Exercise as creative expression (and other things running taught me)

Hi! This is about my experience with running and more broadly about how exercise is connected to our creativity. If you’re not in a place to read about exercise, skip this one. You can read this recent essay or this one instead.

Against all odds, I’m a runner now. I casually scroll through Runner’s World, use phrases like “Zone 2,” track my runs on an app, and attend a local run club. This is a huge twist for me — somebody who has always struggled to run — and while I’m surprised by this change, the rewards are so immediate and clear, I can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner.

Running has built my confidence and self-respect. Challenging myself physically makes me feel more capable of handling things mentally. I feel less afraid of aging because I’m seeing my body’s potential and strength in new ways. While I’ve felt many of these benefits from Yoga, there’s something about breaking a sweat and feeling like I’m about to die (but not) that’s really doing it for me in a way other exercise ha…