Why I Run

MAKING STRIDES: Our man wonders why he endures the mental and physical grind of long-distance running. Then, one nasty spring day, in a stinging horizontal rain, the answer comes to him

BY JONATHAN EIG

Originally published on Chicago Magazine.

Sole survivors: A pair of the author’s running shoes, with plenty of mileage on their treads. Photo: ANNA KNOTT

Jogging is one of the stupidest things a person can do.

It’s boring.

It hurts.

It’s lonely.

No one keeps score.

It takes so little talent a two-year-old can do it.

So why do I run?

Not long ago, The New York Times printed a story in its science section about the motivations of joggers. Some people jog because they want to experience and overcome pain, the article said, while others seek a state of euphoria. Really?

Read the rest on Chicago Magazine.