowered risk of depression and increased creativity. Many runners take up the sport because they want to lose a few pounds or decrease their inherited risks of heart disease. They continue running for the way it clears their minds every day.

Running is the ultimate individual sport. It doesn't matter how fast or slow you are relative to anyone else. You set your own pace and you measure your own progress. You can't lose this race because you're not running against anyone else. You're only running against yourself, and as long as you are running, you are winning."

-- Amby Burfoot

Executive Editor, Runner's World Magazine