I love reading the signs during a race. They provide a good distraction. Most signs are funny and makes me smile. Apparently, smiling makes you run faster. It’s true.

Here are some of my favourite signs:

• Toenails are overrated
• Pain is temporary, Instagram is forever
• Seems like a lot of work for a free banana
• Remember, you paid for this
• My mom is faster than your mom
• Run like someone just called you a jogger
• PAIN is the word for BREAD in French

Some signs are thought provoking. I love that they give me something to think about, often long after the race is over.

One of the most thought-provoking signs that I saw from the Scotiabank Marathon was this:

Remeber Your Why

As we ran past this sign at around the 25k mark, both Lisa and I laughed out loud and asked ourselves, “What is our why?” At that moment, it seemed like such a ridiculous question.

After the marathon, after I had some time to let everything sink in, this question came back. What is my why? The answer that kept on coming back into my head was: it’s complicated.

It’s complicated because there’s not just one ‘why’.

It’s complicated because i don’t think people get it unless they experience it.

It’s complicated because there are so many emotions.

It’s complicated because I don’t think I will ever be able to adequately put all the emotions into words.

Here are just some of the reasons.

I run because:

• I can
• I look forward to running
• Running is better than not running
• Running makes me feel stronger and more confident. I feel like I can conquer the world
• Running makes me happy
• It’s one of the most efficient ways to burn calories
• My clothes fit better. It feels amazing to have a ‘flat-ish’ tummy
• I can do it on my own terms. I run as slow or as fast as I choose to. I am the gas and the brakes. It’s all me. No one else.
• I am competing against myself to be better, faster, stronger. To beat yesterday.
• I am redefining my limits. Setting a new bar every day.
• It makes me realize I can do hard things
• I love everything about racing including training and preparing for races
• I love crossing the finish line, especially when I can finish strong
• I want to qualify for Boston one day
• I have an amazing running community who keep me accountable and who inspire me every day
• I love runchatting
• I’m able to inspire and motivate others to become more active or just bore them to death with my running stories.

Those are all very positive reasons why I run but, to be totally honest, I also run to escape from life. It’s an escape from work, from responsibilities, from decision making, from family, and even from myself.

When I’m running, I don’t have to think about anything else. I am nothing but a runner. I’m just focused on putting one foot in front of the other. I don’t have to think. There is a certain simplicity to running that I love.

So yeah, it’s complicated.