Just keep running.

Everyone has that one something. It's that something that keeps us going day after day, that reminds us to breathe, that settles our racing minds. We need that something to break up our routines to remind us exactly where we are and where we want to be. 

For me, it's running. I've never really considered myself to be a runner, or even to be athletic. While I played tennis all throughout middle school and high school at a competitive level, I just never saw myself as a true 'athlete' (whatever that means anyways). 

However, my college didn't have tennis courts and I quickly got too caught up in getting involved to even think about working out. Last fall, the extent of my athleticism consisted of running from one end of the Times Square subway station to the other as I tried to get to my internship in Chelsea Market on time. 

This past semester my sorority decided to participate in the Bronx Zoo's Run for the Wild 5K to benefit the Wildlife Conservation Society. I decided right away that I wanted to participate, and suddenly I had a goal to work towards. 

I began running almost every day, or at least spending an hour at the gym to get back into shape. I quickly found myself not merely going to run to get it out of the way so I could get closer to being able to complete a 5K in a reasonable amount of time, but to melt away stress from the day. 

Running quickly became my one solace, my time when I didn't have to think about anything except getting in that extra mile. I stopped running because I had to, and started because I wanted to. I loved the feeling of not only being active but the feeling of calmness that came with it. 

I love using running as a means to get away from the daily trivialities of life. It reminds me to strip away excess negativity, and to focus on what matters most to me. I love running because it's so simple, but it can take you so far. I may not yet be a 'runner,' but I do run. 

There's days when I feel like I'm running away from things, and there's days where I want to run towards something as quickly as possible. Life's path may not always be clear, but I'm going to just keep running.