Though I often find it difficult to explain this blog (and the hobby of collecting pens in general) to people, running as a hobby can be much harder to explain. With pens, I usually say that I’m drawn to the art and design element, or I’ll just gift a nice gel pen to anyone who expresses curiosity – that works most of the time. But trying to explain my hobby of running to non-runners, well, a lot of the time they just don’t “get it.”

Running at least has the advantage of being a very common activity. Nobody really looks down on it or thinks that it’s crazy or weird, but a lot of people see it as something grueling at best or, at worst, grueling and boring. Most wonder, if you’re not just trying to burn a few extra calories, why would you choose to run all the time?

I’ve found that the easiest answer is to just shrug and say, “I think it’s fun.” But if I’m making an effort, I’ll say something like, “running is the opposite of eating an entire tray of brownies.” The point is, gorging yourself on a big dessert is really pleasurable in the moment, but it’ll leave you feeling sluggish, bloated, and probably ashamed of your gluttony. Conversely, running can sometimes be miserable in the moment, but you’ll feel energized and happier later on.

Though, honestly, that’s still just a partial explanation.

There are times when I’m just happy to be outside in the fresh air, especially on a sunny day but even sometimes on a rainy or cold day. There’s also the famous “runner’s high,” though I think it’s greatly exaggerated. More than that, I love the feeling of setting goals, running longer and faster, and being surprised at how much progress is possible.

Over the past year, I’ve really gotten into the sport. I’ve been running lots of 5Ks and Half-Marathons, slowly getting faster, gaining endurance, and chipping away at my personal records. I’m not quick enough to be competitive, but I’m still excited to see what I can do. And I’ll find out this fall when I’ll be running my first marathon – the New York City Marathon. It might sound odd to a lot of people, but I’m very much looking forward to running those 26.2 miles.

If you’re at all interested in picking up running as a hobby, I’d strongly encourage signing up for a 5K race/fun run this summer. There are many to choose from, and it shouldn’t be difficult to find a local event. There are also lots of great “Couch to 5K” training plans for free on the web if you aren’t sure how to start.

Yes, it’ll probably be grueling and boring at first. But if you stick with it, you too may get to that point where you’re looking forward to your next run and maybe even discover that running isn’t such an odd hobby after all.