It’s race week! On Saturday, I’m running my next marathon.

The other day, I saw an Instagram reel that said:

It’s always “Why do you run so much?”
and never “What mile can I meet you at with snacks?”

I laughed. Because — true story.

At the start of this year, while discussing leave, I mentioned that I’m planning to run a marathon at the end of February. A colleague looked at me and asked, quite sincerely:

“Why? Just… why?”

It’s a fair question.

If you don’t run, it can seem baffling. Painful. Time-consuming. Unnecessary. My life is already full. I’m a wife and a mum of four. At home, I try to be the best wife and mum I can be. There are responsibilities. Logistics. Worries.

At work, I’m a developer. There too, although I do love to be one, I try to be the best developer I can be. More responsibilities. More problem-solving. More worries.

My days are full of roles.

But when I go out for a run — for an hour, sometimes three — I am not a mum.
I am not a wife.
I am not a developer.

I am just me.

No one needs anything from me out there. No lunchboxes. No deadlines. No decisions beyond pace and direction. Just breath and rhythm and the steady sound of my own feet hitting the road.

But if I’m honest, that alone wouldn’t be enough.

Because if I’m given this small, sacred pocket of time just to be me, then I feel almost obligated to use it well. To grow. To stretch. To become stronger — not only physically, but mentally.

So I set goals.
I sign up for races.
I work toward things that scare me a little.

Not because my life isn’t full enough.
But because growth keeps me from stagnating. Because progress — however small — keeps things interesting. Because discovering what I’m capable of reminds me that I am more than the roles I fill.

And that is why I run.

So perhaps the question isn’t “Why?”

Maybe it’s:

Why not?

#WhyNot #WhyIRun #MoreThanMyRoles #MarathonJourney #Becoming