Other FAQs: Food
How did you get into running?
Good question. I have no idea.
Growing up I was a dancer through and through- I was not an athlete. At all. When high school came around, I wanted to play a sport. Of course, if you haven’t been playing soccer or basketball since the time you were 6 inches tall, forget it- you’d never make the team. So I decided to try out for field hockey. I’d never even heard of it before, but I”d get to smack a ball with a stick- who wouldn’t want to do that?!
Somehow I made the team & we immediately had our butts handed to us in practice. For days, we ran, and ran, and ran. “Warm-up’” before practice was a 3 mile run.
I’m pretty sure I’d never run in my life before, but somehow I kept leading the pack. Looking back, I think the only reason I made the team was that I was the first one back from the run every day during try outs.
When hockey season was over, I needed something else to do, so I joined the track team.
I guess it just snowballed from there. I don’t know how I heard about my first race, or why I wanted to sign up for it, but the collection of t-shirts I ended up with was proof of how my weekends were spent: race after race.
(By the way, when you run races as a teenager, you’re almost guaranteed to place- if not because your fast, but because there’s only 2 people in your age group 
)
I stopped racing when I went to college. Let’s face it, I had other things to do. And no car to get to any races. Slowly but surely, running faded away from me. I’d throw on some sneakers and go for a run every now and then, but nothing serious.
One day I just decided I missed it and picked it back up again. Since I’ve started again, it hasn’t been as natural for me- I have to work hard just to make it a mile. But I remember how much fun I used to have & the joy it gave me, so I stick with it. It just gives me a different kind of satisfaction now. 
I’m new so I’m not sure what your injury is. Fill me in!
Well the current one is my knee I was an idiot and ran in the North Face Endurance Challenge Marathon Relay despite a slightly sore knee, and ended up making it 1,000 times worse. (Thanks to all of you for not saying “I told you so”. I know, I know.) Apparently it’s likely I have a torn meniscus, but I might be lucky and it’s just pinched, not torn. I’ll find out after my beach trip
My other “injury” isn’t really an injury at all- I have no idea what to call it. I have chronic pain of unknown cause that mostly affects my hands & feet. If you want to hear more about that, you can read my ‘stinky feet posts’: how the pain started & what happened with it.
Your turn: how did you get into running? (Or biking or walking or yoga or whatever?)
{ 10 comments… read them below or chime in }
Haha, why are all of us runners so stubborn? I’m the same way…running through injuries…it’s awful. But can I say I’m glad you still did the relay without sounding like a bad person?? I was so glad to meet you!
I loved meeting you too! I’m still glad I did it
Better an injury from something fun than something stupid, right?! 
I miss the good old days of being 17 and winning every race because I was the only one under 18 racing…
Running is my forte back in school days. I always compete in school games. I just stopped when I got into college and need to focus to my studies. But do miss running sometimes.
I used to play field hockey too!
I also have no idea how I really got into the whole fitness and health thing. Somehow it just crept up on me, and now I can’t imagine a life without it.
Aw I was a field hockey player and track runner also! I still miss field hockey sometimes.
I always wanted to be a runner. I envied people when I saw them out pounding the pavement in my city. But I didn’t think I could run and settled on the idea that I just wasn’t born or built to run. Then I organized a team for a charity 5K and as I was out on the course, running a little then walking some more I felt inspired. It was a beautiful day and a great cause and I just couldn’t help but pick up my knees and run alog side all of the people out there with me. Before I knew it I had ran over a whole kilometre, something I have never been capable of before. From there I was hooked. I was going to become a runner! That was 8 months ago and I am now in training for my first 10 mile race followed by a 1/2 marathon. Running for me really started with a few steps and a 1000m of motivation.
i got into running as a way to stay in shape for basketball and volleyball seasons. then when high school ended i had a friend who was a more serious runner and she got me into running longer. then invited me to a race and i guess it just snowballed.
and field hockey is vicious. props to you for doing it
I got into running because I needed a new goal. I reached my goal of losing 100 pounds and was sort of floundering about what to do next. I wanted to stay motivated to keep it off and lead a healthy life. I decided to train for a 5k. As a result I am now a runner!
I was a dancer first too!
I just laced up my shoes one day and started running. Signed up for a race and that was it. Races are AWESOME!!!