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In a city as hopping as San Francisco, running is the only time when I can be alone. I don't love running with other people, honestly. I don't mind it, but I prefer to be alone, running a path I know really well, and letting my mind wander somewhere else. On that path, I can gnaw on my experiences. I'm not stressed out by what happened yesterday or what's coming next. That hour is mindful. It's present. I feel like I'm experiencing life fully, as it comes, in those moments. I can use that time to reflect, or not. I can think about how to do things better, or differently, or not. Sometimes, that hour is the break I need to find the strength and mental stillness to move forward.

I run because it makes me feel better afterwards. Even when I don't want to run. Even if I pull on my sweats and sit in front of the TV for a half-hour willing myself to run and resisting it, I know I'll feel worse if I don't run than if I do. It sounds funny when you put it like that, but even through the discomfort of pushing myself, I know that at the end of that run I will feel energized, awake, alive, healthy, and like I did something really good for myself. And, there's no guilt if someone offers me a slice of cake. 

Why do I run? Running is better than not running. Simple as that.

For more insights on running and triathlons by Alicia Ostarello, read A Runner's Delight and follow her @arunnersdelight on Twitter.