The Running Lawyer: Why I Run
According to some estimates, the ranks of long distance runners has swelled over the last two decades from 4,000 to 400,000, a number that has not gone unnoticed by me and by equipment suppliers and race organizers looking to tap into the attractive demographics of that market.
The distance runners I’ve encountered are, with the occasional exception, interested and interesting, driven, accomplished, well-educated, affluent, self-starters, health conscious, and fun to be around - especially when sharing the kinetic energy that emanates from the group just before a start. Simply stated, they are fun to be around. Alive. Lively. Looking ahead. The runners I’ve know truly work hard - and play harder.
From what I have been able to observe, virtually all distance runners are driven by their own highly personal reasons - whether originally to become an elite runner - to qualify for a prestigious event - to raise money for some charity - to lose weight - to feel better about themselves.
I run - despite the pounding and aches - because of what it does for my Spirit, mind, and body.
I like feeling uncomfortable with myself when I haven’t run in a couple of days - because I know I need to re-charge. I like taking physically meditative time to clear my head of troubling worries or upsets that serve no purpose except to prevent spontaneous and creative solutions to them. It continues to amaze me how the simple unspoken mantra of “left - right - left - right” - overrides the junk. And, regardless of how my form or speed may objectively appear to others, I experience myself - as I did in the playgrounds of my youth - as running fast - really fast - effortlessly - gracefully - gleefully. The gazelle outrunning the lions - and grinning about it.
I like training for long runs. The discipline to get there. And the - perseverance - goal setting - and “personal bests” that go with it. I like observing myself - when the training gets tough - when I feel lazy - when I don’t want to do it - nonetheless lacing up my shoes and getting out the door.
I like what I learned about myself from running - from long distance bicycle treks - and more recently from climbing "fourteeners" in Colorado. I like knowing that however daunting and tough a challenge may at first appear to be - I’ve been there before. Been there - done that. I’ve come to know that longer races - more difficult trails - higher mountains - and more complex litigation - are but variations on a theme - merely current iterations of challenges I’ve handled before - that I’ve thrived on - with confidence acquired and reinforced through successes - with a reliable foundation of knowledge, experience, training, dedication and perseverance.
Over my 30 years of practicing law, I especially relish the synergy and energy when working with intelligent, daring and motivated people. I’ve found that runners, athletes and other "driven" people share attributes that makes working with them empowering and powerful. Among them: purpose, patience, cleared heads, success, health, vitality and living fully until your last day. That energizes us here at the firm.