Reason for Running #3 --- Measurability

Running is an easy sport that you can see improvement in quickly. Especially in the areas of endurance, form, breathing, and overall fatigue. When you first start out you may only be able to run a quarter mile before you are huffing and puffing and conking out, however if you stick with it regularly, you will notice how quickly that quarter mile goes to a half, and how the half goes to a full. Progress in the area of endurance is easily noticed, but progress in form, breathing, and fatigue is more subtle.

When I started running, I had the worst form in the world. Running flat footed all the time, someone could hear me from nearly a mile away. Over time, I did not notice any difference until my mother pointed out how much smoother my stride had gotten and how the steps appear to be more floating rather than stomping. That was a great feeling when she told me that.

Another measurable component in running is timing. I did not actual start running until I was a junior in high school, however when entering my freshman year I joined JROTC and said that I would beat my brother's mile and a half Personal Fitness Test time of 9:04. "Yeah Right!" My first P.T. test time was over 16 minutes (Freshman Year), around 13 minutes (Sophomore Year), and then in my junior year I ran 8:41 for the mile and a half test. It can be done, and it can be measured. Every time you run for time does not mean that you will improve, but over time you should notice improvement based on effort. I still prefer endurance as my favorite test of measurability, because as one gets older, times do slow down.

Run On! Each step will increase to another...