Staff Blog: My Weekend Ritual

Running long on Sunday morning is my form of worship and a time of reflection.

Like many distance runners, my Sunday mornings consist of me rolling out of bed, lacing up my running shoes and joining two to ten of my closest friends for a run of 90 minutes or more. Afterward, our gathering typically heads out to breakfast and enjoys the camaraderie that comes from keeping such excellent company. While the location and the cast of characters has changed over the years, the Sunday long run followed by breakfast has remained a staple in my weekly schedule for as long as I’ve called myself a distance runner. Come to think of it, aside from wearing a t-shirt and split shorts rather than a suit and tie, my Sunday routine isn’t much different from my friend who attends services with his family and then heads out for coffee and pastries afterward.

I’m not an outwardly religious person, and don’t attend formal services on a regular basis, but for me, running long on Sunday morning, either with others or sometimes by myself, is a form of worship and a time of reflection. It’s how I choose to celebrate life and appreciate the beauty of the world around me. Like my non-running friends who do attend weekly religious services, every weekend I’m introduced to new friends, gain insight into a variety of different issues and inevitably learn something new about myself. In addition to enjoying a challenging workout and padding my mileage for the week, our congregation of loyal attendees basks in the natural beauty and peace of the trails we trample and relishes in the enjoyment of each other’s company. Also, the pancakes always go down easier when you’ve burned several hundred calories beforehand.

Sound like your Sunday morning? Share your own experiences in the comments section below!